The following version of this book was sued to create this study guide: Krauss, Nicole. To Be a Man. New York: HarperCollins, 2020.

To Be a Man is a collection of ten short stories by Nicole Krauss.

“Switzerland” follows a 13-year-old American girl during the year that her family lives in Switzerland. She attends a boarding school with other international students, and she befriends two older female students: Soraya and Marie. She is fascinated by Soraya and Marie’s stories about sex and dating. One day, Soraya begins dating a married man, and she even runs away with him for a few weeks. The protagonist eventually moves back to the United States with her family and feels deeply changed by her time in Switzerland.

“Zusya on the Roof” follows a man named Brodman, who is a scholar of Jewish religion and history. He is treated for cancer, and during his treatment, he hallucinates that he is Zusya, a Jewish religious leader. After Brodman is no longer in danger of dying, he meets his newborn grandson and feels a responsibility to be the grandson’s personal and spiritual advisor. However, as Brodman thinks about what advice he should give to his grandson, Brodman feels a growing sense of uncertainty.

“I Am Asleep but My Heart Is Awake” follows an adult woman in the months after her father’s death. She moves into the New York City apartment that her father left to her in his will. One day, an unfamiliar man arrives, claiming to have been a friend of her father. To her surprise, the man makes himself at home in the apartment. The woman feels that she should tell the man to leave, but she is unable to bring herself to do so.

“End Days” follows a young Jewish woman named Noa, who lives in California. Her parents are in the midst of a divorce, and although the divorce is amicable, Noa feels a deep sense of anxiety regarding it. Nonetheless, at her parents’ request, she attends the ceremony in which a rabbi declares their divorce official in the eyes of God. Noa then returns to work, and she reflects with some sadness and anxiety about her own romantic future. Later, she visits the rabbi’s young apprentice, and she impulsively has sex with him.

“Seeing Ershadi” follows a woman who is a member of a prominent dance company in Israel. She has always dreamed of being a dancer, and she was worked hard to achieve her goal. However, she eventually becomes disillusioned with her career. She then becomes obsessed with the films of Iranian actor Homayoun Ershadi. The films were recommended to her by her friend Romi, who found comfort in them after her father’s death. One day, the dancer coincidentally sees Ershadi in person on the streets of Tokyo, where the woman was traveling for a dance performance. Eventually, the woman leaves the dance company and moves to the United States for graduate school. She and Romi stay in touch over the years.

“Future Emergencies” follows a woman living in New York City. She lives with her significant other, Victor, who is a history professor, and who is much older than her. They met five years prior, when she was a senior in college and was a student in his class. During the main storyline, she and Victor make safety preparations following a warning by the city about an incoming environmental hazard. She reflects upon her relationship with Victor, and she realizes that she might want to end the relationship. However, she is also pregnant, and Victor is the father.

“Amour” follows an unnamed narrator, who is in a refugee camp, decades in the future. The reason for the refugee camp’s existence is not stated, but there appears to have been a large-scale violent conflict or environmental catastrophe. In the camp, the narrator encounters a woman named Sophie, whom he knew decades prior. Sophie talks to him about Ezra, the man she dated, and with whom she broke up years ago. Sophie eventually dies of illness in the camp, leaving the narrator to reflect on the meaning of life, death, and love.

“In the Garden” takes place in an unspecified Latin American country. The unnamed narrator works as the personal assistant to a famous landscape architect. Eventually, the country’s government becomes overtaken by a brutal military regime. The regime demands to be allowed to secretly bury numerous executed prisoners under one of the architect’s gardens. The architect agrees, apparently fearing that the government might stop him from continuing his work. The narrator struggles with the moral implications of these events.

“The Husband” follows a woman named Tamar. She lives in New York City, works as a doctor, has children, and is divorced. Her mother Ilana and brother Shlomi live in Israel. Tamar’s father died five years ago. One day, due to a bureaucratic mix-up, the Israeli government brings an unfamiliar man to Ilana’s home, believing Ilana and the man to be estranged spouses. Ilana explains the mix-up, but then she and the man begin dating. Tamar tries to feel happy for her mother, but she finds it difficult, possibly because Tamar feels lonely and jealous. However, the man appears to be kind, smart, and gentle. Eventually, Tamar goes to Israel to visit.

“To Be a Man” follows a single mother who lives in Israel. She has a lover who lives in Berlin, and whom she occasionally visits. The lover is a professional boxer. He is sensitive in demeanor, which is incongruous with his profession. He also sometimes expresses physical violence towards objects. The lover used to be married, and he never fully recovered from the emotional impact of his wife leaving him. In Israel, the protagonist has a friend named Rafi, who used to be a member of a special forces division of the Israeli military. Sometimes, he recalls the violence of his former profession with a sense of deep regret. The protagonist sometimes wonders what types of men her two sons will grow up to be.