The Magic Mountain

By: Thomas Mann

Narrated by: David Rintoul

It was The Magic Mountain (Der Zauberberg) that confirmed Thomas Mann as a Nobel prizewinner for literature and rightly so, for it is undoubtedly one of the great novels of the 20th century.

Its unusual story - it opens with a young man visiting a friend in a tuberculosis sanatorium in the Swiss Alps - was originally started by Mann in 1912 but was not completed until 1924. Then, it was instantly recognised as a masterpiece and led to Mann’s Nobel Prize in 1929.

Hans Castorp is, on the face of it, an ordinary man in his early 20s, on course to start a career in ship engineering in his home town of Hamburg, when he decides to travel to the Berghof Santatorium in Davos. The year is 1912, and an oblivious world is on the brink of war. Castorp’s friend Joachim Ziemssen is taking the cure, and a three-week visit seems a perfect break before work begins. But when Castorp arrives he is surprised to find an established community of patients, some of whom have been there for years, and little by little, he gets drawn into the closeted life and the individual personalities of the residents.

Among them are Hofrat Behrens, the principal doctor, the curiously attractive Clavdia Chauchat and two intellectuals: Ludovico Settembrini and Leo Naphta with their strongly contrasted personalities and differing political, ethical, artistic and spiritual ideals. Hans Castorp’s stay is extended, once, twice and still further, as he appears to develop symptoms which suggest that his health, once so robust, would benefit from the treatments and the mountain air.

As time passes, it becomes clear that the young man, with a particular interest in shipbuilding and not much else, finds his outlook and knowledge broadened by his mountain companions, his intellect stretched and his emotional experience deepened and enriched. Hans Castorp is changing, day by day, month by month, year by year, sometimes imperceptibly, sometimes with a sudden advance, as he encounters the varied range of sparkling characters, their comedies and tragedies, their aspirations and their defeats.

The Magic Mountain is a classic bildungsroman, an educational journey of growth - a genre that began with an earlier novel in the German tradition: Goethe’s Wilhelm Meister’s Apprenticeship. It is presented here in the acclaimed modern translation by John E. Woods and is told by David Rintoul with his particular understanding for Thomas Mann as displayed in his widely praised Ukemi recording of Buddenbrooks.

©1996 Knopf Translation (P)2020 Ukemi Productions Ltd

Best book ever

This has been one of the best books I ever read- in every way! I will come back to it again and again!

unbeatable story teller

David Rintoul is by far the best story teller I have ever listened to.

Extraordinary reading of magical, profound classic

David Rintoul's beautiful, intelligent, ironic-toned, generous hearted narration brings another kind of life to this magical, meaningful, and - yes, humorous, classic. I have been waiting for this audiobook and it exceeds all expectations. At times one just has to stop short at the profound humanity of this novel. Wonderful pandemic or any time listen! Thank you, thank you! DAVID RINTOUL, PLEASE NARRATE MANN"S DR. FAUSTUS, please, please!!!!!

Incredible and Long Journey

Great narrator, compelling story, intriguing characters, thought provoking, dive in you will not regret it!

I'm in awe.

I've read this novel several times but have only listened to it once--and that was an amazing experience. What struck me most in hearing it is the novel's relevance to both historical and contemporary events. I've thought for a long time that one of the themes of the novel is Mann's attempt to explain his understanding of how the German "Geist" set up the probability of WW1. But the more I thought about this, the more relevance the novel had for me in clarifying fundamental human attitudes so prevalent in our contemporary "Geist." Is the conflict between Setembrini and Naphta, the Jew turned Jesuit, an age-old construct? Is it the modern battle between liberal/humanistic values and those of the darker and more vicious conservative ones? I see this modern problem anticipated in the novel. Mann clearly favors the Italian's attitudes and is consistently horrified at the vicious and dangerous views of Naptha. The Italian favors enlightenment and the betterment of mankind, while Naptha, who dwells on the physical horrors of 13century suffering, favors pain and punishment. The Italian looks forward; Naptha looks back. The penultimate chapter (The Great Petulance) clarifies, for me, both the historical and contemporary problems. But what to do about Pieppercorn? To me he's an unflattering caricature of a Christ-like figure: his power--if that's what it is--resides only in his "personality." None of his comments make sense but he commands the awe of anyone who listens to him. He might be seen as the traditional arbiter between liberal and conservative attitudes, but if that's his role, he's a complete failure. And the war itself: relegated to 5 or 6 pages, almost as if it's an afterthought. There is so much to think about in this most impressive of books. To me, it's the greatest book I've ever read.

Top quality

This story was satisfying on many levels. The discussion of time and space in addition to philosophy, religion and history. Anyone who enjoys debate would enjoy this book.
The performance was exceptional.

A true masterpiece—why have I waited this long to read it?

Just finished this book. Am 78 years of age and feel a loss in that this is my first reading. Had read Death in Venice in college; however, somehow put this work aside. It won’t be the last time, as I plan to undertake it again in a year or so to revisit and to give it deeper study.

David Rintoul! A superb actor whose narration does this great, huge masterwork justice at every turn.

One of the Greatest Literary Masterpieces

The Magic Mountain is frequently tedious, verbose, repetitive and pedagogic. Yet a single page of this masterwork contains more truth, wisdom and insight than are contained in entire books of a lesser quality. For example, the concepts of time, morality, illness and death are deftly explored by interweaving philosophical, theological, physical, and metaphysical viewpoints.

Great Book & Great Reader

This is one of the greatest books of all time. This Narrator did a excellent job. Highly recommended

A Great Novel with a great narrator

just finished with a hole in my spirit for a great novel ending. This is a first listen to audio while previously having read the novel. Reading was very well done especially considering that Mann, I felt, accepted the role of narrator, easily transferred to Mr. Rantoul. In many ways it was enjoyable spending time on the mountain with Hans and company. Interesting conversation, adventures, comfortable lounge chairs, and beautiful environs. Then there is the dark reality of down below that begins to cover the mountain and enter the spirits of our friends above. Tragedy and horror pulls Hans.back down the mountain and places him within thunder lightening and calculated sacrifice.