If it hasn't been translated, it's ok, I would read it in english, but I'm curious about it. Unlike several other reviewers, I actually adored both novels assembled in this volume. Yesterday I was sort of between books. As a teenager, I was knocked out by this book. At this point Robert Walser and I are like an old married couple, or, to be more accurate, I am his widow, as of course he is dead, though I remain faithful because in a sense he is still alive in his writing, and anyway his writing is really all I know of him, so perhaps we are still married, but over the years over-familiarity has set in, and though it’s not the type that breeds contempt it is the type that breeds a kind of blindness to the other’s virtues and even faults as we potter about in, At this point Robert Walser and I are like an old married couple, or, to be more accurate, I am his widow, as of course he is dead, though I remain faithful because in a sense he is still alive in his writing, and anyway his writing is really all I know of him, so perhaps we are still married, but over the years over-familiarity has set in, and though it’s not the type that breeds contempt it is the type that breeds a kind of blindness to the other’s virtues and even faults as we potter about independently but in close proximity. 2709284. Naive, young, optimistic, excited, adventurous, and tolerant, we see the lively Berlin of 1905 - 1912 or so in the eyes of a youthful flaneur who seems beauty in the small details of the electric trams, to the populations of the famed cabarets and theaters. The movie Cabaret was based on one character and a few other occasions from the second novel, Goodbye to Berlin. Really a collection of feuilletons rather than short stories, what makes them so great is Walser's wonderful voice. June 1st 1963 The author grew up German in Switzerland and moved to Berlin in his youth. As literature, I was relieved to discover the novels hold up and the characters remain as lively as ever. Sebald's claim that Walser is the clairvoyant of the small is only half true to me. I adore Walser. A classic of 20th-century fiction, The Berlin Stories inspired the Broadway musical and Oscar-winning film Cabaret. The Berlin Novels by Christopher Isherwood is a compendium of two short works, Mr Norris Changes Trains (or The Last of Mr Norris), first published in 1935, and Goodbye To Berlin, published in 1939. Yet it is to the latter that he eagerly returns--to its sounds and sights. Walser lived for a number of years in Berlin, and here he simply describes aspects of the city which stood out to him. And I'm totally a sucker for it too. There is an incessant blurring together of various things and this is good, this is Berlin, and Berlin is outstanding.”. “Berlin Stories” is a wonderfully vivid, poetic collection of short stories dedicated to a truly fascinating city, in which the author tried his luck as a writer and artist. It’s a pre-Great-War Berlin, not quite the decadent Weimar version of it, but the spirit of freedom and cosmopolitanism is evident on every page. If so, what's the tittle? Through his brother he was exposed to the world of theater and the arts but was awkward in his surroundings. Throughout "Berlin Stories", Walser may critique Berlin society but may nonetheless consider his time there as one of the best experiences of his lifetime. Refresh and try again. Meanwhile, on paper, “The Berlin Novels,” looked like the type of book which would appeal to me. Word Count: 1877. Mr. Norris Changes Trains is an account of the narrator's intriguing friendship with a shady Mr. Norris. Readers that know his biography should be astounded at the closing "story" beautiful executed and intelligently edited as the last words of this edition of Walser - I don't want to spoil it - but the clairvoyant claims are more than justified by these closing words. His older brother, a famous stage designer for theaters, introduced him to high society and artists. An artist possesses, much like a child, an inborn propensity for beautiful, noble sluggardizing. A friend of mine called and asked if I could take him to doctor's residence. It was published in 1945. Before World War 1 he ret. Overall, my two favorite pieces were the two, towards the end, about Walser's former landlords; "Frau Wilke" and "Frau Scheer," which I thought were perceptive and honoring of their subjects. The Berlin Stories: The Last of Mr. Norris and Goodbye to Berlin March 2003, New Millennium Audio Audio cassette in English - Abridged edition The first one is The Last of Mr. Norris. In the background of the encounters between eccentric characters, Nazis are rising to power, and there is a palpable sense of an ending to the life being described herein. For me, at least, the novel brings home--in a deeply personal way--how uncertain the