The Thomas Mann Group discussion

Welcome to the group read of Buddenbrooks: The Decline of a Family by Thomas Mann. Please introduce yourself, and make yourself at home here!

Hi Kris. This looks interesting. I've read the book twice, mostly recently about one or two years ago. I would love to participate in a discussion. Yeah you for setting up this group.

I'm so glad you're joining in, Anne. It should be a lot of fun. :)

This looks fun! I chewed through Magic Mountain ages ago, but somehow haven't read a lot of Mann.

It looks like it will be fun. I'll join in for Magic Mountain too.

Hooray Moira! I read and loved The Magic Mountain and Buddenbrooks: The Decline of a Family when I was in high school, so I'm sure I missed a lot. High time for me to re-read both.

Thanks a lot for the group read invitation, Kris and Kalliope! i'm going to bow out of this one, though. I do appreciate it, nonetheless!

I'm especially looking forward to Magic mountain in the Woods translation. My wife and I lumbered through an earlier edition.

maybe Doktor Faustus down the road, eh?

No worries Jason -- thanks for stopping in!

Jonfaith wrote: "I'm especially looking forward to Magic mountain in the Woods translation. My wife and I lumbered through an earlier edition.

maybe Doktor Faustus down the road, eh?"

I like that idea, Jonfaith.

Kalliope and Kris! You are both inspirational and motivational but I plead deluge! (And besides, everyone knows by now I am an inveterate group joiner (or lurkyer) with a dismally sporadic post record :). But I will persevere in the attempt!

Thanks for the invite, Kris. I've never read any Mann, but the description for Buddenbrooks certainly caught my attention. I'm in.

Chris, I'm so glad you're joining us! And Scribble, having you along in any way is a pleasure. :)

Kris wrote: "I like that idea, Jonfaith. "

Ooh, me too.

Scribble wrote: "everyone knows by now I am an inveterate group joiner (or lurkyer) with a dismally sporadic post record :). But I will persevere in the attempt! "

Dude you cannot POSSIBLY lurk more than I do, I will probably forget I'm even in this group tomorrow....

Erich Heller was one of my profs in college, and back then I thought Thomas Mann was just about the world's greatest writer, even though I was only reading him in translation. Now that I'm 49 instead of 19, I'm curious to revisit the texts and see what I think with 30 years of life under my belt. I'm going to try and keep up with the group!

Thank you, Kris, for the invite. Mann is on my list but unfortunately not this year. I'll lurk, though, to get info. from the group.

Hi Kris, I've already read and loved this one back in 2010 (see http://wp.me/phTIP-1iw) so I'll probably just be an interested observer from the sidelines. I hope that's ok.

Petergiaquinta wrote: "Erich Heller was one of my profs in college, and back then I thought Thomas Mann was just about the world's greatest writer, even though I was only reading him in translation. Now that I'm 49 inste..."

We're in a similar position re. revisiting Mann after a gap of decades!

Hi Aloha and Lisa -- really happy to have you in any capacity, lurking or posting. :)

I'm not familiar with his work, but it looks compelling. I look forward to joining in the discussion!

It's great to have you join us, Beth. :)

Hello kris and all, thanks for the invite! I haven't read any Mann and hadn't even heard of this one but it looks interesting. I look forward to reading it next month with the group!

I'm so glad you're joining us, Shirley! :)

Thanks for the invite Kris and I'm glad to accept but unfortunately I can't commit to read Mann this year. I'm terribly behind with my other group reads and catching up at a snail pace, but it's always a pleasure to follow through all the informative discussions these groups provide, so I'll definitely look forward to that.

Thanks, Kris. This looks like a great book for my first group read here on Goodreads. I'm looking forward to it.

Thanks for the invite, Kris. A few years back I started reading the book but didn't finish it. This might be opportunity! :-)

Thank you for the invitation Kris (and also Kalliope). I hate to show my ignorance but I don't know "Buddenbrooks" at all. Nevertheless I would like to join in the discussion and have just ordered the paperback.

At least I've read "The Magic Mountain" and still have the hardback. That's over seven hundred pages. I read that years ago (I cannot really remember it that well) but definitely look forward to re-reading it.

Lynne wrote: "Thank you for the invitation Kris (and also Kalliope). I hate to show my ignorance but I don't know "Buddenbrooks" at all. Nevertheless I would like to join in the discussion and have just ordered ..."

Welcome Lynne. You know more than I do then since I have not read MM either. Many of us will be reading BB for the first time.

We may do another group read for MM some time after this one.

