The Story

This isn't one story, but a whole collection of early 20th-century German weirdness. The centerpiece is the title story, where a man named Michael Fischer goes for a walk, sees a buttercup, and becomes completely unhinged. His reaction isn't sadness or poetry—it's a violent, obsessive rage. The other stories are just as intense. We meet a sailor facing a storm, people trapped in their own strange thoughts, and characters pushed to their absolute limits by the modern world closing in on them.

Why You Should Read It

Forget what you know about calm, orderly classics. Döblin writes with a raw, almost frantic energy. He gets inside the skull of someone having a breakdown and makes you feel every jagged thought. It’s psychology written with the force of a physical blow. Reading this, you realize how much later writers, like the Expressionists or even filmmakers, owe to this kind of storytelling. It’s not always comfortable, but it’s never boring. You see the birth of a style that would later define his masterpiece, Berlin Alexanderplatz.

Final Verdict

Perfect for readers who love early modernism, psychological thrillers, or anyone tired of predictable plots. If you enjoy the unsettling vibes of Robert Walser or the early, strange tales of Hermann Hesse, you’ll find a kindred spirit in Döblin. Just don't expect a peaceful walk in the park—expect to have the ground pulled out from under you, one buttercup at a time.