Death in Venice by Thomas Mann

Thanks to everyone who joined for our discussion of Djuna Barnes’ Nightwood. As always, it was a pleasure to see both familiar and new faces, and I hope you all enjoyed the conversation.

The next book to read is Death in Venice (Der Tod in Venedig, 1912) by Thomas Mann.

Set in the beautiful but decaying city of Venice, the novella follows Gustav von Aschenbach, a distinguished writer who travels south in search of rest and inspiration. There he becomes fascinated by a young Polish boy whose beauty gradually awakens emotions and obsessions that challenge his sense of order, discipline, and self-control.

A short description of the book reads:

One of the most celebrated works of twentieth-century literature, Death in Venice is a haunting exploration of beauty, desire, art, aging, and mortality. Combining psychological depth with rich symbolism, Thomas Mann’s novella remains one of the defining works of European modernism.

You can read more about the book on Wikipedia here, find it on Goodreads here, and listen to it as an audiobook on YouTube here.

There is also a famous film adaptation from 1971, directed by Luchino Visconti. The film won several international awards and is widely regarded as one of the finest literary adaptations ever made. It is particularly noted for its stunning cinematography, its use of music by Gustav Mahler, and its faithful recreation of the atmosphere of Mann’s novella.

For other resources on how to get a hold of classic books, please see the About section on the front page of the group.

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