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Thomas Mann, der Amerikaner: Leben und Werk im amerikanischen Exil, 1938-1952
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
January 18, 2012
Academic finds Mann's message to the future (that's us):
Hans Rudolf Vaget has written a specialized, scholarly work on an episode in Thomas Mann's career, when he was in exile in the US during World War II lecturing extensively and still writing landmark German novels. There is a larger context that Vaget builds into his specialized story that gives the book a much wider significance on two levels, political and literary. The famously unpolitical Mann went into full gear and exploited his Nobel fame to engage the Americans in the fight against Hitler. He quietly wrangled his way into the White House to talk to his only hope, FDR, about using American industrial might against the Nazis. He went on exhausting lecture tours all over the country to persuade the American public to abandon isolationism. Of all the European intellectuals in exile in the US, Mann got to know America best, close up. It is impossible to calibrate how much influence this had, but his fundamentally conservative personality probably made the case against fascism more persuasive to Americans in places like Tulsa than it would be coming from the left. His success also triggered the reaction against him. Once FDR was gone, people like Mann were vulnerable to charges of being "communist dupes," -- a charge leveled against him by the "respectable" Henry Luce in Life Magazine-- and Mann left for a third exile back in Switzerland after World War II. On a literary level the the interaction between Mann and American writers was subtle because of his limited command of English. But amazing none the less. A young Susan Sontag visited him in Los Angeles (!), and read and reread Magic Mountain. The brilliant Joseph novels, including Joseph the Provider written in the US, influenced Joseph Campbell's work on Bible stories as fundamental myths. More intriguing, a 20 year old writer named Gore Vidal sent him an openly gay novel (The City and the Pillar), which Mann just ignored for two years while completing writing projects. But once he read it, it inspired him to complete Felix Krull Confidence Man, with its subly gay themes. When Mann's diaries were finally opened in the ETH Zurich, restricted with good reasons for 20 years following Mann's death, the influence of Vidal's early work became clear. Vidal found out about his influence decades later in 1991. All the translating back and forth to bring Mann's books into the American market and his lectures to the American public had a wider influence opening up our ideas about literature, we just didn't know there was influence in the other direction as Mann learned more English and began to be influenced by his contacts here. The globalization of literature began with these dramatic encounters during World War II. Along with Einstein, Mann was one of the few European intellectuals able to penetrate the American scene. Why was Mann able to do so? His friendship with the wealthy and worldly Agnes Meyer facilitated his work on both the political and literary levels. It took huge psychological energy and diplomatic skill to keep the friendship with a difficult woman who deeply despised FDR, Mann's idol and only hope. She provided money, contacts, moral support, and importantly she did the best translations of his speeches. She was swept away by the story of the Joseph novels, in particular the relationship between Joseph and Potiphar's wife. Vaget takes pains to keep Mann's suppressed and carefully camoflaged homosexuality from being the main theme of his book, but it comes out in here when Vaget explain's that Meyer assumed Mann identified with Joseph when in reality he identified with Potiphar's wife. This brilliant woman missed the main point, but Mann intended to deceive his readers, a la Nabokov, and leave hidden messages for future readers. That's us.
Hans Rudolf Vaget has written a specialized, scholarly work on an episode in Thomas Mann's career, when he was in exile in the US during World War II lecturing extensively and still writing landmark German novels. There is a larger context that Vaget builds into his specialized story that gives the book a much wider significance on two levels, political and literary. The famously unpolitical Mann went into full gear and exploited his Nobel fame to engage the Americans in the fight against Hitler. He quietly wrangled his way into the White House to talk to his only hope, FDR, about using American industrial might against the Nazis. He went on exhausting lecture tours all over the country to persuade the American public to abandon isolationism. Of all the European intellectuals in exile in the US, Mann got to know America best, close up. It is impossible to calibrate how much influence this had, but his fundamentally conservative personality probably made the case against fascism more persuasive to Americans in places like Tulsa than it would be coming from the left. His success also triggered the reaction against him. Once FDR was gone, people like Mann were vulnerable to charges of being "communist dupes," -- a charge leveled against him by the "respectable" Henry Luce in Life Magazine-- and Mann left for a third exile back in Switzerland after World War II. On a literary level the the interaction between Mann and American writers was subtle because of his limited command of English. But amazing none the less. A young Susan Sontag visited him in Los Angeles (!), and read and reread Magic Mountain. The brilliant Joseph novels, including Joseph the Provider written in the US, influenced Joseph Campbell's work on Bible stories as fundamental myths. More intriguing, a 20 year old writer named Gore Vidal sent him an openly gay novel (The City and the Pillar), which Mann just ignored for two years while completing writing projects. But once he read it, it inspired him to complete Felix Krull Confidence Man, with its subly gay themes. When Mann's diaries were finally opened in the ETH Zurich, restricted with good reasons for 20 years following Mann's death, the influence of Vidal's early work became clear. Vidal found out about his influence decades later in 1991. All the translating back and forth to bring Mann's books into the American market and his lectures to the American public had a wider influence opening up our ideas about literature, we just didn't know there was influence in the other direction as Mann learned more English and began to be influenced by his contacts here. The globalization of literature began with these dramatic encounters during World War II. Along with Einstein, Mann was one of the few European intellectuals able to penetrate the American scene. Why was Mann able to do so? His friendship with the wealthy and worldly Agnes Meyer facilitated his work on both the political and literary levels. It took huge psychological energy and diplomatic skill to keep the friendship with a difficult woman who deeply despised FDR, Mann's idol and only hope. She provided money, contacts, moral support, and importantly she did the best translations of his speeches. She was swept away by the story of the Joseph novels, in particular the relationship between Joseph and Potiphar's wife. Vaget takes pains to keep Mann's suppressed and carefully camoflaged homosexuality from being the main theme of his book, but it comes out in here when Vaget explain's that Meyer assumed Mann identified with Joseph when in reality he identified with Potiphar's wife. This brilliant woman missed the main point, but Mann intended to deceive his readers, a la Nabokov, and leave hidden messages for future readers. That's us.
