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The Radio 3 Boards > Arts Other Than Music > Literature >  Thomas Mann
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Author Topic: Thomas Mann  (Read 200 times)
Ted Ryder
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Posts: 274
« on: 15:06:50, 22-08-2008 »
 In answer to JP Vinyl's post on 20c Music Thread.

 Hi JP. Yes I did get to the end of The Magic Mountain! I'm afraid these days I have to read just about any book twice to get the hang of it, but at 720 pages I think I shall decline Herr Mann's invitation to re-read M.M just yet especially as I am just coming to the end of his Dr Faustus! I must admit that I am finding the latter somewhat more of a problem than The Magic Mountain as, although it is shorter, it is an even darker novel having been written in World War 2 and the misery of Leverkuhn, the Faust character, is juxterposed with, and counterpoints, the terrors of the the time and leaves little room for humour.

  On the other hand I felt that The Magic Mountain was in places very comical, The Naphta/ Settembrini  duels being,when not incomprehensible, amusingly self-contradictory and the final nihilistic duel coldly comic. Some of the minor characters, especially " Mrs Malaprop", brought light relief and others human warmth and this alievated the over-all desparing pessimism of the novel which nevertheless  I much enjoyed.


 Reading about Mann I came across references to Robert Musil so I ordered his novel "A Man Without Qualities" a big mistake, I mean big, 1128 pages big! But what a nice door-stop!

   Well my Mann DVDs have arrived and it's my birhday in a few days so I think I shall be spending some hours in front of the TV... but first I have to finish Dr Faustus Undecided
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JP_Vinyl
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« Reply #1 on: 05:21:56, 24-08-2008 »
I think Mann can be a lot more comic than one would at first assume. There's quite a bit of droll and ironic humour in his short stories as well, such as 'Tristan', a story that foreshadows The Magic Mountain in setting. Life in the Berghof itself is often described in a phantasmagoric, farcical nature.

Once I'm done with a couple of the books currently being read, I plan to tackle Doctor Faustus, so perhaps we can share impressions on that book soon.

And have a happy birthday!
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Andy D
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« Reply #2 on: 01:36:22, 25-08-2008 »
Quote from: Ted Ryder on 15:06:50, 22-08-2008
but first I have to finish Dr Faustus Undecided

That was a problem I had too Ted. I enjoyed the book but found it really quite difficult in parts. I eventually finished it by taking it on a solo backpacking trip to the Scottish Highlands - it was very wet so I spent a lot of time in my tent with only Dr Faustus to entertain me.
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increpatio
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« Reply #3 on: 01:50:08, 25-08-2008 »
Quote from: Ted Ryder on 15:06:50, 22-08-2008
Reading about Mann I came across references to Robert Musil so I ordered his novel "A Man Without Qualities" a big mistake, I mean big, 1128 pages big! But what a nice door-stop!
FWIW, MwQ was one of the most delightful, lightest 1128-page reads I've ever enjoyed Smiley

Have read Dr Faustus, but it didn't have too much of an impact on me really (except for once or two scenes maybe that I was quite affected by, now that I come to think of it).
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Ted Ryder
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Posts: 274
« Reply #4 on: 10:21:01, 25-08-2008 »
 Andy- Next time I'm feeling a bit down I'll send you a PM to see if you're free to whisk me away for a merry week-end!

 increpatio- Thanks I shall look forward to Musil with a light heart and a little weight training.
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richard barrett
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Posts: 3123
« Reply #5 on: 12:52:53, 25-08-2008 »
Quote from: Ted Ryder on 10:21:01, 25-08-2008
increpatio- Thanks I shall look forward to Musil with a light heart and a little weight training.

I'm a great admirer of The Man Without Qualities too. It is indeed extremely long, and gets slower as it goes on, until by the end (and of course Musil never really finished it!) time seems to be at a complete standstill, although we know that the First World War is about to break out.
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