Berlin Tales

If there is one city that captures the tragedy and euphoria of the twentieth century, it is Berlin.

The scene of socialist revolution and Nazi oppression, invaded and occupied, divided and blockaded, it rose again after German reunification to become a thriving global cultural center. Not surprisingly, Berlin has been home to some of the finest writers in any language, who have rooted their tales in the nooks and neighborhoods of this fascinating place.

In Berlin Tales, translator Lyn Marven and editor Helen Constantine offer a collection that reveals the literary brilliance and urban richness found in Berlin over the decades. The stories are grouped together by district -- from the Jewish Mitte to Turkish Kreuzberg, from Alexanderplatz to individual streets -- and layered on top of each other historically, providing a narrative palimpsest that tells us much about the city and its writers.

The city's image, meaning, and appeal to immigrants and tourists find full expression here, in this remarkable array of work from across the decades.