"In the east, crime reigns, in the center, trickery, in the north, misery, in the west, debauchery, and in all directions, there dwells downfall," wrote Kästner in 1931 about the metropolis of Berlin. In reality, Kästner's experience of the big city was significantly more positive and colorful. As a fast-paced reporter, night owl, and ladies' man, he could always be found where the action was, whether in theaters, dance halls, or wrestling events. The stories and poems collected in this volume by Kästner expert Sylvia List offer a thrilling reading experience and serve as a winking love letter to the great city and its peculiar inhabitants.