Name: Thomas Mann
Year Won: 1929
Read: Buddenbrooks
Original Language: German
Reason: "principally for his great novel, Buddenbrooks, which has won steadily increased recognition as one of the classic works of contemporary literature"
About: Buddenbrooks follows the Buddenbrook family over a long period of time (maybe 40 years?). They decline from being a wealthy industrialist family to falling into artistic depravity. Along the way they marry, divorce, have children, and otherwise exist in late 19th century Germany.
Fun (and kind of amazing) fact! This was written when Mann was 25! (What am I doing with my life? Seriously!) It's semi-autobiographical.
What I liked: It's an amusing comedy of manners that wonderfully captures what it was like to live in this era. Also, there are parts that are delightfully gossipy (like when one of the girls - Tony - has her husband admit that he only married her for money after going bankrupt and her leaving him with their daughter to live with her father).
What I Disliked: This book feels very uneven to me. For every part that is wonderful, there's another that seems to just kind of drag. Also, thre are so many characters that it's hard to know who to follow or care about at a given time.
Should it have won a Nobel: Maybe? It's quite impressive (esp. considering the age of the author), but I feel like there are other novels from the same era that are better.
Next up: Sinclaire Lewis's "It Can't Happen Here"
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