The Magic Barrel Stories
The Magic Barrel Stories by Bernard Malamud, published by Macmillan in 2003, is a reprint edition comprising 214 pages in English. This collection of short stories, first published in 1959, captures the essence of life in New York and Italy through the lens of Malamud’s alter ego, Arthur Fidelman. The narratives explore the lives of various characters, including egg candlers, shoemakers, matchmakers, and rabbis, employing a blend of urban realism and Yiddish idiom.
Readers will find that the stories delve into themes of struggle, frustration, and the immigrant experience, all while showcasing Malamud’s artistic flair. The collection reflects on the complexities of identity and heritage, making it a significant contribution to American literature. With its rich storytelling and vivid character portrayals, The Magic Barrel offers insights into the human condition, resonating with those interested in literary fiction and world literature.
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Winner of the National Book Award for Fiction
Introduction by Jhumpa Lahiri
Bernard Malamud’s first book of short stories, The Magic Barrel, has been recognized as a classic from the time it was published in 1959. The stories are set in New York and in Italy (where Malamud’s alter ego, the struggleing New York Jewish Painter Arthur Fidelman, roams amid the ruins of old Europe in search of his artistic patrimony); they tell of egg candlers and shoemakers, matchmakers, and rabbis, in a voice that blends vigorous urban realism, Yiddish idiom, and a dash of artistic magic.
The Magic Barrel is a book about New York and about the immigrant experience, and it is high point in the modern American short story. Few books of any kind have managed to depict struggle and frustration and heartbreak with such delight, or such artistry.
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