Buddenbrooks
This epic, sub-titled ‘The Decline of a Family’, was Mann’s first novel, published in 1901. It traces the gradual downfall of a wealthy family over four generations in the city of Lubeck. The novel is widely regarded as a classic portrait of bourgeois society and family life in 19th century Germany.
Stats for nerds
6recommend
14mentions
14people
2015–2026years
43% recommend50% neutral7% critical
Mentions per year
What Hacker News says
- Just finished Buddenbrooks by Thomas Mann. One of the best books I've read, ever. It's long and tedious, and if you like getting lost in minute descriptions of mundane objects and daily routines of people who lived in past eras, then you'll love it and feel sad when it's over. I also find books like this to be a great antidote to the pace of current life, where you're pressured to "read n books in 1 year" or you're not deemed a proper reader. Next up is going to be Lonesome Dove, suggested by someone in this very thread!
- All fiction.
- The Great Gatsby. Really enjoyed it and seemed fitting with the current times.
- Buddenbrooks, Thomas Mann. Generational wealth come and gone. Good for putting things into perspective.
- Things Fall Apart, Achebe.
- The Pearl, John Steinbeck
- Hyperion (first book), Dan Simmons. Great sci-fi. Bought the second book and look forward to reading it.
- Stoner, John Williams. Incredibly well written book
- One Hundred Years of Solitude, Gabriel García Márquez. Still finishing but I hope to finish in time for next year
- We all want the things we consider good for our children. I want my hypothetical ones to read Buddenbrooks, but I know they're probably going to watch YouTube instead.
Social media stars are an extension of fame, a basic human desire. It's not surprising (or even particularly civically harmful) that fame is now associated with TikTok influencers rather than movie stars. Your child is about as likely to become either.
- Buddenbrooks by Thomas Mann.
The Last Lion (Alone) by William Manchester.
- Yes! Thomas Mann was in the list of difficult books. I remember marveling how he set up a joke in Buddenbrooks 50 pages before springing the punchline. He's an incredibly disciplined and patient storyteller.
Who is your favorite 'difficult' author?
- The glow of outward success may very well be a lagging indicator of eventual failure, if not the cause. Companies, nation states of years past can also follow this rough pattern.
http://www.historyguide.org/europe/kennan.html
> This phenomenon brings to mind a comparison used by Thomas Mann in his great novel Buddenbrooks. Observing that human institutions often show the greatest outward brilliance at a moment when inner decay is in reality farthest advanced, he compared one of those stars whose light shines most brightly on this world when in reality it has long since ceased to exist.