February 2, 2012
I know Goodreads isn't automatically the go-to address for academic works. Yet if you have a chance to read this book, I can tell you, it really is outstanding. It sheds light on an important and hitherto mostly overlooked chapter in Thomas Mann's life: His exile years in America. If TM is often looked upon (and saw himself) as the quintessentially "German" author, then this book really helps to understand quite how important the American influence was to his life and work.
Generously sponsored by American friends, he gained access to the highest intellectual echelons of American society. Thomas Mann's relationship with Roosevelt is a particular highlight of this well-written and thoroughly researched book as it follows TM's gradual political shift towards a more or less socialist views. Of equal importance is the highlighting of TM's interest in cinema -the proximity to Hollywood played a significant role here. I could go on, but would suggest you read for yourself, as this book will change your perspective on Thomas Mann quite considerably. I wrote a thesis and several articles on Mann, and still learnt a lot.
Generously sponsored by American friends, he gained access to the highest intellectual echelons of American society. Thomas Mann's relationship with Roosevelt is a particular highlight of this well-written and thoroughly researched book as it follows TM's gradual political shift towards a more or less socialist views. Of equal importance is the highlighting of TM's interest in cinema -the proximity to Hollywood played a significant role here. I could go on, but would suggest you read for yourself, as this book will change your perspective on Thomas Mann quite considerably. I wrote a thesis and several articles on Mann, and still learnt a lot.
May 13, 2024
In 2018 I wrote my thesis on the concept of democracy in Thomas Mann’s works - both novels and non-fiction. I was surprised - to say the least - when I found out how little was written on TM’s essays and political writings. In the German literature TM’s political writings were often deemed unprofessional and uninformed, and therefore neglected. TM’s exile in America, and his role as ‘representative of the other Germany’ was simply skipped.
Luckily, American scholars have more interest in TM’s lectures and speeches - a genre which still is a big part of American culture.
Back in 2018, this left me with the odd position that I had almost no German literature on TM’s American-episode, and the literature I did use was heavily influenced by the non-political TM view which originated after WWII.
And then I found Vaget’s book. Unfortunately, it was impossible for me at that time to get a copy (Weird, I know, but the library at my university could only locate the book in China and the Amazon-prizes were above $100). In august 2022 I visited the Deventer Boekenmarkt; and there it was. Thomas Mann der Amerikaner for just €10.
The work is incredibly precise and informed. A jewel in the Mann-library. Although it is academic, the chapters are well structured and not super-dense.
Together with Thomas Mann’s War by Tobias Boes, Stanley Corngold’s The Mind in Exile, a new perspective on TM’s war writings is originating. About time.
(Personal note: due to a concussion I refrained from reading German for a while, so that’s why it took me for over 2 years to finish).
Luckily, American scholars have more interest in TM’s lectures and speeches - a genre which still is a big part of American culture.
Back in 2018, this left me with the odd position that I had almost no German literature on TM’s American-episode, and the literature I did use was heavily influenced by the non-political TM view which originated after WWII.
And then I found Vaget’s book. Unfortunately, it was impossible for me at that time to get a copy (Weird, I know, but the library at my university could only locate the book in China and the Amazon-prizes were above $100). In august 2022 I visited the Deventer Boekenmarkt; and there it was. Thomas Mann der Amerikaner for just €10.
The work is incredibly precise and informed. A jewel in the Mann-library. Although it is academic, the chapters are well structured and not super-dense.
Together with Thomas Mann’s War by Tobias Boes, Stanley Corngold’s The Mind in Exile, a new perspective on TM’s war writings is originating. About time.
(Personal note: due to a concussion I refrained from reading German for a while, so that’s why it took me for over 2 years to finish).
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews