Berlin AlexanderplatzBerlin Alexanderplatz
Score Classic
What it's about
Franz Biberkopf, a former transport worker, is released from prison in 1920s Berlin determined to live decently. But the city around Alexanderplatz, its crowds, criminals, advertisements and noise, keeps pulling him down. Alfred Döblin tells his story in a collage of voices, songs, news reports and street sounds that captures the modern city like no novel before it.
Why it's worth reading
It's in the Bokklubben World Library of the 100 greatest books and is one of the great modernist novels. Rainer Werner Fassbinder adapted it into a celebrated television epic.
You'll love it if you liked
Ulysses
The Magic Mountain
The TrialGood to know
Its collage style takes some adjusting to. Michael Hofmann's English translation is the one to look for.
By the numbers
- Readers35 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics55 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Bestseller4 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
Why it made the list
Reads as
Thought-provoking
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Quick answers
Is Berlin Alexanderplatz worth reading?
Yes. It's in the Bokklubben World Library of the 100 greatest books and is one of the great modernist novels. It ranks #1,834 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 65.3 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is Berlin Alexanderplatz about?
Franz Biberkopf, a former transport worker, is released from prison in 1920s Berlin determined to live decently. But the city around Alexanderplatz, its crowds, criminals, advertisements and noise, keeps pulling him down. Alfred Döblin tells his story in a collage of voices, songs, news reports and street sounds that captures the modern city like no novel before it.
How long does it take to read Berlin Alexanderplatz?
About 16 hours (635 pages), or about 5 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after Berlin Alexanderplatz?
If you liked it, try Ulysses by James Joyce, The Magic Mountain by Thomas Mann or The Trial by Franz Kafka.