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The Magic Mountain
- Narrated by: David Rintoul
- Length: 37 hrs and 27 mins
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The Magic Mountain
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Publisher's Summary
It was The Magic Mountain (Der Zauberberg) that confirmed Thomas Mann as a Nobel prizewinner for literature and rightly so, for it is undoubtedly one of the great novels of the 20th century.
Its unusual story - it opens with a young man visiting a friend in a tuberculosis sanatorium in the Swiss Alps - was originally started by Mann in 1912 but was not completed until 1924. Then, it was instantly recognised as a masterpiece and led to Mann’s Nobel Prize in 1929.
Hans Castorp is, on the face of it, an ordinary man in his early 20s, on course to start a career in ship engineering in his home town of Hamburg, when he decides to travel to the Berghof Santatorium in Davos. The year is 1912, and an oblivious world is on the brink of war. Castorp’s friend Joachim Ziemssen is taking the cure, and a three-week visit seems a perfect break before work begins. But when Castorp arrives he is surprised to find an established community of patients, some of whom have been there for years, and little by little, he gets drawn into the closeted life and the individual personalities of the residents.
Among them are Hofrat Behrens, the principal doctor, the curiously attractive Clavdia Chauchat and two intellectuals: Ludovico Settembrini and Leo Naphta with their strongly contrasted personalities and differing political, ethical, artistic and spiritual ideals. Hans Castorp’s stay is extended, once, twice and still further, as he appears to develop symptoms which suggest that his health, once so robust, would benefit from the treatments and the mountain air.
As time passes, it becomes clear that the young man, with a particular interest in shipbuilding and not much else, finds his outlook and knowledge broadened by his mountain companions, his intellect stretched and his emotional experience deepened and enriched. Hans Castorp is changing, day by day, month by month, year by year, sometimes imperceptibly, sometimes with a sudden advance, as he encounters the varied range of sparkling characters, their comedies and tragedies, their aspirations and their defeats.
The Magic Mountain is a classic bildungsroman, an educational journey of growth - a genre that began with an earlier novel in the German tradition: Goethe’s Wilhelm Meister’s Apprenticeship. It is presented here in the acclaimed modern translation by John E. Woods and is told by David Rintoul with his particular understanding for Thomas Mann as displayed in his widely praised Ukemi recording of Buddenbrooks.
What listeners say about The Magic Mountain
Average Customer RatingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Jessica
- 27-10-2023
Amazing
I loved every minute of this, apart from the very extensive lessons on biology. But every other minute.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Pete Shields
- 15-11-2020
A mountain of world history
The individual and how he or she manages to work with society. Mann's prose and womderful characters. History came alive.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Wise Owl
- 06-11-2024
Very satisfying storytelling by an enthusiastic narrator.
I like that the Audible algorithm introduced me to this author and intend to listen to more of his stories, money well spent.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Juy Hepner
- 15-02-2021
Gentle German
The intellectual journey of Hans is unique. There is a chapter on anatomy which is very sensual. The romantic night when he declares his love is uplifting. The stoic resolve while he waits for her is frustratingly German. The pedagogical friendship with Setembrini stand alone in its exposition of the eloquence of that character. The romantic thread was not tied properly. The ending seems a little hurried, given the detail used all the way through. It is obvious that the Great War broke the author’s spirit. It would have been better to have explored the love story with Klavdia more. Oh yes there was also a very touching scene when Hans opens up to Klavdia’s lover...but then he can’t be his friend. Jane’s virtue lies only in the negative power to refrain from taking chances and his passivity becomes quietism. He has no reason to live. His passion is repressed. The resurrection of his cousin at the seance is nicely mysterious. It is as though he betrayed god or something because after that it seems that the happy spell on the Magic Mountain is broken and suddenly everyone turns on each other and in a short period a nasty anti-Semite turns up, litigation is rife and then two old friends fight a dual.
Then of course he’s off to the front!
The narrator is outstanding.
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2 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Robyn
- 06-06-2020
Still relevant, still powerful.
An excellent reading . A thwarted coming of age of physically pampered intellectually indulgent parts of Europe. a coming of age that was a coming to war. The disgrace of it resonates.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Anonymous User
- 04-06-2024
A most extraordinary and enjoyable 30 hours
Following the life of a young naive fellow up into the highlands to the sanatorium in Switzerland prior to WW1 was such a surprising delight. Rambling through his sojourn of seven years. Mingling with the guests from all over the continent I found myself smiling and enraptured at the topics and watching him enchanted by his surroundings. I came to this book in trepidation and finished with a completely high regard for Thomas Mann.
The biography The Magician by Colm Tobin led me here. Goodbye Hans. Thank you for your company
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