The Magic Mountain by Thomas Mann
In this novel, the protagonist, a young, ordinary man, visits his cousin at a tuberculosis sanatorium in the Swiss Alps. Intending to stay for only a few weeks, he ends up remaining there for seven years, becoming a patient himself. The book explores his experiences and relationships with other patients and staff, delving into philosophical discussions on life, time, and the nature of disease. It also provides a vivid portrayal of the European society and intellectual life on the eve of World War I.
The 28th greatest book of all time
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Total Points: 4751
This book was first published in 1924
56 Lists
- score: 225 -- El Pais Favorite Books of 100 Spanish Authors - 2008 (Weight: 190)
- score: 223 -- 'The perfect library': the 196 books selected by 133 personalities - 2020 (Weight: 190)
- score: 215 -- The 100 Best Books from 1900 to the Present - 2024 (Weight: 190)
- score: 209 -- Best Foreign Work of Fiction Chosen by Francophone Writers - 2006 (Weight: 170)
- score: 204 -- The 100 Best Books of World Literature - 2018 (Weight: 190)
- score: 200 -- Top 100 Works in World Literature - 2002 (Weight: 200)
- score: 190 -- 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die - 2006 (Weight: 180)
- score: 181 -- The Top 10: The Greatest Books of All Time - 2007 (Weight: 180)
- score: 180 -- 222 Best Books of All Time That Deserve a Spot on Your Bookshelf, With Picks from Bestselling Authors and Indie Booksellers - 2024 (Weight: 170)
- score: 169 -- The Bigger Read List - 2003 (Weight: 160)
- score: 169 -- The New York Public Library's Books of the Century - 1996 (Weight: 160)
- score: 169 -- Världsbiblioteket (The World Library) - 1991 (Weight: 160)
- score: 169 -- Harenberg Buch der 1000 Bücher - 2005 (Weight: 160)
- score: 160 -- Books of the Century - 1999 (Weight: 160)
- score: 154 -- Best German Novels of the Twentieth Century - 1999 (Weight: 140)
- score: 150 -- Books Of The Century - 1999 (Weight: 150)
- score: 148 -- 1000 Novels Everyone Must Read - 2009 (Weight: 140)
- score: 140 -- The 100 Best Novels of the 20th Century - 1999 (Weight: 118)
- score: 110 -- Big Read (Hungarian) - 2005 (Weight: 110)
- score: 105 -- Le Monde's 100 Books of the Century - 1999 (Weight: 100)
- score: 97 -- All-Time Classics, According to Academics - 1985 (Weight: 81)
- score: 94 -- 101 Significant Books - 1989 (Weight: 89)
- score: 84 -- Books that Shaped the Century - 2020 (Weight: 80)
- score: 82 -- TrueLit's Top 100 Favorite Books (2023) - 2023 (Weight: 80)
- score: 74 -- William H. F. Lamont’s 100 Best Novels (1947) - 1947 (Weight: 70)
- score: 71 -- The Greatest Stories Ever Told - 1994 (Weight: 71)
- score: 66 -- Big Read (German) - 2004 (Weight: 60)
- score: 64 -- The 100 Greatest Novels - 2008 (Weight: 61)
- score: 63 -- Harold Bloom's The Western Canon - 1994 (Weight: 60)
- score: 60 -- Our Users' Top 100 Favorite Books of All Time - 2024 (Weight: 60)
- score: 53 -- Kanon na koniec wieku (Canon at the end of the century) - 2002 (Weight: 50)
- score: 51 -- 4chan’s Literature Board’s Aggregate Top 100 Books for the Decade 2014 - 2024 - 2024 (Weight: 50)
- score: 50 -- The 101 Favorite Novels of 'Le Monde' Readers - 2019 (Weight: 50)
- score: 43 -- 100 Best Novels, in Translation, Since 1900 - 2014 (Weight: 36)
- score: 42 -- 150 Great Reads - 1988 (Weight: 40)
- score: 35 -- The Novel 100: A Ranking of the Greatest Novels of All Time - 2004 (Weight: 30)
- score: 34 -- Der Kanon (The Canon) - 2006 (Weight: 33)
- score: 31 -- The New Lifetime Reading Plan - 1999 (Weight: 30)
- score: 31 -- Gabriel García Márquez’s Formative Reading List - 2003 (Weight: 30)
- score: 22 -- The 500 best books of all time from Culture Café users - 2008 (Weight: 20)
- score: 21 -- 100 Books From The Last 100 Years - 2024 (Weight: 20)
- score: 12 -- The 100 Greatest Novels - 2007 (Weight: 10)
- score: 10 -- Nancy Pearl's 100 Good Reads, Decade by Decade - 2009 (Weight: 10)
- score: 10 -- Masterpieces of World Literature - 1991 (Weight: 10)
- score: 10 -- 100 Must-Read Classics in Translation - 2017 (Weight: 10)
- score: 10 -- How to Read and Why - 2000 (Weight: 10)
- score: 10 -- William Gass’ Fifty Literary Pillars - 2007 (Weight: 10)
- score: 10 -- Everything You Should Read without Being a Library Rat - 1972 (Weight: 10)
- score: 10 -- The 100 Best Novels in Translation by Boyd Tonkin - 2019 (Weight: 10)
- score: 1 -- The Complete 500: OCLC - 2024 (Weight: 1)
- score: 1 -- 100 Most Influential Books of the Century - 2000 (Weight: 1)
- score: 1 -- 501 Must-Read Books - 2006 (Weight: 1)
- score: 1 -- Top 100 Books - 1999 (Weight: 1)
- score: 1 -- 1,000 Books to Read Before You Die: A Life-Changing List - 2018 (Weight: 1)
- score: 1 -- The Booklist Century: 100 Books, 100 Years - 2005 (Weight: 1)
- score: 1 -- The College Board: 101 Great Books Recommended for College-Bound Readers - 2002 (Weight: 1)