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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
12 of 14 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
This book is a sheer jewel,
By
This review is from: The Magic Barrel: Stories (Paperback)
Since this book won the 1959 National Book Award, and I had not read it, I found a copy and was amazed at the power of the stories. I usually am not too enamored of short story collections, since I don't appreciate starting anew every few pages in a book. But this book is an exception. I was amazed at how quickly one became caught up in each story. The first story is The First Seven Years, and is a most touching story, setting the reader up most felicitously for enjoyment of each of the following 12 stories.
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Simple, powerful stories,
By Lazyboy (San Francisco, USA) - See all my reviews
This review is from: The Magic Barrel: Stories (Paperback)
It was such a pleasure to read these stories. Each story grabs you quickly, and makes its narative thrust accessible. His stories don't stray from his simple narratives; there is very little excess or digression.The stories are very personal and moral without being preachy. He knows how to capture people's moral ambivalence without judging them or resorting to stereotypes. I found this book to be both an easy read and very moving.
6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Wonderful Stories Covering a Surprising Range of Emotions,
By
This review is from: The Magic Barrel: Stories (Paperback)
This set of stories surprises one with breadth of understanding which it exhibits. From the first story ("The First Seven Years") which deals with a father's desire to provide the best for his daughter through the last story ("The Magic Barrel")which provides an interesting contrast to the first, all of these stories expand on the single theme of human experience.The frustration built upon in "The Key" and "The Last Mohican" if offset nicely by the humor in "A Summer's Reading" and "The Lady of the Lake". "Take Pity" and "The Mourners" offer great insigth into growing old and dealing with lonliness. While "Angel Levine" is probably the most off beat of the set it still manages to increase hope, whereas "The Prison" causes an equal loss of faith in the human race. The 12 stories here provide a wonderful evening's reading, however if your looking for more they are included in the books of his complete stories.
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