political outcomes were as late as 1932; and then, how swiftly and crushingly the tides shifted. Want to Read. I first read this book thiry years ago, being most concerned with the Sally Bowles/"Cabaret" connection, and loved it. My only trouble with this book was that it ended much too soon. Impressed by Isherwood's casually brilliant structural finesse in fitting them together. It is still pretty entertaining and makes for a great light read. Cold cases, detectives hot on a trail, unreliable narrators, and a dash of poison... To see what your friends thought of this book. While enjoyable and "light," both stories have great depth because they contain an almost hidden background of Hitler's rise to power. The entry was 6 Euros. The refined, silent creature is suddenly blustered full of something coarse, loud, and unrefined. The Introduction by Susan Bernofsky calls the set a "four-part symphony" and points out Berlin at this time as a "melting pot" in which pass by in the urban outdoors people of every kind. They are gently written, but they do capture Germany in the nineteen thirties. I talked to a handful of people who generally like the platform and have only a small complaint here and there that they think would make the site better. Sure enough, the stories echo eerily with the bloody history the city has recently acknowledged with various museums and monuments. The most thought-provoking story I read about was related to a German Guard named Hans Conrad Schumann. After reading the collection I can't say that I learned much about Berlin in particular. Walser is great at capturing the humanity and motion and. Refresh and try again. Nothing is too small or insignificant to escape Walser’s attention. Just a moment while we sign you in to your Goodreads account. Oh, Walser. Last Updated on May 6, 2015, by eNotes Editorial. Start by marking “Berlin Stories” as Want to Read: Error rating book. Alongside "Selected Stories" this reaches the same heights of brilliance. First published in the 1930s, The Berlin Stories contains two astonishing related novels, The Last of Mr. Norris and Goodbye to Berlin, which are recognized today as classics of modern fiction. None of these stories touch on those living on the other side of the tracks. Author: Christopher Isherwood. That is pure talent. It's a nice s. I have to clarify with my 3 star rating that this is an average because it is really two different books in one. by New York Review Books Classics. It … Proof, finally, that time is nonlinear! These are pleasant stories that took place a hundred years ago when Robert Walser wrote about life in Berlin (1905-13), an invigorating and heady city compared to provincial Switzerland. Isherwood's vignettes are very touching, very funny, and, given our current political climate, very unsettling. Before World War 1 he returns to his familiar, neutral Swiss homeland but continues to write more stories from that period of discovery. GOODBYE TO BERLIN is more elegantly constructed and satisfying than THE LAST OF MR NORRIS, but the two books work beautifully together as a diptych. We were given a recorded tape to listen to as we were told there was no text to read. The Berlin Stories is a semi-autobiographical account of Christopher Isherwood’s life in Berlin during the time of Adolf Hitler’s rise to power. He writes, “An artist here has no choice but to pay attention. Well, this slug-a-beddishness, this kingdom, is constantly being buffeted by fresh storm-winds of inspiration. Berlin-based writer Paul Hockenos offers us an original chronicle of 1989’s “peaceful revolution,” which upended communism in East Germany, and the wild, permissive years of I had. Part two introduces the colorful, terrifying, dream-like "The Theater" before 1910 in which artists from ballerinas to actors, directors, and other performers have viable occupations. Some people find it frightfully agreeable to see that it is raining and at the same time be permitted to sense that they themselves are not getting wet. A recent read was Dorothy Whipple’s, “Someone at a Distance,” which I initially thought would be boring, but found that I loved. In those, he looks into human nature and relationships. When Walser first comes to the big city he is 25 or 27 years old, and his brother Karl is a successful stage set designer there. The second book is filled with memorable characters and scenes, as Isherwood's semi-autobiographical narrator observes the passions of all his aimless and artistic-minded friends. Liza Minelli's 'Sally Bowles' must have walked right off a 1973 screening of that great musical, 'Cabaret' and into Isherwood's Berlin of the early 1930s. Meanwhile, on paper, “The Berlin Novels,” looked like the type of book which would appeal to me. “Berlin Stories” is a wonderfully vivid, poetic collection of