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Berlin Alexanderplatz
Berlin Alexanderplatz: The Story of Franz Biberkopf | Alfred Döblin
Alfred Döblin (1878-1957) studied medicine in Berlin and specialized in the treatment of nervous diseases. Along with his experiences as a psychiatrist in the workers' quarter of Berlin, his writing was inspired by the work of Holderlin, Schopenhauer and Nietzsche and was first published in the literary magazine, Der Sturm. Associated with the Expressionist literary movement in Germany, he is now recognized as on of the most important modern European novelists. Berlin Alexanderplatz is one of the masterpieces of modern European literature and the first German novel to adopt the technique of James Joyce. It tells the story of Franz Biberkopf, who, on being released from prison, is confronted with the poverty, unemployment, crime and burgeoning Nazism of 1920s Germany. As Franz struggles to survive in this world, fate teases him with a little pleasure before cruelly turning on him. Foreword by Alexander Stephan Translated by Eugene Jolas>
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bunneeboy
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Pickpick

The jolly slog of Franz Biberkopf!

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AlizaApp
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Pickpick

A novel published in the late 1920s about Weimar-era Berlin which really captures a specific moment in time (between catastrophes) and describing parts of the city (streets, stores, landmarks) that due to WWII and communism/GDR no longer exist.

Leftcoastzen It‘s a brick! I loved it but it is a pretty dense read . It was challenging to find a copy as it‘s been in & out of print over the years 2y
35 likes1 comment
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Andrea313
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There are so many great #JudiDench roles, but I think one of her greatest was as Sally Bowles in the original London production of Cabaret. And if you're interested in a slice of life in Weimar Berlin, the setting of the musical, look no further than the tagged book, which one reviewer called, "an unsparing account of a society in a freefall." #Movie2BookRecs #seemoretheatre @Klou

Klou Fantastic!! 3y
31 likes1 comment
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Loretta
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New books from one of my favorite Independent Bookstores, Northshire Books in Vermont. Delivered free right to my door. ❤️

MidnightBookGirl As an indie bookstore employee, this is lovely to see! 4y
20 likes1 comment
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mklong
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AnneCecilie
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Pickpick

It‘s 1926 and we meet Franz Biberkopf as he is released from prison. Over the next years we will follow him as he tries to get his life on track and do honorable work, but that‘s not easy in Berlin in the late 20s. And with a criminal past, he may not know the right people to always be on the right side of the law?

But this novel is just as much about Berlin and there is a lot of street names, descriptions and public transportation.

AnneCecilie This novel was published in 1931 and in the preface to the novel it says that the city described in this novel no longer exists and that makes me sad. Berlin was bombed during WWII so what we see today are the reconstructions. 5y
BarbaraBB Great review. I‘ve had this one on my shelves for way too long. 5y
AnneCecilie @BarbaraBB I had this on my shelves for 14 yrs so I know about too long. I‘m glad I finally got to it. 5y
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Buechersuechtling
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@AnnCecilie Can you _believe_ it⁉️
After I read your post I wanted to make another attempt with that book. So I searched my library.

They have a volume with explanations and comments to the text – but not the novel itself. 😤

AnneCecilie Bummer. But I‘m glad I inspired you to try again. 5y
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AnneCecilie
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Ever since I saw the German TV series “Babylon Berlin”, I‘ve wanted to read books set in Berlin during the same time period (20s/30s).

As far as I know this book does that, but I doesn‘t know much about it.

This book has been standing on my shelves for 14 yrs so I‘m happy about finally getting to it.

Buechersuechtling Oh, I‘m absolutely curious what you will post about it. One of my acquaintances often recommends it to me. But, to be honest, until now I could not yet bring myself to read it. Maybe because I made quite mixed experiences with so-called “classics”. 5y
Freespirit Oh I loved Babylon Berlin❤️ Another excellent series of that time is Charite at War. 5y
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Jari-chan
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Not only the story of Franz Biberkopf but also the story of Berlin in the #1920s. At least that's what I've heard since I haven't read it yet (of course, I want to).

#LetsTravelJuly

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Liz_M
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Mehso-so

Not an easy or enjoyable read. As the unlikeable protagonist makes his way through lower class Berlin, there are glimpses, through the collaged technique, of the instability of society. An interesting depiction of a particular time and place, held loosely together with the narrative downfall of a not so good main character. The writing is disorienting and powerful, but overall it is unpleasant, as probably interned by the author. 3 🌟 #1001books

Liz_M Cover art by George Grosz 5y
Graywacke Love the image 5y
Liz_M @Graywacke Is the cover art for the nyrb edition that I read. 5y
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Liz_M
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Jan.TBR stack.

