Most Popular Books by Thomas Mann

"Mann''s pivotal role during the Nazi period as perhaps the most eloquent spokesman for the ''other Germany'' that lived in exile means that anyone studying the history of our century must begin with him. . . . These letters are literary and cultural documents that have few equals in our age."--James K. Lyon, University of California, San Diego "Mann''s pivotal role during the Nazi period as perhaps the most eloquent spokesman for the ''other Germany'' that lived in exile means that anyone studying the history of our century must begin with him. . . . These letters are literary and cultural documents that have few equals in our age."--James K. Lyon, University of California, San Diego

A Major Literary Event: a brilliant new translation of Thomas Mann''s first great novel, one of the two for which he was awarded the Nobel Prize in literature in 1929. Buddenbrooks, first published in Germany in 1900, when Mann was only twenty-five, has become a classic of modem literature -- the story of four generations of a wealthy bourgeois family in northern Germany. With consummate skill, Mann draws a rounded picture of middle-class life: births and christenings; marriages, divorces, and deaths; successes and failures. These commonplace occurrences, intrinsically the same, vary slightly as they recur in each succeeding generation. Yet as the Buddenbrooks family eventually succumbs to the seductions of modernity -- seductions that are at variance with its own traditions -- its downfall becomes certain. In immensity of scope, richness of detail, and fullness of humanity, Buddenbrooks surpasses all other modem family chronicles; it has, indeed, proved a model for most of them. Judged as the greatest of Mann''s novels by some critics, it is ranked as among the greatest by all. Thomas Mann was awarded the Nobel Prize for literature in 1929.

Presents the correspondence of Thomas and Heinrich Mann

Acclaimed translator John E. Woods has given us the definitive English version of Mann’s masterpiece. A monumental work of erudition and irony, sexual tension and intellectual ferment, The Magic Mountain is an enduring classic. With this dizzyingly rich novel of ideas, Thomas Mann rose to the front ranks of the great modern novelists, winning the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1929. The Magic Mountain takes place in an exclusive tuberculosis sanatorium in the Swiss Alps–a community devoted to sickness that serves as a fictional microcosm for Europe in the days before the First World War. To this hermetic and otherworldly realm comes Hans Castorp, an “ordinary young man” who arrives for a short visit and ends up staying for seven years, during which he succumbs both to the lure of eros and to the intoxication of ideas.

Celebrated novella of a middle-aged German writer''s tormented passion for a Polish youth met on holiday in Venice, and its tragic consequences. New translation with extensive commentary.

This remarkable new translation of the Nobel Prize-winner’s great masterpiece is a major literary event. Thomas Mann regarded his monumental retelling of the biblical story of Joseph as his magnum opus. He conceived of the four parts–The Stories of Jacob, Young Joseph, Joseph in Egypt, and Joseph the Provider–as a unified narrative, a “mythological novel” of Joseph’s fall into slavery and his rise to be lord over Egypt. Deploying lavish, persuasive detail, Mann conjures for us the world of patriarchs and pharaohs, the ancient civilizations of Egypt, Mesopotamia, and Palestine, and the universal force of human love in all its beauty, desperation, absurdity, and pain. The result is a brilliant amalgam of humor, emotion, psychological insight, and epic grandeur. Now the award-winning translator John E. Woods gives us a definitive new English version of Joseph and His Brothers that is worthy of Mann’s achievement, revealing the novel’s exuberant polyphony of ancient and modern voices, a rich music that is by turns elegant, coarse, and sublime.

