Summary of Mr. Norris Changes TrainsÂ
Two men meet on a train from the Netherlands to Germany in 1930 and become friends. One of them, Mr. Norris, is an intriguing figure. He runs a dubious import-export business and lives in continuous fear of his creditors, his secretary, and his own girlfriend. As the story progresses, it becomes clear that Mr. Norris is not entirely the man he appears to be.
Reasons to read Mr. Norris Changes Trains
“Mr. Norris Changes Trains” vividly captures the atmosphere of pre-war Berlin, portraying its vibrant nightlife and its power struggle between Nazis and Communists. Christopher Isherwood lived in Berlin during the 1930s and witnessed first-hand the rise of the Nazis. “Mr. Norris Changes Trains” is often read together with Isherwood’s other novel “Goodbye to Berlin” (which inspired the Broadway musical and film “Cabaret”). Together, the two novels are published as “The Berlin Stories”.
Setting: Berlin (Germany)
Original title: Mr. Norris Changes Trains
Year of publication: 1935
Nr of pages: 280
