{"product_id":"berlin-alexanderplatz","title":"Berlin Alexanderplatz","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eBerlin Alexanderplatz\u003c\/em\u003e, the great novel of Berlin and the doomed Weimar Republic, is one of the great books of the twentieth century—gruesome, farcical, and appalling, word-drunk, pitch-dark. In Michael Hofmann's extraordinary new translation, Alfred Döblin's masterpiece lives in English for the first time.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAs Döblin writes in the opening pages: \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cem\u003eThe subject of this book is the life of the former cement worker and haulier Franz Biberkopf in Berlin. As our \u003c\/em\u003e\u003cem\u003estory begins, he has just been released from prison, where he did time for some stupid stuff; now he is back \u003c\/em\u003e\u003cem\u003ein Berlin, determined to go straight. \u003c\/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cem\u003eTo begin with, he succeeds. But then, though doing all right for himself financially, he gets involved in a \u003c\/em\u003e\u003cem\u003eset-to with an unpredictable external agency that looks an awful lot like fate. \u003c\/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cem\u003eThree times the force attacks him and disrupts his scheme. The first time it comes at him with dishonesty and deception. Our man is able to get to his feet, he is still good to stand. \u003c\/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cem\u003eThen it strikes him a low blow. He has trouble getting up from that, he is almost counted out. And finally it hits him with monstrous and extreme violence.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"display:\" none\u003e by alfred döblin, translated by michael hofmann doblin \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"New York Review Books","offers":[{"title":"Paperback","offer_id":48328323563764,"sku":"9781681371993","price":20.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0829\/0451\/4804\/files\/doblin_cvr_new_COLORS.jpg?v=1779612194","url":"https:\/\/q0mpnf-ju.myshopify.com\/products\/berlin-alexanderplatz","provider":"My Store","version":"1.0","type":"link"}