Christopher and Columbus

In Short

Written in 1919, Christopher and Columbus follows Anna-Rose and Anna-Felicitas, orphaned seventeen-year-old twins born to a German father and English mother. Expelled from wartime England due to anti-German prejudice, the penniless sisters board a ship for America, dubbing themselves Christopher and Columbus to embrace their uncertain future. Under the protective wing of Mr. Twist, a kindly American bachelor, they navigate hostile social circles, absurd chaperones, and the high-society exile that follows their mixed heritage. The novel endures as a warm, witty satire of wartime xenophobia, innocence, and resilience.

The Story

The narrative opens aboard the liner St. Luke, where twins Anna-Rose and Anna-Felicitas sit huddled against the cold mist as Liverpool fades behind them. Having lost both parents, the sisters were taken in by their English uncle Arthur Abinger and aunt Alice, only to be cast off and sent to America when their German surname becomes a social liability in wartime Britain. Determined to stay brave, the girls rename themselves Christopher and Columbus, casting their forced exile as an adventure of discovery. On board, they attract the attention and sympathy of Mr. Twist, an affluent, chivalrous American returning from relief work in France. Recognizing their complete vulnerability, Mr. Twist resolves to safeguard the "Twinklers."

Upon arriving in New York, the twins' promised host, Mr. Clouston K. Sack—another acquaintance of Uncle Arthur—proves cold and unwelcoming. Unwilling to leave them stranded, Mr. Twist takes charge, guiding them to his family's estate in Clark, Massachusetts. Yet their stay is cut short when the local community's suspicion of their German roots makes their presence socially fraught for Mr. Twist’s family. Undeterred, Mr. Twist accompanies the sisters across the country to California, where another promised shelter fails after the contact, Mr. Dellogg, unexpectedly dies.

Faced with mounting gossip and hotel managers who politely freeze them out, Mr. Twist devises a plan to protect their reputations and give them independence: he purchases a small cottage near Acapulco, California, and establishes "The Open Arms," a traditional English tea-house. To satisfy social conventions, he hires Mrs. Bilton, a talkative, overbearing chaperone whose endless monologues drive the household to distraction, alongside Li Koo, a highly efficient Chinese cook who takes over the housekeeping.

When the tea-house opens, it immediately draws local attention. An English naval officer on leave, Mr. Elliott, arrives and is instantly smitten with Anna-Felicitas. Meanwhile, local German residents and curious locals begin flocking to the inn, threatening to reignite the very public controversies Mr. Twist sought to avoid. Recognizing his own deep affection for Anna-Rose, Mr. Twist steps up to protect the sisters once and for all. Anna-Rose confesses her love for him, and Mr. Twist climbs a ladder to paste a "SHUT" sign over The Open Arms' banner, closing the inn to the outside world as both twins find secure futures in love.

How It Unfolds

The voyage begins Exiled from Britain during the war, seventeen-year-old twins Anna-Rose and Anna-Felicitas sit on the deck of an ocean liner heading for America. To mask their fear of submarines and their uncertain future, they adopt the names Christopher and Columbus. On board, they catch the eye of Mr. Twist, a benevolent American who vows to protect them.

Rejection in New York Arriving in New York, the twins discover that their designated host, Mr. Clouston K. Sack, wants nothing to do with them. Seeing their plight, Mr. Twist steps in and brings the sisters to his family's home in Clark.

The journey westward Social anxieties and wartime prejudice in Massachusetts make a prolonged stay impossible, prompting Mr. Twist to escort the twins to California. Their hopes are dashed again upon arrival when their potential guardian, Mr. Dellogg, passes away, leaving them stranded in a hotel where gossip quickly gathers.

Setting up The Open Arms To secure their standing and provide them a purpose, Mr. Twist buys a roadside cottage and transforms it into an English tea-room. He hires the relentless chatterbox Mrs. Bilton as a chaperone and the capable Li Koo as cook and housekeeper to maintain propriety.

Opening day and resolution The tea-house opens to immediate interest, attracting the romantic attention of a British naval officer named Elliott for Anna-Felicitas, while threatening to attract unwanted attention from the local German community. Realizing their shared devotion, Mr. Twist and Anna-Rose confess their feelings for each other, leading Mr. Twist to permanently close the inn and secure their new lives.

The People

• Anna-Rose (Christopher): The elder twin by twenty minutes, Anna-Rose is short, energetic, and fiercely protective. She wants security for her sister and herself, but her impulsive nature and constant anxieties often lead to comical misunderstandings. She ends up deeply in love with Mr. Twist.
• Anna-Felicitas (Columbus): Taller, dreamier, and slower in speech than her sister, Anna-Felicitas takes life as it comes with unbothered tranquility. She wants peace and simple pleasures, often remaining oblivious to the romantic chaos surrounding her until she meets Mr. Elliott.
• Mr. Twist: A wealthy, tender-hearted American bachelor who feels a moral duty to defend the vulnerable. Standing between the twins and public suspicion, his chivalry constantly battles social propriety until he admits his romantic feelings for Anna-Rose.
• Mrs. Bilton: A widow hired to act as a respectable chaperone at the tea-house. Driven by an unending stream of consciousness, her unstoppable talking dominates every room, testing the patience of everyone around her.
• Li Koo: The skilled Chinese cook hired to run the kitchen at The Open Arms. Efficient, quiet, and firm in his boundaries, he restores order and cleanliness to the cottage while refusing only to make the ladies' beds.

In Its Own Voice

When the twins board the ship to cross the Atlantic, their initial resolve is captured in their newly adopted titles:

"They decided, looking very calm and determined and sitting very close together beneath the rug their English aunt had given them to put round their miserable alien legs, that what they really were, were Christopher and Columbus, because they were setting out to discover a New World."

In California, as they set to work transforming the cottage into a tea-room, they rediscover their spirits through physical labor:

"And such is the peculiar blessedness of work that instantly, the moment there was any to be done, everything that was tangled and irritating fell quite naturally into its proper place."

When the tea-room opens and the first visitors arrive, the quiet routine of the household is upended by the sudden arrival of an English naval officer:

"'What? A twin? I say, how extraordinarily jolly. Two of you?'"

What It's Really About

Beneath its comedic surface, Christopher and Columbus is a critique of wartime hysteria and national chauvinism. Von Arnim explores how political conflicts infect everyday social interactions, turning two innocent, naive young women into targets of suspicion simply because of their dual heritage. The novel questions the arbitrary nature of national identity—the twins are "too German" for England and "too English" for Germany—exposing the absurdity of prejudices that ignore individual humanity. Beyond its political satire, the story examines the vulnerability of women without family protection or financial independence in the early twentieth century, showing how work, agency, and genuine human sympathy serve as the true remedies for isolation.

Why Read It Today

Christopher and Columbus will delight readers who appreciate dry, early twentieth-century British wit, comedic character studies, and lighthearted satirical fiction in the vein of P.G. Wodehouse or E.M. Delafield. Von Arnim's sharp observational humor and warm narrative voice keep the narrative moving smoothly despite its generous length. The dynamic between the protective, nervous Anna-Rose and the blissfully vague Anna-Felicitas creates endless dialogue-driven comedy.

Readers should be prepared for period-specific elements, including slow-paced conversational chapters, heavy reliance on early 1900s social etiquette, and minor period stereotypes regarding domestic servants and foreign nationalities that reflect the era of its 1919 publication. However, the novel's core warmth, gentle ironies, and spirited celebration of optimism in the face of prejudice make it an exceptionally charming read that stays with you long after the final page.