In fall 1891, Mark Twain headed for Berlin, the "newest city I have ever seen," as America's foremost humorist wrote; accompanied by his wife, Olivia, and their three daughters. Twain, a "Yankee from head to toe," according to the Berlin press, conspired with diplomats, frequented the famed salons, had breakfast with duchesses, and dined with the emperor. He also suffered an "organized dog-choir club," at his first address, which he deemed a "rag-picker's paradise," picked a fight with the police, who made him look under his maid's petticoats, was abused by a porter, got lost on streetcars, was nearly struck down by pneumonia, and witnessed a proletarian uprising right in front of his hotel on Unter den Linden. Twain penned articles about his everyday life and also began a novel about lonely Prussian princess Wilhelmina von Preussen-unpublished until now, like many of his Berlin stories. These are assembled for the first time in this book, along with a riveting account of Twain's foray in the German capital, by Andreas Austilat.
This fascinating book is a must-Read for any Twain enthusiast" - Andy Borowitz
Andreas Austilat is the deputy editor of the Sunday supplement of Der Tagesspiegel, Berlin's leading daily, where he has worked since 1987. He interviewed many celebrities-such as fashion designer Tommy Hilfinger, as well as authors Ian Kershaw and Kathy Reichs-, and also the last survivors of the gigantic airship "Hindenburg". He also discovered the lost copies of the oldest existing Titanic movie filmed in 1912. He published three travel and culture guides about Brandenburg and a history book. Austilat was born in Berlin, where he lives with his wife, his two children and their dog Duffy.
Berlinica offers English-language books from Berlin, German; fiction, non-fiction, travel guides, history, art and photography, nightlife, cookbooks, and maps. It also offers DVD and music CDs