Berlin Stories

A New York Review Books Original

In 1905, the young Swiss writer Robert Walser arrived in Berlin to join his older brother Karl, already an important stage set designer. He immediately threw himself into the vibrant social and cultural life of the city.

What this collection offers:

• Berlin Stories collects Walser's alternately celebratory, droll, and satirical observations on every aspect of the bustling German capital:
  • Theaters, cabarets, painters' galleries, and literary salons
  • The metropolitan street, markets, and the Tiergarten
  • Rapid-service restaurants and the electric tram

Where these stories first appeared:
Originally published in literary magazines and the feuilleton sections of newspapers such as the Berliner Tageblatt, the Vossische Zeitung, and the Frankfurter Zeitung, these early stories are characterized by a joyous urgency and the generosity of an unconventional guide.

Later reflections:
The later pieces in the collection take the form of more personal reflections, including:

• Thoughts on the writing process
• Memories
• Character studies

What makes this collection unique:
All the stories are full of counter-intuitive images and vignettes of startling clarity. They showcase Walser's unique talent for whom no detail was trivial, as he grappled with a city diving headlong into modernity.