"The Assistant" is a novel by Bernard Malamud, published in 1957. It is a story about an Italian immigrant named Morris Bober who runs a small grocery store in Brooklyn, New York. One day, a young man named Frank Alpine arrives at the store looking for work, and Bober reluctantly hires him as his assistant. As Frank becomes more involved in the store and the lives of Bober and his family, he begins to uncover secrets and conflicts that threaten to tear them apart.
The novel is a portrayal of the immigrant experience and the struggles of working-class people in the United States. It deals with themes of identity, family, and the American Dream, and has been praised for its powerful portrayal of the human condition. "The Assistant" is considered to be a classic of American literature and has won numerous awards, including the National Book Award.