German Literature Month is hosted by Lizzy’s Literary Life
https://lizzysiddal2.wordpress.com/2023/09/22/announcing-german-literature-month-xiii/
This will be my 12th year of participation in German Literature Month
Ordinarily the only rule is that the book must be originally published in German but Lizzy has relaxed this for one week of the challenge to allow for authors whose native tongue was/is German, but who chose/choose to write in an adopted language
This year I hope to posts on two short stories as well as a novel by Thomas Mann, The Holy Sinner. I have also a new translation of his The Magic Mountain and if I can work it in I hope to reread this. I also hope to feature works by Joseph Roth and Stefan Zweig, two authors I have featured in prior years. My nephew will be preforming in a drama by Bertolt Brecht and I hope to read some of his plays,
My first post for German Literature XIII will be on
"Chaotic World and Childhood Sorrows" A Short Story by Thomas Mann - 1924 - Translated from the German by Damien Searls 2023
Thomas Mann
Born - June 6, 1875 - in the free city of Lubeck
1905 - marries Katia Pringsheim. From a very wealthy non- practicing Jewish family. They have six children.
Buddenbrooks - 1901
Death in Venice - 1912
The Magic Mountain- 1924
1929 - wins Nobel Prize
1933- in response to the rise in power of Adolph Hitler the family moves to Switzerland
1939 - moves to USA - teachin
g at Princeton University
In 1942 the family relocates to Los Angeles, where there is a substantial German Émigrés community, in which
has a leadership role , helping any in need.
1947 - Doctor Faustus
August 12, 1955 - dies in Switzerland while on vacation
From Damien Searls introduction:
“Chaotic World and Childhood"
is in my view Mann’s best story—it was Hemingway’s favorite, too, for whatever that’s worth. I think it belongs up there with James Joyce’s “The Dead” and anything you want to name by Gallant or Munro or Chekhov at the very top of the canon of short fiction, but it is never, to my knowledge, singled out as such."
I really liked this story. The account of children in affluent family is both poignant and hilarious.
I urge anyone wishing to expand the visibility of their website or to learn about new to them German writers to Participate in German Literature XIhttps://lizzysiddal2.wordpress.com/2023/09/22/announcing-german-literature-month-xiii/II
Mel Ulm
2 comments:
I absolutely loved Buddenbrooks and have also read some of this shorter books. Still want to read Zauberberg.
Your dedication to such a variety of literary themes and challenges and events is an inspiration. I look forward to hearing more about this year's German authors on TRL.
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