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Lenins Brain
Written by the editor of the German journal "Kursbuch", this is a story of opportunism and self-advancement, a scathing and grimly funny satire of Wilhelmine Germany and the early years of the Third Reich, set in the curious and Byzantine world of brain research.
272 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1991
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
December 28, 2025
"Lenin's brain is a story of opportunism and self-advancement, a scathing and grimly funny satire of Wilhelmine Germany and the early years of the Third Reich, set in the curious and Byzantine world of brain research.
"Dr Oskar Vogt, a Prussian hypnotist and neurologist, will stop at little in his pursuit of worldly success, and in his quest for the biological secret of genius. He is fortunate enough to enjoy the patronage and personal attention of the hugely wealthy Krupp family, until scandals and a suicide leave him in search of other sources of support of his research. His career takes an upturn with World War One, which gives him a regular supply of brains to work on - but no geniuses. Vogt's great chance comes when the Russian authorities invite him to dissect the brain of their dead leader - an opportunity, at last, to identify genius in its raw state! But how will he cope with the grave responsibility, and what pitfalls will await him as hostilities mount between Germany and Russia.
"Tilman Spengler has peopled his novel with a vividly colourful range of characters, many of whom like Krupp, Lenin and Vogt himself, really existed: they include the delicious and witty Amanda von Alvensleben, whose wicked gossip peppers the plot: the would be Bohemian painter Marx von Landsberg; and a whole array of philistine industrialists, mad racial theorists, Russian conspirators and bumbling Stormtroopera - not to mention the actresses, circus-riders and scientists with whom Vogt enjoys furtive affairs. Vogt's scientific adventure is told with coolly savage irony, against the backdrop of a hideously corrupt society on the brink of self-destruction." From the cover of the 1993 paperback edition from Hamish Hamilton.
I would echo one GR reviewer (there are only, as of February 2025, six) who couldn't understand why this novel has attracted such negative reviews. I found it wonderfully hilarious in a lugubrious German way, but funny nonetheless. Amongst the mainstream English language reviews the humour is recognised but there is general disaffection that Vogt did not turn out to be one of those German scientists who readily trimmed their sails to prosper under Nazism (see Kirkus review at: https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-re... and The Independent at: https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-en.... There are others but behind paywalls). I was delighted that the real Dr. Vogt did not follow the lamentable example of so many other German scientists in the alacrity with which they bent their work to the bogus 'theories' of Nazism. Vogt's work is now utterly discredited, but because science has moved on, not because he collected the brains of concentration camp victims. It almost makes him an honorable man. He is certainly for all his personal follies a man you would not be ashamed to be seen with.
I think there must be a singular failure of humour amongst GR reviewers. I think many of them took the title too seriously and pedantically. I can't help quoting the following endorsement:
"Rarely have I read a book with more pleasure than this masterpiece of tongue-in-cheek irony, serious research and exquisite literary invention."
That was said by Gregor von Rezzori whose masterpiece 'Memoirs of an Anisemitte' is also so much more than its title suggests. Don't read 'Lenin's Brain' for Lenin's Brain and if you aren't going to read it them read von Rezzori.
"Dr Oskar Vogt, a Prussian hypnotist and neurologist, will stop at little in his pursuit of worldly success, and in his quest for the biological secret of genius. He is fortunate enough to enjoy the patronage and personal attention of the hugely wealthy Krupp family, until scandals and a suicide leave him in search of other sources of support of his research. His career takes an upturn with World War One, which gives him a regular supply of brains to work on - but no geniuses. Vogt's great chance comes when the Russian authorities invite him to dissect the brain of their dead leader - an opportunity, at last, to identify genius in its raw state! But how will he cope with the grave responsibility, and what pitfalls will await him as hostilities mount between Germany and Russia.
