Review
Collection of two previously published novels written by Christopher Isherwood, published in 1946. Set in pre-World War II Germany, the semiautobiographical work consists of Mr. Norris Changes Trains (1935; U.S. title, The Last of Mr. Norris) and Goodbye to Berlin (1939). The Berlin Stories merge fact and fiction and contain ostensibly objective, frequently comic tales of marginal characters who live shabby and tenuous existences as expatriates in Berlin; the threat of the political horrors to come serves as subtext. In Goodbye to Berlin the character Isherwood uses the phrase "I am a camera with its shutter open" to claim that he is simply a passive recorder of events. The two novels that comprise The Berlin Stories made Isherwood's literary reputation; they later became the basis for the play I Am a Camera (1951; film, 1955) and the musical Cabaret (1966; film, 1972).

The Last of Mr. Norris is No. 627 and Goodbye to Berlin is No. 596 on the 1001 books you must read before you die list.

Bookray

This book will be a replacement for davemurray101's bookray for Goodbye to Berlin which was not journalled by withoutwings. See this JE for my comments on Goodbye to Berlin.

Bookray participants. Please PM if you would like to join:

. darkpunkangel from Canada (International)
. fushmush from UK (Europe preferred)
. Sidney1 from Germany (international)
. lucy-lemon from UK (UK preferred)
. Jozebedee from UK (UK preferred - EU if needed)
. Liel from UK (International)

Now with the 1001-library.

Note: Order is subject to change based on shipping preferences and others joining the bookray.

How the bookray works:
* Someone will PM you for your address, PM them back and provide your address
* When you receive the book, please make a journal entry letting everyone know that you received it
* Put the book at the top of your TBR pile (under other rings/rays that arrived first)
* Read the book (take your time and enjoy the book, don't feel rushed to finish it but try to pass it on within a couple of months - others are waiting!)
* When the end is in sight, check the book's journal and PM the next person to get their address
* Finish the book, make another journal entry and let everyone know what you thought of the book
* Send the book to the next person on the list (please use the cheapest shipping method available), make release notes (Controlled Release) or journal entry to let everyone know that it's in the mail
* END OF THE RAY, The last person on the ray could try and continue the ray or just give/mail the book to someone else who might like to read it, perhaps a RABCK. You could also donate it to the 1001-library

Please feel free to PM me at any time with questions.

Bookray is now complete - thanks everyone for participating!

CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:

Sending to darkpunkangel in Montreal, Canada to continue davemurray101's bookray for Goodbye to Berlin. Enjoy!

Arrived safe and sound today, thank you for sending this perryfran. Will be able to start this today.

Both stories were a great read but I prefer The Last of Mr. Norris than Goodbye to Berlin.

I already PMed the next person in line and will mail this off when I get their address.

CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:

Sent to the next participant, hope you enjoy the book!

It has arrived. I have 2 bookrays ahead of it.

I'm disappointed. I'm going to have to send this one on without reading it. I've been totally swamped in bookrays and life has been very busy. I'm now going on holidays for a month or so and I don't feel that I can really delay this ray any longer.

The ones that get away make me sad. Until another time little book!

CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:

Sent to the next bookcrossing.

Arrived safely yesterday. Might take longer to read, though, as this bookray has multiplied into 2 books ... Will read Goodbye first, though.

So, I finished Goodbye to Berlin and read half of The last of Mr. Norris, but couldn’t really be bothered to finish it. Isherwood’s style is very neutral, observing, meaning that the author gets very little involved himself. He is very good at describing places and people, their little mannerism, use of language and clothes that make the unique. He is indeed the camera lens he wants to be. I find that makes the story less engaging, a little boring, in fact. Isherwood does record the spirit of the time, but doesn’t give any judgement or comment on this life. I would have wanted to know more about how he FELT.

I find 'Mr. Norris' amazingly sexually explicit for its time. There is a constant sexual undercurrent in 'Goodbye', too. I was always wondering if Isherwood was gay, bisexual or just close to men.

I am pleased I speak German, as he intersperses the text with German expressions.

Off to England, today.

Arrived just before the Bank Holiday weekend. Will read asap.

Thanks lucy - the book has arrived safely. Thanks perryfran - I promise to get to it as soon as possible :-)

I have eventually managed to get through this book, as I have had many other distractions - so sorry for holding it up! I really preferred The Last of Mr Norris - I thought it was very witty and funny in parts, and actually really liked his character even though he was a bit of a cad! I was hoping that he would put in an appearance in Goodbye To Berlin. This story I also found interesting, however a little patchy. There were a few main stories, but then I felt that the end disintegrated into sort of bitty diary entries.. These gave a brief indication of what was going on in the period, but I felt that the second book didn't flow very much.
Anyway, overall I've enjoyed reading this, and thanks Perryfran, thats another 2 books crossed off the 1001 list!! I will be posting out to Liel on Monday. :)

CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:

On it's way now - enjoy! :)

Arrived safe and sound. Will read as soon as possible and get it passed on. Thank you

Thanks so much for your donation Liel!

This book is now part of the 1001-library. If you want to take this book from the library but don't know how to proceed, please refer to the 1001-library bookshelf.