Born in 1878 Alfred Döblin was a novelist, essayist and neurologist whose work spans more than half a century of radical change. His dozen novels include nine ‘modern epics’. He also wrote dramas, radio plays, reviews, essays and lectures on literary theory. His complete works in German span more than 30 volumes. His final novel, translated as Tales of a Long Night, was published just a few months before his death in 1957.