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The Berlin Stories.
by ISHERWOOD, Christopher
- Used
- Hardcover
- Signed
- first
- Condition
- See description
- Seller
-
London, London, United Kingdom
Payment Methods Accepted
About This Item
New York, New Directions, 1945. . First combined edition, first printing, signed by the author; 8vo; publisher's grey cloth, title to spine in black on a brown ground, photomontage dust-jacket, somewhat browned with a couple of minor scuffs, otherwise a near-fine copy.
Signed by the author on the title page beneath which he adds 'see page 41'. On that page at the point in the text which reads 'it was the Jews, not the ladies, who got him in the end' the word Jew is crossed through and corrected to 'money lenders'. Isherwood adds the fascinating note 'this is an interesting bit of racism (it is corrected in all later editions, I think) which dates the novel. It shows that, in the mid 1930s it still came naturally to a would be liberal but upper class Englishman to refer to money lenders as 'the Jews' - just as Byron did!'
Prints all the stories from Mr. Norris Changes Trains & Goodbye to Berlin (including Sally Bowles) which together formed the basis of the musical and multi Oscar-winning film Cabaret. Presentation copies of Isherwood's major titles are uncommon.
Signed by the author on the title page beneath which he adds 'see page 41'. On that page at the point in the text which reads 'it was the Jews, not the ladies, who got him in the end' the word Jew is crossed through and corrected to 'money lenders'. Isherwood adds the fascinating note 'this is an interesting bit of racism (it is corrected in all later editions, I think) which dates the novel. It shows that, in the mid 1930s it still came naturally to a would be liberal but upper class Englishman to refer to money lenders as 'the Jews' - just as Byron did!'
Prints all the stories from Mr. Norris Changes Trains & Goodbye to Berlin (including Sally Bowles) which together formed the basis of the musical and multi Oscar-winning film Cabaret. Presentation copies of Isherwood's major titles are uncommon.
Synopsis
The Berlin Stories , by Christopher Isherwood, consists of two short novels, Mr. Norris Changes Trains (published in the United States as The Last of Mr. Norris ) and Goodbye to Berlin . The stories are both set in 1931 Berlin, as Hitler and the Nazis are coming into power. Isherwood portrays Berlin's seedier side with characters who frequent beer halls, vaudeville theaters and bath houses. Goodbye to Berlin includes the character Sally Bowles, best known from the musical and film Cabaret , the inspiration for which is rooted in Isherwood's Berlin Stories and other works of his. The main character in Mr Norris Changes Trains is gay, and the book was written during a time when being gay was a crime in many parts of Europe. Christopher Isherwood was himself openly homosexual, and he explored gay culture in his writing. He was forced to write in such a way that references to gay culture and homosexual relationships were so subtle that one had to be familiar with the dialogue of that culture in order to understand them. -
Read More: Identifying first editions of The Berlin Stories.
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Details
- Bookseller
- Shapero Rare Books
(GB)
- Bookseller's Inventory #
- 106502
- Title
- The Berlin Stories.
- Author
- ISHERWOOD, Christopher
- Book Condition
- Used
- Binding
- Hardcover
- Place of Publication
- New York, New Directions, 1945.
Terms of Sale
Shapero Rare Books
30 day return guarantee, with full refund including original shipping costs for up to 30 days after delivery if an item arrives misdescribed or damaged.
About the Seller
Shapero Rare Books
Biblio member since 2020
London, London
About Shapero Rare Books
Specialising in rare books on Travel & Voyages, Natural History, Literature (including modern first editions), Children's Books, Guide Books, Judaica & Hebraica, titles of Russian interest, and Islamica.
Glossary
Some terminology that may be used in this description includes:
- Title Page
- A page at the front of a book which may contain the title of the book, any subtitles, the authors, contributors, editors, the...
- Cloth
- "Cloth-bound" generally refers to a hardcover book with cloth covering the outside of the book covers. The cloth is stretched...
- Spine
- The outer portion of a book which covers the actual binding. The spine usually faces outward when a book is placed on a shelf....
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