Reviews 14: The Holy Sinner by Thomas Mann

In this video I talk about Thomas Mann's 1951 novel, The Holy Sinner, which reworks Hartmann von Aue's medieval verse epic, Gregorius.
NOTE: This discussion does contain what would be considered spoilers, (I provide due warning in the video itself), though I also explain why it's better to be acquainted with the events of this story before reading.
Spoiler begins: 02:45
Spoiler ends: 06:30
This is a free English translation of Gregorius, and it also has interesting prefatory material:
library.oapen....
In passing I mention Henry Fielding's Tom Jones, which also centers on a foundling who enters into incestuous relations, or so it is believed, with his mother, and whose narrator operates in a very similar manner to that of Mann's.

[@sandytseng8158]

The high quality and elegance of your speaking makes the story so vivid and interesting. Thank you very much for introducing this book.

[@TheChannelofaDisappointedMan]

Happy to hear you enjoyed it! Thank you.

[@charmainesaliba5546]

This book sounds really interesting. Thanks for sharing

[@TheChannelofaDisappointedMan]

Thanks. It was really something special.

[@alfredhu9274]

heyyyyy teacher!!!! is meeee andrew!!!

[@TheChannelofaDisappointedMan]

Hi there!

[@aaronfacer]

This sounds fascinating. I read The Magic Mountain last month and really enjoyed it. I might give this one a go the next time I'm in the mood for Mann. I found plenty of food for thought in what you had to say towards the end too.

[@TheChannelofaDisappointedMan]

Thanks. Quite possible that this book and Robertson Davies' Fifth Business came from the same person; I can't imagine a person who enjoyed the one would not enjoy the other.
Just finishing Death in Venice, and found nothing very pleasurable about it, the most self-consciously "literature with a capital L" I have read in a long time. But there was almost 40 years between that and The Holy Sinner.