The Magic Barrel

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