short stories dedicated to a truly fascinating city, in which the author tried his luck as a writer and artist. There is an illuminated sense of compassion and sensitivity in Walser that seems almost Buddhist at times. The sort of place where you can imagine Bernie Gunther propping up the bar at the Adlon, his eye on a pretty blonde and a nice, cool drink in his hand. Impressions, glimpses, a series of sketches of the city in brief. I am not sure why I found myself savoring them, but I did. Berlin Stories collects his alternately celebratory, droll, and satirical observations on every aspect of the bustling German capital, from its theaters, cabarets, painters’ galleries, and literary salons, to the metropolitan street, markets, the Tiergarten, rapid-service restaurants, and the electric tram. The two novellas are set in Berlin in 1931, just as Adolf Hitler was moving into power. From the unfor. Really, this book contains two complete short novels (one of which is almost a collection of interrelated short stories) set in Berlin between 1930 and 1934. Mr. Walser is hardly ever a participant; mostly, he’s an observer only, but his observations are so remarkable, you’ll actually feel as if you’re truly there, seeing it all through your own eyes. It was more of Isherwood’s life in Berlin in the early 1930s. These survival stories portray the absolute randomness to why one survives and one doesn't. by Kurt Tucholsky Goodreads helps you keep track of books you want to read. It also gives names and personalities to people--Nazis, communists, politcal know-nothings, an. I'm woefully behind in reviews, and yet more people need to read you; at the same time, I'm not sure that any words can adequately convey the experience of reading your prose. I recently reread it, this time while actually visiting Berlin. These are pleasant stories that took place a hundred years ago when Robert Walser wrote about life in Berlin (1905-13), an invigorating and heady city compared to provincial Switzerland. A gorgeously jacketed hardcover anthology of classic stories set in Berlin, by an international array of brilliant writers. Oh, and both books have a lot of coded (and occasionally uncoded) gay encounters. Recently, I have had some interesting reading experiences with book choices for one of my Goodreads groups, Reading the 20th Century. An artist possesses, much like a child, an inborn propensity for beautiful, noble sluggardizing. The first, The Last of Mr. Norris, is extremely entertain. Considered a classic of twentieth century literature, Christopher Isherwood's Berlin Stories provided to the English-speaking world an outsider’s glimpse of Berlin between the wars.It inspired the play and movie I am a Camera, which in turn inspired the musical Cabaret.Those familiar with either will spot their origins in this book. Yet it is to the latter that he eagerly returns--to its sounds and sights. A classic of 20th-century fiction, The Berlin Stories inspired the Broadway musical and Oscar-winning film Cabaret. Even though I was vastly overcommitted I did it anyway. Their stories also include the tales of their family, friends, and neighbors who did not live till the liberation. This was the first Walser book I've read and I really enjoyed it. It's hard not to romanticize/fantasize about living in Weimar-era Berlin... the art, the decadence, the imminent doom of a society that will be genocided and then bombed into nothingness. Therefore, it is doubly disappointing that I really didn’t warm to this at all. Start by marking “Berlin! The Berlin Stories • The Berlin Stories consists of two novels, The Last of Mr. Norris and Goodbye to Berlin. There is s. This was the first Walser book I've read and I really enjoyed it. Read it. I will read anything by Walser. I love Walser's voice. Indeed, pre-war Berlin is a delightful, literary place to spend time. Walser's spirit of wonder and delight continues through his writings on the theatre and ballet (there's a "ravishing" piece about Anna Pavlova), but in the final third of the book the sun begins to go down, and the shadows begin to lengthen. Upon re-reading it again so many years later, I can appreciate it even more. Welcome back. As it is, it will take a fair amount of pre-existing knowledge of the city or a longstanding fondness for it ... to bring these into any kind of focus or pattern. The vignettes read like a collection of photographic snap-shots, illuminating the various characters Isherwood knew in 1930’s Berlin, as it has a strong autobiographical connection, Isherwood’s prose is simple and straightforward, his characters are a collection of various misfits and miscreants who populate the Berlin in which Isherwood lurched from one sordid adventure to another. As literature, I was relieved to discover the novels hold up and the