November is a month of many challenges, it seems; amongst other things, readers are encouraged to spend time with novellas, non-fiction and with the works of Margaret Atwood! One particularly enjoyable event is German Literature Month, hosted by Caroline and Lizzy, and I’ve been happy to take part in this before. I wasn’t sure if I was going to join in this time round; however, there is a readalong taking place, and it happens to be a book that I’ve had lurking on the TBR for a long, long time….
The book in question is “Berlin Alexanderplatz” by Alfred Doblin, and at just under 500 pages it was perhaps a bit intimidating, till I had a look at the schedule. And as the book is split into chunks of about 100 or so pages at a time I figured it might be manageable. So here goes – let’s see if I can stick to *any* kind of reading schedule.
Lizzy and Caroline have provided some questions for each weekly post, and so here are those which focus on Chapters 1 and 2 of the book! 😀
1. Welcome to the #germanlitmonth readalong of Alfred Döblin’s Berlin Alexanderplatz. What enticed you to readalong with us?
I’ve had the book on the TBR for ages, and like so many enthusiastic purchases it’s ended up sitting there unread while shiny new volumes get picked up sooner. I’ve been reading a bit more off the TBR recently, and I guess I just wanted the impetus and discipline to pick it up and read it!
2. Summarise your initial expectations. Are they being met?
I had few expectations, except that it was regarded as a Modernist text which painted a picture of Weimar Berlin. That’s certainly what I’m encountering and I’m enjoying that very much. I also picked up the impression that the book was difficult, but I’m finding it surprisingly readable…
3. Which edition/translation are you using and how is it reading? If you’re reading the original German, is there anything noteworthy about Döblin’s language?
Penguin Modern Classics edition from 1982, translated by Eugene Jolas. I’m finding it very readable, as I said, and it may well be that I’m used to translations/prose from the 20th century so I’m comfortable with it. So far, it reads very impressionistically and evocatively, which I like.
4. What are your first impressions of Berlin and Franz Biberkopf?
Franz is a bit of a wide boy, isn’t he? Somewhat brutal, convicted of manslaughter, he’s not necessarily an appealing man. However, we don’t necessarily need to like our protagonists, and in fact Berlin itself is taking some of the centre stage in the storyline so far. It’s a vibrant yet seamy place, full of corruption and crime – all very interesting so far…
5. Döblin’s original title was “Berlin Alexanderplatz” He added “The Story of Franz Biberkopf” at the publisher’s insistence. Why do you think the publisher intervened in this way? How does this duality of focus manifest itself in the structure of chapter 2?
I imagine the publisher wondered what the bald title Berlin Alexanderplatz conveyed on its own, and decided it needed a little more elaboration! As for chapter 2, the focus seems to me to be divided between Franz and the people around him; he *isn’t* at this point necessarily at the centre of the story and the general culture of Weimar Berlin. It’s a polyphonic narrative, full of bustling, hustling voices, and I’ll be interested to see where the story goes!
6. Do you any have any further observations or questions you’ll be looking to answer at a later stage?
I came to the book with no real preconceptions, and so I’ll simply be interested to see how the narrative develops. However, I noticed that the blurb (from 1982) described the book as being the equivalent of “Ulysses” or Dos Passos’ “America” – and I’ve recently read the first book of the latter. Initially I didn’t get the resemblance, but as I’ve read on I’m starting to see what they mean. Will be fund to see how this aspect develops!
*****
So those are my thoughts so far! The book is not as intimidating as I thought it might be, and I’m keen to see how it develops. I like the quirky nature of the narrative, the translation is not jarring so far, and the picture of Berlin that’s developing is very vivid. Watch this space for more impressions of “Berlin Alexanderplatz”!
Kaggsy's Bookish Ramblings 
Nov 09, 2019 @ 08:36:52
Glad you’re enjoying it, Karen, and that the Jolas translation is so lively!
If I ever manage to get my hands on a copy, I’ll put together a translation duel post. Hofmann vs Jolas, now that will be interesting!
Nov 09, 2019 @ 09:00:05
That would indeed be an interesting comparison! I have no issues with the translation at all so far inasmuch as I’m not thinking about it so it can’t be jarring on me. It’s a fascinating text, although I doubt I’ll find a character I actually like, and I’m sure I’m missing references and nuances. But this is a first read so I’m regarding it as the one where I get to know the book.
Nov 09, 2019 @ 08:47:47
I just commented on the Jolas translation at Lizzy’s. Damion Searls does a good job with the Plattdeutsch in Johnson’s Anniversaries: as Lizzy says of Hofmann’s rendition of the Berlin slang in BA, he goes for a sort of loose ‘regional unspecific’, with eye dialect spellings, dropped terminal Ts, etc. It works pretty well, because you’re not trying to identify which particular English regional variety is being adopted, you’re simply aware it’s not standard English. Biberkopf is an interesting character; ‘wide boy’ is putting it mildly! He’s horrible. But it was a horrible world at the time, and the signs of the rising Nazis are chilling and prophetic: being amoral and brutal was positively encouraged or necessary to survive.
Nov 09, 2019 @ 09:02:34
Yes, I think I was being generous with Frank. He’s a bit of a scumbag, to say the least, but I imagine the whole point is that the book is a bit like a verbal version of George Grosz and that the picture being painted with the worlds is of a fairly grimy milieu.
