Berlin Stories

A New York Review Books Original <p/>In 1905 the young Swiss writer Robert Walser arrived in Berlin to join his older brother Karl already an important stage-set designer and immediately threw himself into the vibrant social and cultural life of the city. <i>Berlin Stories </i>collects his alternately celebratory droll and satirical observations on every aspect of the bustling German capital from its theaters cabarets painters' galleries and literary salons to the metropolitan street markets the Tiergarten rapid-service restaurants and the electric tram. Originally appearing in literary magazines as well as the feuilleton sections of newspapers the early stories are characterized by a joyous urgency and the generosity of an unconventional guide. Later pieces take the form of more personal reflections on the writing process memories and character studies. All are full of counter-intuitive images and vignettes of startling clarity showcasing a unique talent for whom no detail was trivial at grips with a city diving headlong into modernity.