characters remain as lively as ever. While the two are not directly linked, they do have a common narrator, boarding house and landlady (all the essentials to a great story). By Lev Grossman Jan. 06, 2010. His writing becomes a little caustic, more knowing and he admits to his own feelings of melancholia. This collection of essays begins in beguiling and exuberant fashion with wonderfully enthusiastic, wide-eyed descriptions of rambles around Berlin; time spent in idle observation of the inhabitants of the city as they drink in a bar, or travel on a tram, or walk around a park. Elsewhere he is permitted to sink into willful ignorance. But he was a great observer and this book, a collection of short vignettes he wrote in the early 20th century demonstrate his powers of observation. It's hard not to romanticize/fantasize about living in Weimar-era Berlin... the art, the decadence, the imminent doom of a society that will be genocided and then bombed into nothingness. Gazing straight ahead is something done by almost all the people who sit or stand in the "electric.”. Parts of these stories were the inspiration for the musical Cabaret. It's a wonderful book. Isherwood magnificently captures 1931 Berlin: charming, with its avenues and cafés; marvelously … The writing has a strange, almost kooky exuberance, a tone that hovers somewhere between ecstasy and insanity. We’d love your help. Originally appearing in literary magazines as well as the feuilleton sections of newspapers, the early stories are … But it was a great introduction to me of a truly wonderful voice, and a new set of eyes on what it is to live in the city. It also gives names and personalities to people--Nazis, communists, politcal know-nothings, and Jews wealthy and otherwise--that are too often subsumed within group identities in the broad sweep of world history. This universality is evident in part one "The City Streets" in which Walser depicts a park, market, street, public garden, and tram. Here this is not allowed. This collection of essays begins in beguiling and exuberant fashion with wonderfully enthusiastic, wide-eyed descriptions of rambles around Berlin; time spent in idle observation of the inhabitants of the city as they drink in a bar, or travel on a tram, or walk around a park. Sebald's claim that Walser is the clairvoyant of the small is only half true to me. Set in the 1930s, Isherwood describes his adventures in the city and an encounter with the Nazis. Want to Read. Each day brings with it a new attack on complacency. Liza Minnelli (as Sally Bowles) and Joel Grey (Master of Ceremonies) in the film Cabaret (1972), based on Christopher … The rooms were not in any order but there was a lot of information. The Berlin Stories is a collection of two Isherwood novellas set in Berlin in the early 1930s. 0-8112-1804-X. Sexuality is always there while never really bought to the fore, and the stories unfold against the backdrop of the Nazis rise to power. “Berlin Stories” is a wonderfully vivid, poetic collection of short stories dedicated to a truly fascinating city, in which the author tried his luck as a writer and artist. “The other day I made an epigram. The first, The Last of Mr. Norris, is extremely entertaining, telling as it does of a swindler who doesn't ever get very far ahead in his life of crime. What I liked most about this book were the city-moments, the sense of time/place/atmosphere, the briskness of Berlin streets on a cold morning or the conviviality of a restaurant or a crowded tram car or the scene of a building on fire, with onlookers multiplying by the moment. Anna Koch, a Berlin-based community manager, told me she loves that Goodreads allowed her to find books not often recommended in the German book market. Goodreads helps you keep track of books you want to read. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of, Published January 24th 2012 Latest Book in the Series. Sure Walser spends much time observing the minutia of life - extracting meaning from the simplest experiences but his focus is often on the larger concerns of a life well-led. Isherwood hits all the right bullet points for this romantic image-- stoic Jewish families staring at the dawn of the Third Reich with brave faces on, exuberant youthful communists, expatriate actresses, Nazi landladies, independently wealthy sadomasochists, and prostitutes whose hearts are made of nothing even close to gold. It is about a man (the author I presume but he used a pseudonym) who rents a room in a flat in Berlin (early 1930s, pre-Hitler) and runs around with communists. There is an incessant blurring togeth, Reading these short sketches of people and places in Berlin in the first decade of the 20th century makes the reader realize what a vibrant city it was. 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