A classic, controversial book exploring German culture and identity by the author of Death in Venice and The Magic Mountain, now back in print. When the Great War broke out in August 1914, Thomas Mann, like so many people on both sides of the conflict, was exhilarated. Finally, the era of decadence that he had anatomized in Death in Venice had come to an end; finally, there was a cause worth fighting and even dying for, or, at least when it came to Mann himself, writing about. Mann immediately picked up his pen to compose a paean to the German cause. Soon after, his elder brother and lifelong rival, the novelist Heinrich Mann, responded with a no less determined denunciation. Thomas took it as an unforgivable stab in the back. The bitter dispute between the brothers would swell into the strange, tortured, brilliant, sometimes perverse literary performance that is Reflections of a Nonpolitical Man, a book that Mann worked on and added to throughout the war and that bears an intimate relation to his postwar masterpiece The Magic Mountain. Wild and ungainly though Mann’s reflections can be, they nonetheless constitute, as Mark Lilla demonstrates in a new introduction, a key meditation on the freedom of the artist and the distance between literature and politics. The NYRB Classics edition includes two additional essays by Mann: “Thoughts in Wartime” (1914), translated by Mark Lilla and Cosima Mattner; and “On the German Republic” (1922), translated by Lawrence Rainey.

In ''Bashan and I'', Thomas Mann delves into the intricate layers of human psychology and morality through a thought-provoking narrative that follows the protagonist''s journey of self-discovery and introspection. Mann''s literary style in this novel is characterized by intricate prose and deep philosophical insights, reminiscent of his other renowned works such as ''Death in Venice''. Set against the backdrop of a changing social landscape in early 20th century Europe, ''Bashan and I'' explores themes of identity, power dynamics, and the struggle for self-actualization. The novel''s rich symbolism and allegorical elements provide ample material for scholarly analysis and interpretation. Thomas Mann''s masterful storytelling and thematic depth make ''Bashan and I'' a classic work of literature that continues to resonate with readers today. Drawing on his own experiences and observations of society, Mann presents a compelling narrative that challenges readers to reflect on their own beliefs and values. With its timeless themes and engaging narrative, ''Bashan and I'' is a must-read for anyone interested in exploring the complexities of human nature and society.

Thomas Mann''s ''Royal Highness'' is a captivating novel that delves into the life of a young prince who must navigate the complexities of courtly life and responsibility. Written in Mann''s signature literary style, the book seamlessly blends elements of realism and satire, offering a sharp commentary on monarchy and societal norms. The novel''s vivid descriptions and rich character development immerse readers in a world of opulence and intrigue, making it a compelling read that resonates with themes of power, duty, and personal identity. Thomas Mann, a Nobel Prize-winning author known for his insightful portrayals of complex characters and social issues, drew inspiration from his own fascination with European royalty and aristocracy to write ''Royal Highness.'' His nuanced understanding of human nature and keen observation of societal hierarchies shine through in this novel, offering readers a thought-provoking exploration of privilege and power dynamics. I highly recommend ''Royal Highness'' to readers who enjoy literary fiction with a touch of political and social commentary. Mann''s masterful storytelling and insightful reflections on identity and responsibility make this novel a timeless classic that is sure to captivate and provoke thought.

Lit Hub: Most Anticipated Books of 2023 Sparkling new translations highlight the humor and poignancy of Mann’s best stories—including his masterpiece, in its first English translation in nearly a century. A towering figure in the pantheon of twentieth-century literature, Thomas Mann has often been perceived as a dry and forbidding writer—“the starched collar,” as Bertolt Brecht once called him. But in fact, his fiction is lively, humane, sometimes hilarious. In these fresh renderings of his best short work, award-winning translator Damion Searls casts new light on this underappreciated aspect of Mann’s genius. The headliner of this volume, “Chaotic World and Childhood Sorrow” (in its first new translation since 1936)—a subtle masterpiece that reveals the profound emotional significance of everyday life—is Mann’s tender but sharp-eyed portrait of the “Bigs” and “Littles” of the bourgeois Cornelius family as they adjust to straitened circumstances in hyperinflationary Weimar Germany. Here, too, is a free-standing excerpt from Mann’s first novel, Buddenbrooks—a sensation when it was first published. “Death in Venice” (also included in this volume) is Mann’s most famous story, but less well known is that he intended it to be a diptych with another, comic story—included here as “Confessions of a Con Artist, by Felix Krull.” “Louisey”—a tale of sexual humiliation that gives a first glimpse of Mann’s lifelong ambivalence about the power of art—rounds out this revelatory, transformative collection.

