Although I’ve only read one work by Thomas Mann, I still found The Magician, based on Mann’s life and writings, interesting. Although Mann himself often seems inert in this novel, he lived in interesting times, during both world wars.
The novel covers Mann’s life from a young man who is dispossessed by his father to his relocation from California to Switzerland in his 70’s. It examines the thinking behind his greatest works and although fairly meditative in tone, has some excitement during the Mann’s flight from Nazi Germany.
In some ways The Magician is reminiscent of The Master, Tóibín’s novel about Henry James, with Mann fantasizing about young men but never acting on those fantasies after a couple of abortive encounters. The difference is that James seemed almost unaware of his own proclivities. Mann still managed to have a long, successful marriage with his wife Katia.
Tóibín’s biographical fiction always seems intuitive and thoughtful to me. I enjoyed this one despite my lack of knowledge about its subject. I read this novel for my Walter Scott Prize project.
What? Me Read? 
I’ve only read one Thomas Mann book too and I think I would have enjoyed this book more if I’d been more familiar with his work. I still found it interesting anyway. My review should be up soon.
I might put another one of his books on my next Classics Club list. All I’ve read is Death in Venice.
Yes, that’s the one I read.
I read this recently and loved it. I also read earlier a biography of the Mann family by Tilmann Lahme. Fascinating family to say the least. If you have not read Toibin’s The Master, his historical fiction on the life of Henry James. One of my favourite books.
I have read it. I thought it was a little better than this one.
I agree. It was many years since I read The Master and I am thinking of reading it again. At the time I was not so familiar with Henry James as I am now. Although have a lot of more books to read from James.