Joseph and His Brothers
Thomas Mann author John E Woods translator
Format:Paperback
Publisher:Penguin Books Ltd
Publishing:19th Mar '26
£18.99
This title is due to be published on 19th March, and will be despatched as soon as possible.
Thomas Mann described Joseph and His Brothers as his ‘pyramid’: his greatest literary achievement, although the Nazi regime in his homeland did their best to tear it down on its first publication. A vivid and dazzlingly ambitious epic, it retells the biblical story of Joseph, whose dreams and visions set him apart from his siblings and lead him first to slavery and ultimately to power and prestige in Egypt. With rich detail and unexpected humour, Mann paints the lost landscapes of Egypt, Canaan and Palestine and brings to life the great characters of Genesis – patriarchs, pharaohs, avenged sisters and jealous brothers – in a story of epic grandeur with a family drama at its heart.
John E. Woods' translation is considered the definitive English version: a rich and immersive reading experience and a towering achievement of its own.
This excellent new translation by John E. Woods is a cause for celebration: first, because Joseph and His Brothers is in fact a great novel that will now be discovered by a new generation of readers; and second, because Woods himself is to be credited with an extraordinary achievement... Woods tackles the challenges of Mann’s wide-ranging diction with exuberance... Mann has finally found his ideal English translator. -- Ruth Franklin * New Republic *
John E. Woods, who has won praise for his translations of “Buddenbrooks,” “Dr. Faustus” and “The Magic Mountain,” has approached the Joseph tetralogy with immense conviction and enthusiasm -- Merle Rubin * Los Angeles Times *
In a new translation by John E. Woods it is surprisingly readable, subtly humorous at times, challenging, and ultimately rewarding. It is by far the best book I have read in years. -- Sue Asher * Historical Novel Society *
ISBN: 9780241785430
Dimensions: 198mm x 129mm x 35mm
Weight: 500g
1536 pages