New York Times Notable Book of the Year

Publishers Weekly Best Book of 1997


With an Introduction by Robert Giroux, The Complete Stories of Bernard Malamud is ''an essential American book,'' Richard Stern declared in the Chicago Tribune when the collection was published in hardcover. His praise was echoed by other reviewers and by readers, who embraced the book as they might a displaced person in one of Malamud's stories, now returned to us, complete and fulfilled and recognized at last. The volume gathers together fifty-five stories, from ''Armistice'' (1940) to ''Alma Redeemed'' (1984), and including the immortal stories from The Magic Barrel and the vivid depictions of the unforgettable Fidelman. It is a varied and generous collection of great examples of the modern short story, which Malamud perfected, and an ideal introduction to the work of this great American writer.