Berlin Alexanderplatz by Alfred Döblin
Set in 1920s Berlin, the book follows the life of Franz Biberkopf, a man recently released from prison who is trying to make an honest life for himself. However, he is drawn back into the criminal underworld due to circumstances and the influence of his acquaintance, Reinhold. The book is a vivid portrayal of city life in Weimar-era Germany, exploring themes of poverty, crime, redemption and the struggle to maintain one's morality amidst chaos and corruption.
The 281st greatest book of all time
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This book is on the following lists:
- 4th on Best German Novels of the Twentieth Century (Wikipedia)
- 37th on The 100 Best Novels of the 20th Century (Folha de São Paulo)
- 48th on 100 Best Novels, in Translation, Since 1900 (CounterPunch)
- 70th on The Novel 100: A Ranking of the Greatest Novels of All Time (The Novel 100)
- Harold Bloom's The Western Canon (The Western Canon (Book) by Harold Bloom)
- Der Kanon (The Canon) (Der Kanon)
- Top 100 Works in World Literature (Norwegian Book Clubs, with the Norwegian Nobel Institute)
- 1000 Novels Everyone Must Read (The Guardian)
- ZEIT-Bibliothek der 100 Bücher (Die Zeit)
- The 100 Best Books in the World (AbeBooks.de (in German))
- 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die (The Book)