The Holy Sinner

by Thomas Mann, H.T. Lowe-Porter (Translator), Russell A. Berman (Introduction)

Overview

First published in 1951, The Holy Sinner explores a subject that fascinated Thomas Mann to the end of his life—the origins of evil and evil's connection with magic. Here Mann uses a medieval legend about 'the exceeding mercy of God and the birth of the blessed Pope Gregory' as he used the Biblical account of Joseph as the basis for Joseph and His Brothers—illuminating with his ironic sensibility the notion of original sin and transcendence of evil.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780520076716
Publisher:	University of California Press
Publication date:	01/30/1992
Edition description:	First Edition
Pages:	336
Product dimensions:	5.25(w) x 7.50(h) x 0.90(d)

Table of Contents

Introduction

Who Rings?
Grimald and Baduhenna
The Children
The Bad Children
The Sieur Eisengrein
Dame Eisengrein
The Exposure
The Five Swords
The Fishers of St. Dunstan
The Money-breeding
The Mourner
The Knock-out
The Discovery
The Disputation
Maitre Poitevin
The Meeting
The Duel
The Hand-kissing
Sibylla's Prayer
The Wedding
Jeschute
The Parting
The Stone
The Penance
The Revelation
The Second Visit
The Finding
The Transformation
The Very Great Pope
Pattard
The Audience

Editorial Reviews

The Holy Sinner is at one level, a tale of "transfiguration by divine mercy." At still another it is a brilliantly erudite spoofing of medieval superstition and the traditions of chivalry—for which the author obviously has so great an affection. Perhaps only Mann could have created a narrator like Clemens so scholarly, humane, crotchety, and devout—but above all anxious to turn out a good story.
—San Francisco Chronicle Book Review

Lewis Vogler

A small masterpiece….It is a triumph of art indistinguishable from moral sensibility which makes the miraculous, most incredible part of the story….the most convincing.
—New York Times Book Review

Stephen Sper