The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz

by Mordecai Richler
The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz cover
Good Books rating 4.06
Technical
  • ID: 94
  • Added: 2025-09-02
  • Updated: 2025-09-02
  • ISBN: 9780671028473
  • Publisher: Simon and Schuster
  • Published: 1999-03-01
  • Reviews: 4
Reviews
SuperSummary · 2025-09-02
thought-provoking 4.00

Duddy's relentless ambition brings him monetary success but estranges him from those he loves, culminating in a loss of his grandfather’s respect and a need to start over.

The reviewer focuses on the moral and relational consequences of Duddy’s single-minded pursuit of success, noting how his ambition leads him to exploit friends and loved ones, such as Virgil and Yvette. The loss of his grandfather’s respect is seen as the ultimate blow, underscoring how Duddy’s achievements come at great personal cost. The novel is framed as a story about ambition’s double edge — it drives success but can also destroy the very foundations of personal identity and relationships, requiring Duddy to reflect and rebuild at the end.

Quick quotes

    Duddy travels on both sides of the law in his relentless pursuit of higher social status and monetary success.

    He consistently takes his girlfriend, Yvette, for granted, despite the fact that she is the one who helps him hone his dream and forge the plan to make it a reality.

    When Simcha finds out that Duddy has achieved his dream of land ownership only via theft and manipulation, he refuses to offer Duddy the congratulations and praise that Duddy so desperately craves.

Goodreads · 2025-09-02
intriguing 4.25

Duddy is portrayed as a loveable but morally flexible rascal whose relentless ambition to own land drives him to use both ingenuity and questionable ethics, eliciting mixed feelings of admiration and criticism.

The reviewer sees Duddy as a complex character, a loveable rogue with a flexible moral compass and a fierce determination to succeed, driven by his grandfather’s dictum that land ownership defines a man. Throughout the novel, Duddy's entrepreneurial spirit propels him through a series of scams and schemes, some successful and others morally dubious, reflecting his struggle against anti-Semitism and social scorn. The reviewer appreciates how Duddy's character oscillates between moments of tenderness and ruthless ambition, showing how far he is willing to go to achieve his dream, which invites readers to both admire his ingenuity and question his ethics.

Quick quotes

    Duddy -- the third generation of a Jewish immigrant family in Montreal -- is combative, amoral, scheming, a liar, and totally hilarious.

    Duddy’s grandfather once tells him that ‘a man without land is nobody’, Duddy takes this to heart and when he finds the property of his dreams... this becomes Duddy’s sole mission in life.

    Duddy also comes up with several, perhaps not entirely legitimate schemes, some more successful than others- but all with a certain level of ingeniousness to them.

SoulRide · 2020-11-19
bittersweet 4.00

The story is seen as a bittersweet exploration of ambition and moral cost, highlighting Duddy’s relentless pursuit of land ownership at the expense of his relationships and soul.

This reviewer highlights Duddy as a challenging, sometimes tormenting figure whose life is shaped by his grandfather’s powerful message about land and identity. The narrative is appreciated for showing Duddy’s complex journey — his rise through questionable methods, the damage he inflicts on friends and family, and the ultimate cost to his soul and relationships. The reviewer emphasizes the emotional weight of Duddy’s failures and redemptions, noting how his ambition blinds him to the harm he causes, making the novel a compelling lesson about the price of success.

Quick quotes

    ‘A man without land is nobody. Remember that, Duddel.’

    Duddy is consumed with guilt and goes into a spiral that results in his being forced to declare bankruptcy with still a few more plots of land to be purchased.

    When the final plots of land come up for sale, though, Duddy gets the fever again. He makes one last push to obtain all the land but this time it may come at the cost of his friends, his family and his soul.

Roger Ebert · Roger Ebert · 1974-06-15
complex 4.00

The story is a sharp exploration of ambition and greed, with Duddy's relentless pursuit of success leading him to alienate those who love him. The film adaptation emphasizes Duddy's flawed character and moral compromises in his quest for land ownership.

Roger Ebert's review of the film adaptation focuses on Duddy's complex ambition and the moral ambiguity of his actions. Ebert points out Duddy's single-minded determination to own land as rooted in his grandfather's belief that 'a man without land is a nobody,' but also notes how Duddy's decisions cause him to alienate those closest to him, including the girl who loves him. The review underscores the blend of humor and tragedy in Duddy's journey, highlighting how his get-rich-quick schemes and flawed character create a compelling narrative about the costs of ambition. Ebert also discusses the film's portrayal of Duddy's entrepreneurial ventures, such as his bar mitzvah film company, which is both ludicrous and emblematic of his resourcefulness.

Quick quotes

    It's a story of ambition and greed, with a hero that will stop at almost nothing.

    His ambition is to own land... 'A man without land is a nobody,' his grandfather has told him.

    The ways in which he finally succeeds in driving her away... are played against his own series of get-rich-fast schemes.

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