THE ASSISTANT

Not one false moment mars George Guidall's resonant interpretation of the Pulitzer Prize winner's 1957 novel. With surprising lyricism and characteristic irony, the author writes of Frank, a young, Gentile nogoodnik, who comes to work for a Jewish ma-and-pa grocery in return for room and board. The family owners don't know that Frank was one of the thieves who previously robbed the place and clubbed Morris, the paterfamilias. For his part, Frank is at war with himself, ever vacillating between his good and brutal instincts. Guidall is totally in sync with this group, vividly portraying the inner life of each. He delivers the narrative with equal aplomb, making every moment seem effortlessly riveting. Y.R. Winner of AUDIOFILE Earphones Award © AudioFile, Portland, Maine [Published: DEC/JAN 00]