A title in the Bristol Classical Press German Texts series, in German with English notes, vocabulary and introduction. Thomas Mann (1875-1955), was awarded the Nobel Prize for literature in 1929, and "Tonio Kroger" occupies a central position in his spiritual and artistic development. A study of youth, it draws together many strands of his life and work: the duality of his parentage; his abhorrence of discipline; and the influence of Schopenhauer and Wagner on his early phase of writing.

Recounts the enchanted career of the con man extraordinaire Felix Krull--a man unhampered by the moral precepts that govern the conduct of ordinary people.

Using settings as varied as Germany, Italy, the Holy Land and the Far East, Thomas Mann explores in these stories a theme which always preoccupied him - ''the two faces of things''.

Thomas Mann''s ''The Holy Sinner'', an intricate portrayal of medieval Europe, weaves a tapestry of sin, redemption, and the divine comedy of human imperfection. Mann''s narrative, adapted from the medieval verse epic ''Gregorius'' by Hartmann von Aue, transcends mere retelling by infusing it with philosophical reflections and rich symbolic prose. The style embodies Mann''s sophisticated irony and sharp observation, placing the novel within his mastery works that reflect critically on religious and moral themes. Sweeping its readers into the tumultuous realm of legend and faith, the text mirrors the paradox of humanity''s search for purity amidst its innate fallibility, resonating with the existential quests dominant in the literature of Mann''s era. Thomas Mann, a towering figure of 20th-century literature, pens ''The Holy Sinner'' drawing from his profound engagement with German intellectual history and his own fraught relationship with the moral legacies of his time. The Nobel laureate''s authorial journey is punctuated with exploration of complex cultural narratives, his own experiences during the World Wars, and the resulting contemplation on the human condition. The book emerges as a fruition of Mann''s lifelong interrogation of the intertwined nature of sin, grace, and the human spirit. ''The Holy Sinner'', in this beautifully crafted DigiCat edition, deserves attention from scholars and lay readers alike. Beyond its entertainment value as a gripping narrative, it challenges its audience to ponder the human propensity for both greatness and transgression. Mann''s erudite storytelling beckons the reader into a deep engagement with the existential queries that are as relevant now as they were in his time. This book is highly recommended not only for admirers of Mann''s oeuvre but also for those who delight in works that confront the eternal complexities of the human soul.

