Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #317743 in Books
• Original language: German
• Binding: Paperback
• 384 pages

Customer Reviews

Perfectly Executed
I don't think that Death in Venice operates on the premise that a "life of sensation" is worthwhile, whatever the cost. Mann's story is a complication of the traditional morality tale, and Aschenbach's demise is not a result of his giving in to the pursuit of beauty and visceral experience, but of his previous, total rejection of this kind of surrender. Aschenbach, we are told, lives like a "closed fist," and for this reason is completely unequipped to deal with the combined experience of visiting an unfamiliar and sinister place, and of encountering a boy who provokes a strong physical and emotional response (on a sidenote, occasionally I hear someone label this as a homophobic text, but they are entirely missing the point, I think. As in Henry James's Daisy Miller, Death in Venice, on one level, illustrates the way that forces outside of sex can make sex, or the desire for sex, fatal. It has nothing to do with the act, or desire, itself). It is Aschenbach's perpetual need to take the proverbial "high road" that makes his foray into the world of the sensual so disastrous.
The story is brilliant. Not only does Mann address wonderful themes like the nature of art, artistic impulse, desire, repression, and Orientalism, even, but the writing and narrative trajectory are flawless.

Great stories with profound meaning, but a little unsettling
Thomas Mann was one of the most elegant writers of our century. His prose dances off the page with a fluidity that is all too rare in today's world of literature, and his narrative style is always compelling. This little volume is a collection of twelve short stories. For the most part, the stories are enjoyable, though a couple of them are downright disturbing. Many of them feature dejected and misunderstood people who are desperately struggling to be understood and accepted in the world, and a great deal of the main characters are artists.

But there is much more here than just stories. In fact, nearly all these tales contain deep and complicated questions. What is art? What constitutes legitimate art? Is it true that true art brings pain, and that true artists can never live or enjoy life? These and many other questions are considered throughout this work.

As I said, some of these stories are a bit disturbing, and a couple are downright creepy. I recommend proceeding with caution. It might even be best to start with one of Mann's novels (like Buddenbrooks, for example). Still, if you are willing to brave this one out, it promises to be a richly rewarding experience, both in its quality of narrative and in the message that each of these short tales is meant to convey.

reading death in venice as an artist
Death in Venice is one of the gratest and most intelectually stimulating books i have ever read. It gives an example of the impoartance of beauty to the human soul. Without beauty there is no reason to live but in the deep lust for beauty the subject is consumed and dies. It askes the question is life without beauty worth living especially if life without beauty is only half a life. Death in Venice is one of the only books, along with The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde, that recognises this idea and shows us that a life of sensation may not be so wrong even if it may ultimately costs life but what is life without beauty. It is the subject of all artists as Keats said "beauty is truth and truth beauty" Byron's life of excess caused his exile and what stands on the lips of literary history are the words "all art is immoral" spoken by Oscar Wilde who's entire life was for beauty. Death in Venice is in proud tradition of the celebration of beauty even if beauty is a cause of destrucion.