The Magician

Questions About The Magician

by Colm Tóibín

Reader Q&A

To ask other readers questions about The Magician, please sign up.

Answered Questions (3)

Why is "The Magician" not considered a biography?
Edward Scheier Biography would require sources of the information. You cannot make up conversations that may have or more likely never have taken place. Biography ca…moreBiography would require sources of the information. You cannot make up conversations that may have or more likely never have taken place. Biography can only include that which was witnessed and documented.(less)
flag
Has anyone read this yet? If so, what were your thoughts?
Pharlap Today, 16/12/21, there are 552 reviews of this book. I hope it answers this question.
flag
I recently read Buddenbrooks by Thomas Mann which is said to be based on his life and really enjoyed it. So I thought I would enjoy this novel about Thomas Mann. But I keep finding myself comparing it to Buddenbrooks and feeling like I like Buddenbrooks better. Any comments from anyone who has read both?
Daphna Jody, I don't think you can compare Buddenbrooks and The Magician. Buddenbrooks is Thomas Mann's bildungsroman, with its far reaching scope, written i…moreJody, I don't think you can compare Buddenbrooks and The Magician. Buddenbrooks is Thomas Mann's bildungsroman, with its far reaching scope, written in what will become his unique style, and it is, indeed, based on the story of his family in Lubeck.
The Magician, on the other hand, is the second of Colm Toibin's wonderfully imagined lives of a famous author. The first was The Master telling the story of Henry James.
In both novels he is not writing a biography, but rather taking authorial license to complement, in this case, Thomas Mann's known biographical data with a fuller and deeper understanding of the man and the author, as seen by Colm Toibin, including his understanding of the motivations for the creation of Mann's novels.
I have read all of Thomas Mann's novels, and he is one of my favorite authors. For me, The Magician was an enriching reading experience that gave me a deeper understanding of what may have driven Thomas Mann's creativity. (less)
flag

Unanswered Questions (1)

About Goodreads Q&A

Ask and answer questions about books!

You can pose questions to the Goodreads community with Reader Q&A, or ask your favorite author a question with Ask the Author.

See Featured Authors Answering Questions

Learn more