Leftcoastzen ❤️🎉Berlin Alexanderplantz 5y
JenniferP Are you reading Pilgrimage with the group read in the Category Challenge on LT? I am - you should join us! 5y
Liz_M @JenniferP I think that might be why @Kristelh GR 1001 group choose this as a year-long read 😉 I'll have to remember to find and star the LT thread ☺ 5y
Kristelh It was a year long read at #reaing1001 so I suggested it as a year long read on LT. 5y
JenniferP @Kristelh with a book like that it‘s best to start with as many people as possible. People always drop out, understandably! 5y
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anabereads
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Leftcoastzen
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My copies, was obsessed with reading it , pre internet , hard to find.Now there is a NYRB edition out, the review in The Nation , by Adam Kirsch, had a Lol moment .”Put this way,the story of Frank Biberkopf sounds like a cross between a hard boiled crime novel& a piece of Agitprop about the fate of Berlin‘s underclass.But BA transcends its genre elements,largely because of Doblins deep lack of hope about what can be expected of human beings.”👇

Leftcoastzen Read the reviews , page count , you will know if you need to read or skip. I feel it‘s a significant book of the time period that needs more attention as does NYRB. 6y
Liz_M I've been waiting for the nyrb edition. :-D 6y
Leftcoastzen @Liz_M the NYRB has a nice cover. 6y
CarolynM Wow, sounds amazing! Stacked 6y
batsy Just saw the new NYRB edition at the bookshop... NYRBs are pretty pricey here 😭 But I'm sure I'll be getting it at some point, it sounds amazing. 6y
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JazzFeathers
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#UncannyOctober #ACitylnTheTitle

Haden't realised Berlin is the city that features the most in the title of the books l have most at hand

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JazzFeathers
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#SizzlinSummerBooks #AroundTheWorld

First raw, already read. Second raw, on my TBR.
I didn't realise l have so many books with reference to a place in the title

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RealBooks4ever
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Bailedbailed

Sorry, Döblin, I just don't care for the James Joyce style. ?

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RealBooks4ever
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#onthenightstand #aprilbookshowers Berlin Alexanderplatz has been a bit of a slog, Atomic Robo is always fun, and of course the latest issue of Publisher's Weekly!

JazzFeathers I have Berlin Alexanderplaz on my TBR too... and you're not the first that tell me it's a bit... slow :( 7y
RealBooks4ever @JazzFeathers I'm over 100 pages in and I'm not feeling the love. 😞 7y
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RealBooks4ever
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RealBooks4ever
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My next read! Thank you Random Number Generator! #1159

JazzFeathers I'd be curious to hear what you think of it. I bought the book some time back, but my sister and one of my workmates both told me it's a bit slow and ponderous. I've still not gathered the guts to read it anyway 7y
RealBooks4ever @JazzFeathers Sure thing! It's a long one at 635 pages, so it will take some time for me to get through it! 😄 7y
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frau_manja
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Books and tea never fail to cheer me up and make me happy ❤️
Currently reading /Book no. 15 of this year - "Alfred DĂśblin - Berlin Alexanderplatz"
#reading #teaandbooks #teatime #booklove #booklover #tea

MrBook Great combo that I'm quite partial to myself 😉👍🏻. Welcome to @Litsy! 7y
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GoneFishing

Max Rüst will become a tinker, father of seven more Rüsts, he will work for the firm of Hallis & Co Plumbing and Roofing, in Grünau. At age 52 he will win a quarter of a prize in the Prussian Class Lottery then he will retire from business and die during an adjustment suit which he started against the firm of Hallis & Co at age 55. His obituary will read as follows: On September, suddenly, from heart-disease, my beloved husband, our dear father...

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CallMeMax
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Mehso-so

Literarisch anspruchsvolles Buch. Mir persÜnlich gefiel der Schreibstil sehr gut, v. A. da ich durch meinen Vater selbst berlinere. Fßr Menschen, die nicht mit dem Dialekt vertraut sind, kÜnnte das den Redefluss jedoch behindern. Ich liebe auch den Montagestil sehr, da man unheimlich viele Informationen zum Umfeld Biberkopf's erhält. Dieser Erzähltechnik ist manchmal jedoch schwer zu folgen. Die Handlung macht es jedoch absolut lesenswert.
#German