Döblin (Alfred) Alexanderplatz Berlin:
£450
The Story of Franz Biberkopf
New York, The Viking Press, 1931.
First US edition. 2 vols. 8vo. Original light grey cloth blocked in red & black. Dust-jackets. Lacking original slip-case.
Translated by Eugene Jolas. First published in Germany in 1929, this landmark Weimar novel follows Franz Biberkopf, an ex-convict determined to go straight after his release from Tegel Prison, only to be drawn back into Berlin’s criminal underworld amid economic hardship and mounting political extremism. Döblin’s innovative, collage-like style weaves street slang, headlines, and interior monologue into a vivid portrait of the city. This is the first English translation, by Eugene Jolas, co-founder of the avant-garde journal transition—an important but often criticised version, noted for its difficulty in fully conveying the novel’s linguistic energy and dense vernacular.
In stock
Neat ownership signature to Volume I; unclipped jackets worn and a little creased throughout, with both volumes having loss to head of spine above lettering, spine of Volume I a little more sunned; volume II has a closed tear to back cover, running about halfway up the front cover from the bottom edge, and an area of loss to top left of back cover, extending to top right of back flap.
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