Family Matters

The dazzling tale of a clever young rogue who makes good (or at least makes money), The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz established Mordecai Richler as one of the great comic writers of the twentieth century. Determined to claw his way out of Montreal’s Jewish ghetto, young Duddy takes to heart his grandfather’s maxim that “a man without land is nobody.” In his relentless pursuit of property and a big-time reputation, the cynical dreamer lies, cheats, and hurts everyone who loves him. Amoral, yet oddly endearing, Duddy Kravitz is one of the most charismatic anti-heroes of all time — a man who learns the hard way that dreams are not exactly what they seem, even when they do come true. Abridged by the author himself and featuring the melodious voice of Broadway’s Paul Hecht, along with original music and sound effects, this superb archival recording (which first aired on CBC Radio in 1980) captures the frenetic pacing and sharp wit of Richler’s 1959 masterpiece.