Only now, 70 years after his death, are English language readers gaining access to Alfred Döblin’s astonishing epic fictions. However, very little background information is available in English to orient a reader to this extraordinary body of work.
This book entirely solves the problem by providing wanderers with a map and compass — and rations to sustain them — as they proceed through the vividly imagined exotic landscapes of his epics.
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, the reader, will be well prepared to tackle a whole epic novel. But even if time does not allow a full reading of one of these works, the selected passages will surely convince you that Döblin is one of the great masters of 20th century literature.