V. 1. Joseph and his brothers.--v. 2. Young Joseph.--v. 3. Joseph in Egypt.--v. 4. Joseph the provider.

In this second installment of his autobiography (following Kind dieser Zeit), Klaus Mann describes his childhood in the family of Thomas Mann and his circle, his adolescence in the Weimar Republic, and his experiences as a young homosexual and early opponent of Nazism. He also describes how, after the Reichstag elections of September 1930, friends and family began to discuss the looming prospect of emigration and exile. When Stefan Zweig published an article claiming that democracy was ineffective, Klaus replied: “I want to have nothing, nothing at all to do with this perverse kind of ‘radicalism.’” After hearing one of his working-class lovers in a storm trooper’s uniform say, “They are going to be the bosses and that’s all there is to it,” Klaus fled to Paris in March of 1933. He became one of one hundred thousand German refugees in France, losing his publisher, friends and associates, and readers in the process. He describes finding a German Jewish publisher in Amsterdam and the difficulties of starting a journal of émigré writing. In 1934, his German passport expired and he was forced to renew temporary travel documents every six months. The President of Czechoslovakia offered citizenship to the entire Mann family in 1936 but then Hitler invaded that country and Klaus emigrated to the United States. Despite statelessness, bouts of syphilis and drug abuse, neither his pace of travel nor publication slowed. His novel Der Vulkan is among the most famous books about German exiles during World War II but it sold only 300 copies. Klaus stopped reading and writing German in the U.S. “The writer must not cling with stubborn nostalgia to his mother tongue,” he writes in The Turning Point. He must “find a new vocabulary, a new set of rhythms and devices, a new medium to articulate his sorrow and emotions, his protests and his prayers.” This extraordinary memoir, an eyewitness account of the rise of Nazism by an out gay man, was Klaus Mann’s first book written in English. “A highly civilized child of the twentieth century is trying to make peace with his times, trying to find a place to belong... The decay of France, the paranoia of Germany, the coming disasters, the shining myth of Europe... are now compelling concerns... A sensitive, cultivated European looks at his world, his life, and describes them in apt and telling phrase. Toward both his attitude is not so strong as despair, but rather one of alienation. His book is a commentary upon evil times...” — Lorinne Pruette, The New York Times “Klaus Mann... has written an intensely engaging autobiography... This is Klaus Mann’s own story; it is also the story of many young intellectuals in a darkening Europe; and it is the story of a son of a famous man... an eloquent book... a lavish document.” — Winfield Townley Scott, The American Mercury “[Klaus Mann’s] autobiography [is] certainly one of the great autobiographies of the century and probably the definitive one of the life of a German exile… Not only very good reading but also essential in the literature of twentieth-century exile.” — Carl Zuckmayer, Bloomsbury Review “A delightful, modern-romantic group portrait of the Manns en famille.” — The New Yorker “The portrait of the Mann family is excellent. Klaus Mann is at his best describing his childhood and the family life... The value and the interest of this book lies in the intimate impressions and memories of many celebrities who crossed the path of Klaus Mann during his wanderings through the whole world.” — The Saturday Review of Literature “The book moves with passion and conviction in a stirring tempo worthy of the son of Thomas Mann. The years in exile are superbly written.” — The New York Post “This autobiography by the son of Thomas Mann has a double value: first as a distinguished autobiography, a sensitive portrait of a young man growing up in between-wars Germany, second as a loving intimate portrait of his father. A vivid picture of what the first war meant to a child, with its violent patriotism, its deprivations; then the moral disorder of Berlin youth in the 20s and his attempts to express himself against the rising tide of fascism, one of the reasons for the family exile.” — Kirkus Reviews

"Brilliant…a little masterpiece."—Chicago Sun-Times "Beautiful…one of the best short novels he has written."—New York Times Book Review "Can rank with the best of Mann''s writing."—The Boston Globe "Magnificent…one of the greatest bits of writing which one of the world''s greatest writers has ever given us."—Chicago Herald-American "Brilliant…one of those splendid novelettes which in this reviewer''s opinion represent the very essence of Mr. Mann''s literary art."—Saturday Review of Literature "Thomas Mann wrote this engaging novella in a few weeks in 1943. (The new translation by Marion Faber and Stephen Lehmann, which is brisk and direct, is a welcome replacement of the fussier and less accurate English version done by Helen Lowe-Porter for the original publication.)…What is especially noteworthy about The Tables of the Law among Mann''s fictions is its playfulness." —Robert Alter, London Review of Books "His senses were hot, and so he yearned for spirituality, purity, and holiness—the invisible, which seemed to him spiritual, holy, and pure." Thus Thomas Mann introduces Moses in The Tables of the Law, the Nobel Prize winner''s retelling of the prophet''s life. Invited in 1943 to write this story as a defense of the Decalogue, Mann reveals how strange and forbidding Moses'' task was. As "the Lawgiver"—endowed with the wrists and hands of a stonemason—engraves the tablets, so he hews the souls of his people: "Into the stone of the mountain I carved the ABC of human behavior,but it shall also be carved into your flesh and blood, Israel…" Mann''s tale of the ethical founding and molding of a people sharply rebukes the Nazis for their intended destruction of the moral code set down in the Ten Commandments. But does his famous irony and authorial license mock or enhance the Biblical account of the shaping of the Jewish people? You know the Bible story. Now read Mann''s version—it will grip you anew. Newly translated from the German by Marion Faber and Stephen Lehmann. "To present the foundation of law for half the world is no simple task. The Tables of the Law is a historical title following Moses as he is tasked by God to present the ten commandments, providing a human and much different insight on the role of Moses as the Prophet of God. Expertly translated, The Tables of the Law is a solid addition to any literary fiction collection."—Midwest Book Review

