Short Story Collections, Part 6: Bernard Malamud

Pulitzer Prize–winning author Bernard Malamud crafted parable-like stories that explore the immigrant experience, the isolation of modern life, and the transformative power of human connection. Drawing from The Complete Stories, this course centers on Malamud’s signature redemptive vision, highlighted by masterpieces like "The Magic Barrel," in which the encounter between a lonely rabbinical student and a mystical marriage broker illuminates how love breaks through self-enclosed solitude. Together, we examine how Malamud navigates both tragic and comedic landscapes to reveal how Jews and non-Jews alike seek redemption, empathy, and freedom in a new world. Suggested book: The Complete Stories (FSG Classics) by Bernard Malamud.