Native American Heritage Month
Tamara asked this question about The Magic Mountain:
I have the H.T. Lowe-Porter translation (in English). however, when we finally get to the conversation in the "Walpurgis Night" chapter, it is all in French. does anyone know why this is, and could anyone summarize what is said?
Peter Crofts You should probably get ahold of the Woods translation, maybe just check it out from the library. Like so much of the novel, it's more than a bit ridi…moreYou should probably get ahold of the Woods translation, maybe just check it out from the library. Like so much of the novel, it's more than a bit ridiculous. I felt an odd sense of deja vu when reading it until I realized that, amongst other things, it is a parody of the Liebestod of Wagner's Tristan.

Actually....if you found it to be as magnificent a book as some of us, you might want to read it again in this new translation. I tried to read the Lowe-Porter translation a couple of decades ago and gave up. It struck me as stilted. But that may just be a matter of taste. I found the more recent Woods version much lighter and funnier.

(less)
flag
More questions about The Magic Mountain…
Image for The Magic Mountain
The Magic Mountain
by Thomas Mann
Rate this book
Clear rating
1 of 5 stars2 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars

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