Overview

Of the three great German word-artists of the first half of the 20th century, Alfred Döblin remains the least known. The other two are Thomas Mann, whose attitude towards Döblin ranged from cautious admiration to violent rage; and Berthold Brecht, who learned much from the ideas of his friend Döblin. Anglophone readers have almost no source of information about Döblin, or about the few works already translated into English (Berlin Alexanderplatz perhaps excepted). In Germany, reliable editions of Döblin trickled out between the 1980s (decades after his death in 1957!) and the 2010s. Academic lit. crit. scholars enjoy tackling aspects of his life and output in ways attractive to other scholars. But little has been done to promote Döblin to a wider pool of readers. For the first time, Adventurous Reader's Guide provides the inquisitive reader with a map, compass and rations to sustain them as they proceed through the vividly imagined exotic landscapes of his epic novels. Döblin famously declared: 'If a novel can't be cut up into ten pieces like a worm, and each piece lives by itself, it is worthless'. The seventy-two excerpts presented in this book show how he put this maxim into practice. Each deserves close reading, for each brings to life its own vivid world. The excerpts were chosen (from many possible candidates) for their power to entertain, provoke, amuse, cause shudders, and showcase Döblin's mastery of styles, moods, and expressive possibilities. After reading through the selection, or even just dipping in, you should be well prepared to tackle a whole epic novel.

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9781915530578

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Chris Godwin studied German and Chinese in Edinburgh and Hong Kong. He worked in Hong Kong and China for many years, and now divides his time between England and Beijing. He recently completed the first English translation of Döblin's South American trilogy Land Without Death.

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