"John E. Woods is revising our impression of Thomas Mann, masterpiece by masterpiece." —The New Yorker "Doctor Faustus is Mann''s deepest artistic gesture. . . . Finely translated by John E. Woods." —The New Republic Thomas Mann''s last great novel, first published in 1947 and now newly rendered into English by acclaimed translator John E. Woods, is a modern reworking of the Faust legend, in which Germany sells its soul to the Devil. Mann''s protagonist, the composer Adrian Leverkühn, is the flower of German culture, a brilliant, isolated, overreaching figure, his radical new music a breakneck game played by art at the very edge of impossibility. In return for twenty-four years of unparalleled musical accomplishment, he bargains away his soul—and the ability to love his fellow man. Leverkühn''s life story is a brilliant allegory of the rise of the Third Reich, of Germany''s renunciation of its own humanity and its embrace of ambition and nihilism. It is also Mann''s most profound meditation on the German genius—both national and individual—and the terrible responsibilities of the truly great artist.

Reprint. Originally published: New York: Knopf, 1954.

Death in Venice is a novella written by the German author Thomas Mann and was first published in 1912 as Der Tod in Venedig.[1] The work presents a great writer suffering writer''s block who visits Venice and is liberated, uplifted, and then increasingly obsessed, by the sight of a stunningly beautiful youth. Though he never speaks to the boy, much less touches him, the writer finds himself drawn deep into ruinous inward passion; meanwhile, Venice, and finally, the writer himself, succumb to a cholera plague.

A selection of work taken from his highly acclaimed collection Stories of a Lifetime by one of the greatest writers of the 20th Century. In elegant prose, Mann explores such eternal themes as: individuals forced into the extremes of their existence, isolation and the artist''s tentative position in the harsh world, the realization of one''s true nature.

Nueva encarnacion del mito faustico, esta B+novela totalB; trasciende el horizonte -ya de por si vasto y apasionante- de las especulaciones esteticas, para plantearse como una parabola de las fuerzas irracionales que mueven a pueblos enteros.

Joseph and His Brothers (Joseph und seine Brüder) is a four-part novel by Thomas Mann, written over the course of 16 years. Mann retells the familiar stories of Genesis, from Jacob to Joseph (chapters 27-50), setting it in the historical context of the Amarna Period. Mann considered it his greatest work. The tetralogy consists of: The Stories of Jacob (Die Geschichten Jaakobs; written December 1926 to October 1930, Genesis 27-36) Young Joseph (Der junge Joseph; written January 1931 to June 1932, Genesis 37) Joseph in Egypt (Joseph in Ägypten; written July 1932 to 23 August 1936, Genesis 38-39) Joseph the Provider (Joseph, der Ernährer; written 10 August 1940 to 4 January 1943, Genesis 40-50) Mann''s presentation of the ancient Orient and the origins of Judaism is influenced by Alfred Jeremias'' 1904 Das Alte Testament im Lichte des Alten Orients, emphasizing Babylonian influence in the editing of Genesis, and by the work of Dmitry Merezhkovsky. Mann sets the story in the 14th century BC and makes Akhenaten the pharaoh who appoints Joseph his vice-regent. Joseph is aged 28 at the ascension of Akhenaten, which would mean he was born about 1380 BC in standard Egyptian chronology, and Jacob in the mid-1420s BC. Other contemporary rulers mentioned include Tushratta and Suppiluliuma. A dominant topic of the novel is Mann''s exploration of the status of mythology and his presentation of the Late Bronze Age mindset with regard to mythical truths and the emergence of monotheism. Events of the story of Genesis are frequently associated and identified with other mythic topics. Central is the notion of underworld and the mythical descent to the underworld. Jacob''s sojourn in Mesopotamia (hiding from the wrath of Esau) is paralleled with Joseph''s life in Egypt (exiled by the jealousy of his brothers), and on a smaller scale his captivity in the well; they are further identified with the "hellraid" of Inanna-Ishtar-Demeter, the Mesopotamian Tammuz myth, the Jewish Babylonian captivity as well as the Harrowing of Hell of Jesus Christ.