I’m new to the works of Thomas Mann. I ‘discovered’ Buddenbrook last year, a family saga that’s packed with characters and I really enjoyed it. I’m part way through The Magic Mountain and was interested in Doctor Faustus, a much later work and one based on an interpretation of Goethe’s poem. I’m not familiar with Faustus other than having read Marlowe’s play many years ago.

I’m listening to the audio of Doctor Faustus, very ably narrated. Make no mistake; this is a work which requires attention throughout. It’s multi layered, complex, confounding and is clearly the work of a powerful intellectual who is prepared to challenge convention and the State. It’s not a lightweight listen; I’m tackling it in small chunks of up to an hour to allow time for thought and reflection about what’s going on. It’s certainly a title I’ll want to revisit because of the complexity of themes. Mann uses the central character to explore the Faustian themes of loss, lust, greed etc. But more than that, he uses the tale as an allegory for the German nation, inter war and the links between art, intellectualism and politics. It’s a true epic and one which is difficult to summarise but rewarding if you’re prepared to put in a little effort. I’m enjoying it, even though there are parts I don’t fully understand.