The resulting novel, the artificial silk girl, became an acclaimed bestseller and a masterwork of german literature, in the tradition of christopher isherwood s berlin stories and bertolt brechts three penny opera. The artificial silk girl irmgard keun 9781590514542. She was born in 1905, so she was about the same age as doris when she wrote this, and probably knew people very much like her. Published in 1932 and subsequently banned by the nazi regime in 1933, keun reveals much about daytoday life in the weimar republic through her heroine, doris. The artificial silk girl, published in 1931, turned out to be an acclaimed bestseller that stunned the world of german literature. And before bridget jones was the artificial silk girl. Her second novel, the artificial silk girl, was a bestseller when it was published in 1932, only to be blacklisted by the nazis in 1933, officially condemned for its antigerman tendency. Jun 14, 2011 buy the artificial silk girl reprint by keun, irmgard isbn. Apr 17, 2002 the artificial silk girl follows doris into the underbelly of a city that had once seemed all glamour and promise. She finds that there is no way of chasing her dreams within the confinement of her hometown and looks towards the city of berlin as an outlet of opportunity. First published in, this unusual novel might and before bridget jones was the artificial silk girl. Irmgard keuns most popular book is flight to arras. Delaware county district library ohio scanned in china. Goodreads members who liked the artificial silk girl also liked.
The resulting novel, the artificial silk girl, became an acclaimed bestseller and a masterwork of german literature, in the tradition of christopher isherwoods berlin stories and bertolt brechts three penny opera. The artificial silk girl penguin modern classics irmgard keun isbn. The artificial silk girl by irmgard keun waterstones. Let me tell you, herr brenner, a woman should never wear artificial silk when shes with a man. The resulting novel, the artificial silk girl, became an accla. Publication date 20020801 topics modern fiction, fiction general, fiction, general, fiction general, literary publisher other press collection. The artificial silk girl half price books marketplace. This is a time when the first hint of the horrors that would follow are starting to appear. Funny, fresh and radical in its dissection of the limited options available to working women, it is a novel that speaks to our times. The resulting novel, the artificial silk girl, became an acclaimed bestseller and a. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. Just a year later it was banned by the nazis, and all copies were destroyed. This is just doris writing what she wants whenever she wants. It is a rare glimpse into a society on the brink of dramatic change, seen.
Though the artificial silk girl wasnt exactly what i expected, it was an interesting perspective to read about, especially since keun lived through it firsthand. They have courses teaching you foreign languages and ballroom dancing and etiquette and cooking. Irmgard keun quotes author of the artificial silk girl. The artificial silk girl follows doris into the underbelly of a city that had once seemed all glamour and promise.
She comes from a small town, and she wants to be a star. Review will shown on site after approval other books by fiction. Her books were rediscovered decades later and have also benefited from recent retranslations. The artificial silk girl by irmgard keun in 1931, a young woman writer living in germany was inspired by anita looss gentlemen prefer blondes to describe prewar berlin and the age of cinematic glamour through the eyes of a woman. Irmgard keun became an overnight sensation in german literary circles with the publication of her first novel at the age of 21. Buy the artificial silk girl by irmgard, keun from amazons fiction books store. In 1931, a young woman writer living in germany was inspired by anita looss gentlemen prefer blondes to describe prewar berlin and the. Jun 14, 2011 the resulting novel, the artificial silk girl, became an acclaimed bestseller and a masterwork of german literature, in the tradition of christopher isherwoods berlin stories and bertolt brechts three penny opera. It is one of those books where i wanted to highlight passages all the way through a gem.
But there are no classes to learn how to be by yourself in a furnished room with chipped dishes, or how to be alone in general without any words of concern or familiar sounds. Its rise to fame was driven by the unadulterated context of her writing, highlighting the dark side of berlins golden twenties. The artificial silk girl has 3 available editions to buy at half price books marketplace. Excerpt from the artificial silk girl the brooklyn rail. The resulting novel, the artificial silk girl, became an acclaimed bestseller and a masterwork of german literature, in the tradition of christopher isherwoods berlin stories and bertolt brechts three. Everyday low prices on a huge range of new releases and classic fiction. Unlike rhys women though, doris is not yet defeated. The resulting novel, the artificial silk girl, became an acclaimed bestseller and a masterwork of german literature, in the tradition of christopher isherwoods berlin stories and.
