Doctor Faustus

De: Thomas Mann

Narrado por: David Rintoul

Thomas Mann's last great novel, first published in 1947 and now newly rendered into English by acclaimed translator John E. Woods, is a modern reworking of the Faust legend, in which Germany sells its soul to the Devil. Mann's protagonist, the composer Adrian Leverkühn, is the flower of German culture, a brilliant, isolated, overreaching figure, his radical new music a breakneck game played by art at the very edge of impossibility. In return for twenty-four years of unparalleled musical accomplishment, he bargains away his soul—and the ability to love his fellow man.

Leverkühn's life story is a brilliant allegory of the rise of the Third Reich, of Germany's renunciation of its own humanity and its embrace of ambition and nihilism. It is also Mann's most profound meditation on the German genius—both national and individual—and the terrible responsibilities of the truly great artist.

"John E. Woods is revising our impression of Thomas Mann, masterpiece by masterpiece."—The New Yorker

"Doctor Faustus is Mann's deepest artistic gesture. . . . Finely translated by John E. Woods."—The New Republic

Public Domain (P)2024 Ukemi Audiobooks

Reseñas de la Crítica

'Arguably the great German novel'—New York Times

Wonderful Narration of a Great Translation

Highly recommend. David Rintoul does a masterful job bringing this very complicated material to life.

A performance well mach for such a master piece.

The reader is as good as it gets for the English translation. His superb understanding of the novel gives a this performance so much depth and lots of nuance. His voice has a resonance that very sensitive and train ears will welcom. I am very happy this rendition finally came to audio books. Well worth the waiting. ♡

At long last! Absolutely essential

Finally we have a first-rate audiobook of Mann's late-period masterpiece. Rintoul provides a fine reading and John E. Woods' translation is excellent. For many years, we have not had this essential title available on audio — Ukemi's release is cause for celebration. Don't miss out on this one!

Extraordinarily written and voiced.

While this might not have been my favorite of Thomas Manns works, it might be his most important and personal. The connections between Germany and the sins of the third Reich are ones that we all must learn from, and take an honest look at our own lives in this new technological age.

Worth it

An excellent audio recording. The Rintoul keeps the story telling lively, embodying the story’s narrator, Serenus Zeitblom, as he tells of the life of Adrian Leverkühn. The only difficulty of this recording is the one that all translated audiobooks face—namely, that one never quite knows how the foreign names read on paper, just the way they sound when read aloud. That said, I highly recommend both the book and this version.

Literary self flagellation

I can’t think of another novel that I’ve disliked as much as Doctor Faustus. I listened to all but three hours at the time of this writing. I’ll be finishing merely out of principle since I’ve already come thus far.

The Good: The narrator’s performance. He’s gifted with an incredible voice and gives an outstanding oration.

The Bad:

1. The faux-classic writing style. Doctor Faustus reads like a book written hundreds of years before its time. Hell, Von Goethe’s Faust is less antiquated at times!

2. NOTHING HAPPENS FOR FAR TOO LONG. The promise of the book is a lie - the single chapter that I enjoyed, in retrospect, seems like it was inserted into the novel at the 55% mark when the editor reminded Mann that his intention was to write a Faustian tale.

3. The digressions into obscure musical theory are tedious, self indulgent and… perhaps insecure? It almost seems like he writes those sections with an agenda. They don’t serve the story! It’s as though the author feels he has something to prove regarding his musical knowledge and is writing for an audience of one. They’re so woefully unnecessary, I label their inclusion as obscene. Where was the editor?!?

4. Horrendous dialogue. Awful chunks of long winded, irritating dialogue. There’s one monologue (not a lecture) that must’ve gone on for ten or more pages. Furthermore - every character sounds the same - as if they’re the same personality exchanging words back and forth.

5. I despise every character. I didn’t find redeeming qualities in any of the personalities on display. The main character lacks any motivation. And lastly, nobody does anything! Things kind of happen to them occasionally but your own life is more exciting and less mundane than most of the occurrences in this novel (with a few rare exceptions).

I’ve wasted too much damn time with this book. I hate it. I’m going to finish it, but I hate it.