And interesting about the translations – I’m intrigued to see how this one progresses!
Nov 09, 2019 @ 14:41:15
Sounds like a very interesting read (and read along). I love the Weimar period in Berlin (thanks to a history course oh so many years ago) but I’ve not read much of the literature. I’ll be very interested to see how the novel (and your reactions to it) develop.
Nov 09, 2019 @ 16:49:31
It’s a fascinating place and period, and the book so far seems to capture the seamy side of life which existed there. I’m intrigued to see how it develops, definitely!
Nov 09, 2019 @ 14:48:44
I’m very intimidated by this, so its great to hear you’re finding it so readable! I’ll be interested to hear how you progress with it. I’m feeling quite encouraged to pick it up 🙂
Nov 09, 2019 @ 16:48:46
It has an intimidating reputation, and I can understand why. It’s not obviously relatable and the prose style could be a problem if you’re not happy with modernist prose. But I’m slipping through it quite nicely so far – remains to be seen how I find the next sections!!
Nov 09, 2019 @ 15:13:27
It’s a good idea to split up a big book into manageable chunks like this. So glad you’re enjoying it. Must admit it’s not a book I have ever heard of.
Nov 09, 2019 @ 16:47:46
Yeah, I can handle it alongside everything else if I’m doing it in sections. Just remains to be seen whether I have the discipline to stick to it!!
Nov 09, 2019 @ 16:43:24
I read it earlier this year for a Goodreads NYRB book club. Didn’t particularly like it. It was harsh and the characters were not engaging. I slogged through it though, and finished. It has since gone out to a Little Free Library because I will never read it again!
Nov 09, 2019 @ 16:47:12
Certainly there aren’t many people to like in it so far… But it *is* capturing a time and a place for me, so we shall see. Onward and upward, as they say!
Nov 10, 2019 @ 15:35:12
I did like it at the beginning, but the violence as it went on wasn’t for me.
Nov 10, 2019 @ 17:33:22
Yeah, I guess I’m expecting an amount of violence, as the place and time was full of it. We shall see!
Nov 09, 2019 @ 18:36:04
This is a book that’s been on my radar for a while although I’ve yet to take the plunge and actually buy a copy. A little like madame bibi, I find the prospect of reading it both intriguing and intimidating. Nevertheless, it’s such an interesting period in cultural history, definitely one of my favourites…
Nov 10, 2019 @ 14:24:03
It’s not an *easy* read – I’d be lying if I said it was – but it’s certainly evocative and thought-provoking, and it does indeed conjure up a fascinating period in time. Perhaps see if your local library has it, to get a taste of what it’s like…. 😉
Nov 09, 2019 @ 18:43:22
You certainly like a challenge, don’t you! Good it’s a readalong, though. I certainly don’t have any German books on the TBR …
Nov 10, 2019 @ 14:22:55
I do, though I surprised myself by taking this on! But I can split it around other (lighter!) books, plus I already have some reviews scheduled for the month. So it may be doable….!
Nov 10, 2019 @ 01:15:18
I read this earlier in the year (the same edition as yours) and liked, then didn’t liken then liked it again. I re-read parts of it as I went along and began to really appreciate it. It’s all quite nasty but then they were nasty times.
Nov 10, 2019 @ 14:22:02
Yes, I kind of expected nasty, *because* of the nasty times. And he does capture that well. I’m not sure if I’ll love it, but I’m intrigued enough to keep going! 😀
Nov 10, 2019 @ 14:55:24
Yes, keep going. I did think about abandoning it at the beginning but I’m glad I carried on.
Nov 10, 2019 @ 07:24:17
I see we have similar feelings only I found it not as readable as you. I had it on my piles for ages too and when Lizzy suggested it I liked the idea. It’s not the fact that it’s modernist that makes me struggle but the approach to staying outside of the characters.
Nov 10, 2019 @ 14:21:17
I think I’m finding it readable because I’m slightly in the modernist frame of mind after starting Dos Passos. But you’re spot on about that staying outside of the characters – Dos Passos is the same and it’s a little hard to adjust to. I’m not clever enough to know if this is a usual characteristic of modernist writing but it does create a bit of a distance, which I think is what makes it harder reading.
Nov 11, 2019 @ 05:31:23
A lot of modernist writing uses stream of consciousness and in those instances we are as close as we can get. I’m thinking of Virginia Woolf or even Joyce. I liked Dos Passos more because he’s so clearly communist and has a love for the ‘little people’. Döblin is so much harder on his characters.
Nov 11, 2019 @ 10:51:39
Good point. And agreed about Dos Passos – although there’s still a distancing effect, I do like his politics and you can understand his characters’ motivations more clearly and empathise a bit. With Doblin, it’s hard to empathise with anyone…. ;I
Nov 10, 2019 @ 14:35:21
Nov 11, 2019 @ 17:19:22
Very interesting–I just read another post on this topic elsewhere. Back in the early ’80s I had a college history class on Paris & Berlin in the 20s. Lots of fascinating parallels to today.
Nov 12, 2019 @ 11:07:05
It’s a bit worrying, isn’t it, how that era resonates – very scary the way the world is going now.
Nov 12, 2019 @ 14:45:35
Indeed. Thanks for reading.
Nov 12, 2019 @ 15:53:16
Welcome! Happy to take one for the team….;D
Dec 15, 2019 @ 09:01:27