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The Magic Barrel
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The Magic Barrel

short stories by Malamud
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History

The Magic Barrel, collection of 13 short stories by Bernard Malamud, published in 1958. Malamudā€™s first published collection, The Magic Barrel won a 1959 National Book Award. The title story, first published in 1954, is considered one of Malamudā€™s finest.

Most of the stories concern impoverished New York City Jews. The stories reflect the rhythm and style of Yiddish folktales, and their settings are often bleak. The plots are ironic and humorous and show the influence of Hasidic tales.

This article was most recently revised and updated by Kathleen Kuiper.