Thomas Mann’s classic tale of obsession and beauty is one of literature’s most famous works.
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"Coming late to Thomas Mann, I'm struck by the assembly of words, the descriptive excess in the best sense of the word, a feast as it were of images and understanding. I struggled with the self analysis yet was drawn into his sense of being. A certain discomfort with his fascination and the inevitable conclusion pulled me relentlessly. I'll be reading more of his work."
— Clivemichael (4 out of 5 stars)
" I really wanted Mann to just get on with it. I guess he had to circle his themes fairly widely, considering the times, but I can usually read a book with it's context in mind. This one gave me trouble and, though I finished it, by the end I didn't really care what happened. "
— Deodand, 2/11/2014" It is one of my favorite books. I really like the story but I love that is a book about beauty. I think that is a book who talks about the love for someone (could have been something) who represents beauty and the narration and all the mental discussion the protagonist has trough the story it's sublime. "
— Ivonne, 1/7/2014" Moving tale, no sentimental storytelling. "
— Stien, 1/5/2014" How hard going for such a small book? At 60 odd pages I was expecting a light quick ready, but no this required a huge amount of concentration and re-reading of paragraphs! I have to say I did not like the main character, his obsession for the young boy was very disturbing. The watching from a distance on the beach, changing plans to stay longer and following through the streets of Venice, it was all very strange, and then all of a sudden it came to an abrupt end. Not my kind of book I'm afraid. "
— Kingfan30, 1/4/2014" Fantastic book, incredible writing, very intricate and intellectual themes. Though it is short, make sure to take your time reading it. "
— Anna, 12/30/2013" The prose is amazing, though the tale itself is dark and deeply disturbing. "
— Mark, 12/23/2013" Where I work becoming von Aschenbach is an occupational work hazard that I fear I may not be immune. Good novella though. Well worth spending a slow afternoon reading. Try as a chaser after Lolita. "
— Leif, 9/24/2013" It was okay, I liked it, but I think it was probably the writing style that bothered me more than anything. Maybe it was because of the translation? "
— Amelia, 8/3/2013" not life-changing, but if i'd read it at the right time i get the feeling it would have been. "
— Mike, 1/19/2013" All I can say is, I feel bad for the guy. "
— Eula, 12/24/2012" This was a poignant illustration of shared(?) feelings that cannot be voiced or demonstrated by either party. It was enough for me to feel the frustration, the desire and the humour in the situation. The cholera didn't do it. "
— Peta-Anne, 10/18/2012Thomas Mann was born in 1875 in Germany. He was only twenty-five when his first novel, Buddenbrooks, was published. In 1924 The Magic Mountain was published, and, five years later, Mann was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature. Following the rise of the Nazis to power, he left Germany for good in 1933 to live in Switzerland and then in California, where he wrote Doctor Faustus. Thomas Mann died in 1955.
Edoardo Ballerini, an American actor, director, film producer, and multiaward–winning narrator. He has won several Audie Awards for best narration, including for 2019’s Best Male Narrator of the Year. He was named by Booklist as winner of their 2023 Voice of Choice Award, and was named a Golden Voice by AudioFile magazine in 2019. He has narrated over two hundred audiobooks, from classics to modern masters, from bestsellers to the inspirational, from Nobel and Pulitzer Prize winners to spine-tingling series, and much more. In television and film, he is best known for his roles in A Murder at the End of the World, The Sopranos, 24, I Shot Andy Warhol, Dinner Rush, and Romeo Must Die. He is also trained in theater and continues to do much work on stage.