Dec 03, 2011 the artificial silk girl is a slim book which ended just before doriss youthful optimism and breathless narrative style had time to become tedious. Like isherwood and brecht, keun revealed the dark underside of berlins golden twenties with empathy and honesty. Everything changed in 1933 when the nazis blacklisted her and destroyed her books. In 1931, a young woman writer living in germany was inspired by anita looss gentlemen prefer blondes to describe prewar berlin and the age of cinematic glamour through the eyes of a woman. The artificial silk girl by irmgard keun overdrive rakuten. The resulting novel, the artificial silk girl, became an acclaimed bestseller and a masterwork of. A souffle with a dash of hard liquor at its center, the artificial silk girl is a sly, charming surprise. Like lorelei lee in the gentlemen prefer blondes, doris eventually decides to write a commentary about her life which becomes the point of view of the novel. Jul 01, 2002 a particularly vivid, gritty new english translation of a 1932 novel set in berlin between the world wars, whose expatriate author 190582 enjoyed early critical and popular success, incurred the displeasure of nazi censors, spent two years as the mistress of the great austrian writer also an expatriate joseph roth, and wrote, pseudonymously, in obscurity having returned to germany. Doris is a young, working class, german woman in the early 1930s. It wrinkles too quickly, and what are you going to look like after seven real kisses. Irmgard keuns the artificial silk girl was damned by the nazis, hailed by the feminists a truly charming window into a young womans life in the early 1930s.
The artificial silk girl by irmgard keun 2011, paperback. Jun 30, 2002 buy the artificial silk girl by irmgard, keun from amazons fiction books store. Irmgard keunthe artificial silk girl seeing the world. And before bridget jones was the artificial silk girl in 1931, a young woman writer living in germany was inspired by anita looss gentlemen prefer blondes to describe prewar berlin and the age of cinematic glamour through the eyes of a woman. May 05, 2019 though the artificial silk girl wasnt exactly what i expected, it was an interesting perspective to read about, especially since keun lived through it firsthand. In the artificial silk girl, main character doris, like the author herself, starts out in a small city like the authors cologne, where she wants to be an actress, while supporting herself as a stenographer. Only one english translation was published, in great britain, before the book. These daring, provocative stories portrayed young women shedding conventional gender roles and adopting more modern and urban attitudes towards love and life. The book is a diary of sorts, without the dear diary sentences.
Published in germany in 1932, when author irmgard keun was only twentytwo, the artificial silk girl, a bestselling novel of its day, is said to be for prenazi germany what anita looss gentlemen prefer blondes 1925 is for jazz age america. The artificial silk girl by irmgard keun goodreads. The artificial silk girl irmgard keun a book sanctuary. In 1931, a young woman writer living in germany was inspi.
Irmgard keun was born in berlin in 1905 and found instant success with her novels gilgi 1931 and the artificial silk girl 1932. The artifical silk girl has been compared to gentlemen prefer blondes, but doris helplessness reminds me more of jean rhys heroines, drifting from man to man in a corrupt and threatening world, and drowning their sorrows in booze. Buy the artificial silk girl reprint by keun, irmgard isbn. The artificial silk girl book summary and study guide. Before there was bridget jones or sex and the city or girls there was the artificial silk girl, a novel written by irmgard keun in 1932. Irmgard keun has 15 books on goodreads with 9575 ratings. Find books like the artificial silk girl from the worlds largest community of readers. Books by irmgard keun author of the artificial silk girl. Doris, a young german woman, tries to build a career as an actress in s berlin. The artificial silk girl is a treat to read, not just for the delightful yet achingly lonely voice of its narrator doris but for the historical context in which it is set early 1930s berlin, in those pre wwii years. The artificial silk girl is a fantastic critique of the modern city and changes in gender representation that came about under the short weimar republic era in germany. Yet the artificial silk girl does just that with its snappy prose and doris.
In the artificial silk girl, doris packs up her bag in route to berlin with the hopes of soon living an upscale life filled with money and materialistic items. The artificial silk girl weimarera berlin, a riot of color and criminality, is brought to life through the eyes of 18yearold doris, a woman on the run. The artificial silk girl 2002 read online free books. Originally written in 1931 by 22yearold german writer, irmgard keun, the artificial silk girl became an instant bestseller. The artificial silk girl by irmgard keun librarything. The the artificial silk girl community note includes chapterbychapter summary and analysis, character list, theme list, historical context, author biography and quizzes written by community members like you. In 1931, a young woman writer living in germany was inspired by anita loos s gentlemen prefer blondes to describe prewar berlin and the age of cinematic glamour through the eyes of a woman. A particularly vivid, gritty new english translation of a 1932 novel set in berlin between the world wars, whose expatriate author 190582 enjoyed early critical and popular success, incurred the displeasure of nazi censors, spent two years as the mistress of the great austrian writer also an expatriate joseph roth, and wrote, pseudonymously, in obscurity having returned to germany. Jun 20, 2011 the resulting novel, the artificial silk girl, became an acclaimed bestseller and a masterwork of german literature, in the tradition of christopher isherwoods berlin stories and bertolt brechts three penny opera. A sense of discomfort bubbling beneath the surface and politics starting to. In 1931, at the age of 26, keun burst into the german literary scene with the novels gilgi and the artificial silk girl. Both novels capture the frantic spirit, the eatdrinkandbemerry ambiance, and the materialism of.
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