"Tilman Spengler has peopled his novel with a vividly colourful range of characters, many of whom like Krupp, Lenin and Vogt himself, really existed: they include the delicious and witty Amanda von Alvensleben, whose wicked gossip peppers the plot: the would be Bohemian painter Marx von Landsberg; and a whole array of philistine industrialists, mad racial theorists, Russian conspirators and bumbling Stormtroopera - not to mention the actresses, circus-riders and scientists with whom Vogt enjoys furtive affairs. Vogt's scientific adventure is told with coolly savage irony, against the backdrop of a hideously corrupt society on the brink of self-destruction." From the cover of the 1993 paperback edition from Hamish Hamilton.
I would echo one GR reviewer (there are only, as of February 2025, six) who couldn't understand why this novel has attracted such negative reviews. I found it wonderfully hilarious in a lugubrious German way, but funny nonetheless. Amongst the mainstream English language reviews the humour is recognised but there is general disaffection that Vogt did not turn out to be one of those German scientists who readily trimmed their sails to prosper under Nazism (see Kirkus review at: https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-re... and The Independent at: https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-en.... There are others but behind paywalls). I was delighted that the real Dr. Vogt did not follow the lamentable example of so many other German scientists in the alacrity with which they bent their work to the bogus 'theories' of Nazism. Vogt's work is now utterly discredited, but because science has moved on, not because he collected the brains of concentration camp victims. It almost makes him an honorable man. He is certainly for all his personal follies a man you would not be ashamed to be seen with.
I think there must be a singular failure of humour amongst GR reviewers. I think many of them took the title too seriously and pedantically. I can't help quoting the following endorsement:
"Rarely have I read a book with more pleasure than this masterpiece of tongue-in-cheek irony, serious research and exquisite literary invention."
That was said by Gregor von Rezzori whose masterpiece 'Memoirs of an Anisemitte' is also so much more than its title suggests. Don't read 'Lenin's Brain' for Lenin's Brain and if you aren't going to read it them read von Rezzori.
October 20, 2013
هل على البنى آدم أن يكمل كتابا لم يرق له بدافع الواجب - ولا أعرف الواجب لمن- قراءة اﻷربعين صفحة اﻷولى منه كانت عملا مقزرا ولا ينتهى إلى شىء..والترجمة فى غاية السوء..وبداية قرايتى ليه جالى دور برد....أوه شيت :(
October 25, 2024
It puzzles me why this book is so unpopular.. it's well written, at times hilarious, based on historical facts but with an absurd twist..
Think Anthony Burgess at his funniest, with a dash of David Lodge..
The neurology/brain thing may be a bit daunting to wade through but it is rewarding to persist.
Since the storyline is stretched over a few decenia, the whole thing is a bit fragmentary but Spengler pulls it off rather well.
One of the best books I read this year.
Fun fact : Spengler is the great nephew of Oswald Spengler (Der Untergang des Abendlandes) and is married to Daphne Wagner, the great granddaugher of Richard Wagner (Götterdämmerung)..
Talk about a match made in the apocalypse :-)
Think Anthony Burgess at his funniest, with a dash of David Lodge..
The neurology/brain thing may be a bit daunting to wade through but it is rewarding to persist.
Since the storyline is stretched over a few decenia, the whole thing is a bit fragmentary but Spengler pulls it off rather well.
One of the best books I read this year.
Fun fact : Spengler is the great nephew of Oswald Spengler (Der Untergang des Abendlandes) and is married to Daphne Wagner, the great granddaugher of Richard Wagner (Götterdämmerung)..
Talk about a match made in the apocalypse :-)
August 17, 2023
Δεν είναι κακογραμμένο, θυμίζει μάλιστα έντονα τη γραφή του Κούντερα. Όμως, ο τίτλος είναι παραπλανητικός, με αποτέλεσμα μία αίσθηση ότι ο συγγραφέας είναι μονίμως εκτός θέματος. Έχει ένα ιστορικό ενδιαφέρον, το οποίο όμως χάνεται μέσα στην αφήγηση αδιάφορων συμβάντων δευτερεύουσας σημασίας. Κρίμα, ιδιαίτερα για την εξαιρετική δουλειά της Μαρίας Αγγελίδου στη μετάφραση και της Κλαίρης Κατσαούνη στην επιμέλεια.
January 4, 2023
Nier uitgelezen.
April 29, 2011
«O Cérebro de Lenine»
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews