Mordecai Richler: The apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz (Undetermined language, McClelland and Stewart)
319 pages
Undetermined language
Published by McClelland and Stewart.
The younger son of a working-class Jewish family in Montreal, Duddy Kravitz yearns to make a name for himself in society. This film chronicles his short and dubious rise to power, as well as his changing relationships with family and friends. Along the way the film explores the themes of anti-semitism and the responsibilities which come with adulthood.
The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz is the story of a young Jewish man from Montreal who learns lessons in life from a series of people who serve as his mentors. As their apprentice, he is given the opportunity to observe their lives and learn from them, and as he does, he carves a course for a life he believes will bring him power and money.
This book is considered a modern classic and a friend of mine warmly suggested reading this. I do like Richler's writing style overall. However, this book lacks coherent plot and the main character (Duddy Kravitz) is not only very unlikable and rude, I also had a hard time really following along. Overall this book was a good read but a somewhat mediocre story.