Thanks Kris and Kalliope for the invite, I'm in!
I read The Magic Mountain years ago and I struggled with it, I'm sure I missed loads of things.
That won't happen now with so many talented people around, giving insight and sharing their thoughts about the book.

Dolors wrote: "Thanks Kris and Kalliope for the invite, I'm in!
I read The Magic Mountain years ago and I struggled with it, I'm sure I missed loads of things.
That won't happen now with so many talented people a..."

Welcome to the group Dolors!!

I read Tonio Kröger years ago but do not remember much except that Mann writes beautifully. I am really looking forward to this read.

Thanks for the invite! Due to my time schedule, I might not be able to fully participate in this, but I'm hoping there is going to be a Magic Mountain read as well? Would be much obliged to join in that one. :)

Hi all. I was already privately planning to read Mann in May... but I was going to read Magic Mountain. Maybe I'll change it to Buddenbrooks and read MM later...

Jimmy wrote: "Hi all. I was already privately planning to read Mann in May... but I was going to read Magic Mountain. Maybe I'll change it to Buddenbrooks and read MM later..."

Jimmy,

Welcome to the group. Several of us want to read MM later on, but we thought it was better to start with this one.

thanks for elevating the general level of my 2013 reading list. I'll be curious to go back to Thomas Mann after I think 30 years since I read The Magic Mountain.

Welcome to the group, Algernon. This is your first time with Buddenbrooks then?

Yes, I was aware of it, but ze Germans never seem to make to the top of my ToBeRead list

Thank you for the invite, Kris! I was hesitant at first, because I didn't dare to approach Thomas Mann, but I've decided to be brave and join in. I will read the Romanian translation, though. I hope it's a good one.
Thanks for boosting my courage! :)

Thanks for the invite, Kris!

I've only read Felix Krull by Mann so far and both Buddenbrooks and Magic Mountain keep sitting on my shelf of unread books that I'm too scared of to read alone, so I can't wait to read it in a group. And after a long phase of reading almost exclusively foreign literature, I can't wait to read in my native language German again (:

Thanks for the invite,Kris. Two of my Gr friends recently recommended Mann to me & then I get this invite– serendipity is what I call it!

Wonderful Mala, that you will be joining... almost continuous with Bleak House...

Welcome to Kathy and Ema too.

I have been looking at the possible sections. We may have irregular divisions because I think it would be good to follow the chapter structure.

It's great to see so many friends here. Whether you're planning to post actively or to look on from the sidelines, I'm looking forward to sharing reactions to Mann's novel with you (or novels, for those who want to participate in TMM read coming up later this year)! :)

"Wonderful Mala, that you will be joining... almost continuous with Bleak House..."

Thanks,Kalliope. I do hope the whole Bleak House gang turns up here to rock it– just sent out a few invites myself.
I'm hoping that we have a good mix of the Mann veterans & newbies– as a newcomer to Mann's world,I'll need some good navigators around.

It's been ages since I read the book (and I cannot find my copy either), but this is a personal favourite.

Has anyone seen the German miniseries?

Are we going to limit ourselves to just Buddenbrooks: The Decline of a Family or are we also going to perchance read (or reread) other works by Thomas Mann (maybe some of the lesser known ones like the Joseph trilogy or Felix Krull)?

Gundula wrote: "It's been ages since I read the book (and I cannot find my copy either), but this is a personal favourite.
Has anyone seen the German miniseries?

Are we going to limit ourselves to just Buddenbr..."

Hi Gundula! I saw the miniseries a few years ago. I thought it was excellent.

Mala, I'm so glad you sent some invitations to the group. If any of you have GR friends who might be interested in participating, please feel free to invite them!

Gundula, it's great to meet you. Welcome. :) I think the miniseries is mentioned in Kall's thread on Buddenbrooks and films.

Anne wrote: "Gundula wrote: "It's been ages since I read the book (and I cannot find my copy either), but this is a personal favourite.
Has anyone seen the German miniseries?

Are we going to limit ourselves ..."

I actually saw it on VHS tape in 1979 when we visited relatives. There is supposedly also a recent 2008 production (which would be wonderful to see).

Hmm, you know, Brideshead Revisited (both the book and the miniseries have always reminded me a bit of Buddenbrooks: The Decline of a Family).

And "hi" as well, Anne!!

Hi-just joined. I've always wanted to read Buddenbrooks. I loved Magic Mountain and Doctor Faustus.
I love all the links you have here!

Ellie wrote: "Hi-just joined. I've always wanted to read Buddenbrooks. I loved Magic Mountain and Doctor Faustus.
I love all the links you have here!"

Hi Ellie!!

It's great to have you join us, Ellie. Welcome!