With a new introduction by Aleksandar Hemon In The <strong>Tenants</strong> 1971 BernardMalamud brought his unerring sense of modern urban life to bear on the c... » 

With a new introduction by Aleksandar Hemon In The Tenants 1971 BernardMalamud brought his unerring sense of modern urban life to bear on the conflictbetween blacks and Jews then inflaming his native Brooklyn. The sole tenant ina rundown tenement Henry Lesser is struggling to finish a novel but hissolitary pursuit of the sublime grows complicated when Willie Spearmint ablack writer ambivalent toward Jews moves into the building. Henry and Willieare artistic rivals and unwilling neighbors and their uneasy peace isdisturbed by the presence of Willies white girlfriend Irene and the landlordLevenspiels attempts to evict both men and demolish the building. This novelsconflict current then is perennial now it reveals the slippery nature of thehuman condition and the human capacity for violence and undoing. «