Available Copies from Independent Booksellers
Malamud, Bernard. The Assistant. Farrar, Straus, Cudahy, NY, 1957.
Price: US$1000.00 + shipping
Description: pp 246. Inscribed to Malou and Don on author's business card. Also laid in is 5pp offprint by Harvey Swados, "The Emergence of an Artist: Bernard Malamud.
Seller: Muse Book Shop, DeLand, FL, U.S.A.
MALAMUD, Bernard. The Assistant. Farrar Straus Cudahy, New York, 1957.
Price: US$1500.00 + shipping
Condition: Good
Description: First edition. Cocked, and old tape shadows on the front pastedown, thus good in good only internally repaired first issue dustjacket with overall wear. Malamud's second book, and perhaps his scarcest. Contemporary author's printed presentation label ("With Best Wishes From The Author"), with the owner name filled in by the recipient ("L & C. Garrison"), and Inscribed on the label by Malamud: "For Chet & Louise - With whom we share goods, services, friendship - Much affection, Bern, Corvallis, 1958." The recipients were Chet Garrison (a close friend and colleague of Malamud's) and his wife Louise. The Garrisons were the dedicatees of a 1967 omnibus edition of Malamud's work, *The Malamud Reader*. The shared "goods, services" referenced in the inscription refers in part to reciprocal babysitting services provided by each family. Chester A. Garrison became friends with Malamud soon after Garrison joined the English Department at Oregon State College (now University) in 1954 where they bonded over being Easterners (Malamud from New York and Garrison from Jersey City) and their mutual interest in Thomas Hardy. Malamud's son Paul interviewed Garrison about their relationship for the book *The Magic Worlds of Bernard Malamud* (2001). A very nice association copy. *Burgess 99*.
Seller: Between the Covers-Rare Books, Inc. ABAA, Gloucester City, NJ, U.S.A.
Malamud, Bernard. Assistant.. Farrar, Straus and Cudahy, New York, 1957.
Price: US$2000.00 + shipping
Description: First edition of Malamud's second novel, which went on to win the Daroff Fiction Award from the Jewish Book Council of America and the Award of the National Institute of Arts and Letters. Octavo, original half cloth. Signed by Bernard Malamud on the half-title page. Near fine in a near fine dust jacket with a chip to the crown of the spine. Jacket design by Milton Glaser. Set in a working-class neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York, it explores the situation of first- and second-generation Americans in the early 1950s as experienced by three main characters and the relationships between them: an aging Jewish refugee from the Russian Empire who owns and operates a failing small grocery store, a young Italian American drifter trying to overcome a bad start in life by becoming the grocer's assistant and the grocer's daughter, who becomes romantically involved with her father's assistant despite parental objections and misgivings of her own. It was the basis for the 1998 film directed by Daniel Petrie. Time Magazine named it to its list of "All-Time 100 Novels."
Seller: Raptis Rare Books, Palm Beach, FL, U.S.A.
MALAMUD, Bernard. The Assistant. Farrar Straus & Cudahy, New York, 1957.
Price: US$2000.00 + shipping
Condition: Fine
Description: 8vo, cloth backed boards, d.w. New York; Farrar Straus & Cudahy, (1957). First Edition. Fine. Fine copy of Malamud's second novel, autographed on the title page,
Seller: Argosy Book Store, ABAA, ILAB, New York, NY, U.S.A.
Malamud, Bernard. The Assistant.. Farrar, Straus and Cudahy, New York, 1957.
Price: US$2250.00 + shipping
Description: First edition of Malamud's second novel, which went on to win the Daroff Fiction Award from the Jewish Book Council of America and the Award of the National Institute of Arts and Letters. Octavo, original half cloth. Association copy, inscribed by the author on the front free endpaper to his cousin, Marshall Malament's sons, "To Joel and David with every good wish Bernie." Near fine in a very good dust jacket. Jacket design by Milton Glaser. Set in a working-class neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York, it explores the situation of first- and second-generation Americans in the early 1950s as experienced by three main characters and the relationships between them: an aging Jewish refugee from the Russian Empire who owns and operates a failing small grocery store, a young Italian American drifter trying to overcome a bad start in life by becoming the grocer's assistant and the grocer's daughter, who becomes romantically involved with her father's assistant despite parental objections and misgivings of her own. It was the basis for the 1998 film directed by Daniel Petrie. Time Magazine named it to its list of "All-Time 100 Novels."
Seller: Raptis Rare Books, Palm Beach, FL, U.S.A.
Malamud, Bernard. Assistant.. Farrar, Straus and Cudahy, New York, 1957.
Price: US$2800.00 + shipping
Description: First edition of Malamud's second novel, which went on to win the Daroff Fiction Award from the Jewish Book Council of America and the Award of the National Institute of Arts and Letters. Octavo, original half cloth. Association copy, inscribed by the author on the front free endpaper, "To Susie and Paul dear friends, greetings! Bern Corvallis, Oregon January, 1958." The recipients, Suzanne and Paul Shrag were close friends of Malamud and brother of printmaker Karl Schrag. Near fine in a very good price-clipped dust jacket. Jacket design by Milton Glaser. Housed in a custom clamshell box. Set in a working-class neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York, it explores the situation of first- and second-generation Americans in the early 1950s as experienced by three main characters and the relationships between them: an aging Jewish refugee from the Russian Empire who owns and operates a failing small grocery store, a young Italian American drifter trying to overcome a bad start in life by becoming the grocer's assistant and the grocer's daughter, who becomes romantically involved with her father's assistant despite parental objections and misgivings of her own. It was the basis for the 1998 film directed by Daniel Petrie. Time Magazine named it to its list of "All-Time 100 Novels."
Seller: Raptis Rare Books, Palm Beach, FL, U.S.A.