Death in Venice and Other Stories

'impossible here, absurd, depraved, ludicrous and yet sacred, still honourable, even here: "I love you!"' This volume contains a generous selection of the short fiction Thomas Mann published in the years 1897 to 1912, after which he turned to larger-scale projects. The acknowledged classic among the early shorter fiction is the novella Death in Venice, in which Mann develops a lyrical style and a range of mythological allusions, through the forbidden love of a middle-aged man for a teenage boy, a theme with roots in Mann's own emotional experience. In many of his shorter works, Mann uses irony and humour to treat the conflict between sensitive, often artistic souls and the vital, often brutal forces of life. The stories, usually about isolated figures, convey a mixture of humour, sadness, and irony which invites ambivalent responses from readers. This new set of translations by Ritchie Robertson and Nicola Luckhurst is accompanied by explanatory notes and introduction. ABOUT THE SERIES: For over 100 years Oxford World's Classics has made available the widest range of literature from around the globe. Each affordable volume reflects Oxford's commitment to scholarship, providing the most accurate text plus a wealth of other valuable features, including expert introductions by leading authorities, helpful notes to clarify the text, up-to-date bibliographies for further study, and much more.

'impossible here, absurd, depraved, ludicrous and yet sacred, still honourable, even here: "I love you!"' This volume contains a generous selection of the short fiction Thomas Mann published in the years 1897 to 1912, after which he turned to larger-scale projects. The acknowledged classic among the early shorter fiction is the novella Death in Venice, in which Mann develops a lyrical style and a range of mythological allusions, through the forbidden love of a middle-aged man for a teenage boy, a theme with roots in Mann's own emotional experience. In many of his shorter works, Mann uses irony and humour to treat the conflict between sensitive, often artistic souls and the vital, often brutal forces of life. The stories, usually about isolated figures, convey a mixture of humour, sadness, and irony which invites ambivalent responses from readers. This new set of translations by Ritchie Robertson and Nicola Luckhurst is accompanied by explanatory notes and introduction. ABOUT THE SERIES: For over 100 years Oxford World's Classics has made available the widest range of literature from around the globe. Each affordable volume reflects Oxford's commitment to scholarship, providing the most accurate text plus a wealth of other valuable features, including expert introductions by leading authorities, helpful notes to clarify the text, up-to-date bibliographies for further study, and much more.

A magnificent city is touched by disease. An ageing writer is blinded by desire. Thomas Mann’s haunting collection gathers seven stories of desire, repression and self-deception. Ageing writer Gustav von Aschenbach is on holiday in Venice when he notices a fellow guest in the foyer of his hotel: an exceptionally beautiful boy staying there with his family. Admiration gives way to obsession as Aschenbach’s days begin to revolve around seeing the boy. Meanwhile, ominous signs point to disease spreading through the magnificent but decaying city. Blinded by his fixation, Aschenbach fails to recognise the danger around him. In these seven stories, Mann returns again and again to the private life beneath the public self. The result is a collection of European classics marked by elegance, moral tension and haunting psychological depth. A classic collection of literary stories, Death in Venice And Other Stories is ideal for readers drawn to European classics, psychological fiction and haunting studies of beauty, obsession and moral disintegration. (Cover may vary)

A magnificent city is touched by disease. An ageing writer is blinded by desire. Thomas Mann’s haunting collection gathers seven stories of desire, repression and self-deception. Ageing writer Gustav von Aschenbach is on holiday in Venice when he notices a fellow guest in the foyer of his hotel: an exceptionally beautiful boy staying there with his family. Admiration gives way to obsession as Aschenbach’s days begin to revolve around seeing the boy. Meanwhile, ominous signs point to disease spreading through the magnificent but decaying city. Blinded by his fixation, Aschenbach fails to recognise the danger around him. In these seven stories, Mann returns again and again to the private life beneath the public self. The result is a collection of European classics marked by elegance, moral tension and haunting psychological depth. A classic collection of literary stories, Death in Venice And Other Stories is ideal for readers drawn to European classics, psychological fiction and haunting studies of beauty, obsession and moral disintegration. (Cover may vary)