Why read The Assistant?

Book cover of The Assistant

Book description

The Assistant, Bernard Malamud's second novel, originally published in 1957, is the story of Morris Bober, a grocer in postwar Brooklyn, who "wants better" for himself and his family. First two robbers appear and hold him up; then things take a turn for the better when broken-nosed Frank Alpine becomes…

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Literary fiction

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Why read it?

2 authors picked The Assistant as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?

Charles Ardai

Author

Malamud isn’t thought of as a crime writer, but this story of a robber who goes to work for the man he robbed as a kind of silent penance is very much a story of crime and punishment, of sin and redemption, and it directly inspired one of my own stories about a killer who winds up working for the mother of the man he killed.

A sad and troubling book, this book is about how even good intentions can lead to bad outcomes and how atonement might never be enough but is still necessary.

From Charles' list on hardboiled crime novels that will move you to tears.

Angel Dionne

Author

I think The Assistant is an example of Malamud at his best. The story perfectly captures what it means to be human and depicts the consequences of unresolved guilt.

I found myself empathizing with Malamud’s incredibly flawed characters who, although unlikable at times, nonetheless succeed in illustrating the necessity of forgiveness.

From Angel's list on books that depict the existential pains of human existance.