His last (and shortest) novel. The story operates, I suppose, on two levels. The plot revolves around a (European) writer who lived in Palestine but returns to Europe on the eve of World War I. He becomes stranded in Berlin and the book is nothing more or less than the story of his wanderings from rented room to rented room in a city with a severe wartime housing shortage. That’s it. One could read many things into it: a commentary on exile, on Zionism, on egoism, and so forth. It is not the first thing I’ve read by him and it will not be the last, but although it read easily and was even entertaining from time to time, I found it just a little too slight for my taste. ( )

This is a witty and intelligent book about life in Berlin during the first World War. The protagonist is a Jewish writer and his wanderings, chance encounters, and interludes with old friends provide insights into a very special niche of a not always welcoming society. ( )