Why is The Magic Mountain sooo looooong???

[@donaldreed2351]

"The Magic Mountain" is a long, long book, which become shorter and shorter as you read it. By the end of it, it seems much too short.

[@starfl0wer505]

800 pages of death I love this

[@ReynardTheFox-dm8py]

I love this book.

[@ellelala39]

I just finished it. Much of the long conversations between Settembrini and Naphta could have been harmlessly trimmed as some of their points are repeated. I will remain mum until your concluding thoughts are posted. Happy reading.

[@ami1649]

I agree! Thanks for the comment.

[@Ahmad-nf9ez]

Thanks for sharing your thoughts. The first part of your discussion reminded me of a book I read called "Man, The Unknown" which was written around the same time as the setting of magic mountain by a French Psychologist Alexis Carrel. He writes: “Modern civilization finds itself in a difficult position because it does not suit us. It has been erected without any knowledge of our real nature. It was born from the whims of scientific discoveries, from the appetites of men, their illusions, their theories, and their desires. Although constructed by our efforts, it is not adjusted to our size and shape. Obviously, science follows no plan. It develops at random. Its progress depends on fortuitous conditions, such as the birth of men of genius, the form of their mind, the direction taken by their curiosity. It is not at all actuated by a desire to improve the state of human beings” Also, the part of the video when you mentioned the passage about Hans realising his mortality after seeing the X-ray of his hand really got me thinking..... even though an X-ray can reveal your bones and organs it can never reveal our thoughts, feelings and inner emotions / sentiments which are so complex and deep. Another part of the video which intrigued me was the statement you made about the industrial revolution and it's relation to the World War..... I have personally been reflecting on this topic very frequently recently. mankind has become so preoccupied with creation a utopian society and finding external material to the problems of the world that we have heavily neglected our inner selves and the development of human morals. Sometimes I think to myself: "technology is developing so fast, daily life has become so easy, so much knowledge is available at the click of a few buttons, but yet humans are still humans" wars, horrific crimes, all kinds of injustices that have always existed in human history still happen. In fact In many cases, our merciless persuit of technological "progress" has exacerbated injustice in the world. There is famous saying that goes : "the more things change the more they stay the same" I beleive that the world will always be crazy, however if we as individuals reform ourselves and look inwards and look to simplicity we can reform the society around us. And even if that's not possible, atleast we ourselves were living righteously. Finally I would like to share a poem in my native language (Urdu) that describes this current state of humanity very eloquently: ڈھُونڈنے والا ستاروں کی گزرگاہوں کا اپنے افکار کی دُنیا میں سفر کر نہ سکا "He (the human) tracked the orbits of the stars, yet could not travel within the world of his own thoughts"

[@ami1649]

This is such a wonderful comment! Thank you so much!

[@Ahmad-nf9ez]

@@ami1649 no problem. I subscribed to you a couple of months ago and I like your style of speaking. The small pauses really emphasise things well. It's like I am sitting with you in the same room. Very good organic style and great analysis.

[@robertisrotten]

@@Ahmad-nf9ez Oh wow first time I've seen someone with a picture of Iqbal outside of the regular Pakistani lit sphere, what a nice surprise

[@sidclark1953]

Science may not be actuated by the desire to improve human society but its application is. Langdon Winner wrote a book called "Autonomous Technology" that debunks that notion. And nowadays no science project is going to receive funding unless it shows it can be applied productively.

[@MayberryBookclub]

This was a great discussion! And I loved your original question, why is it so long, what's in these pages?!

[@ami1649]

Thanks Matthew!

[@JeremyHelm]

We've been warned

[@sidclark1953]

"The German Genius" by Watson makes a point that the German tendency for self-perfection was kind of a Protestant thing. And it seems to have also given Germans a feeling of righteous superiority that helped justify WWI. I'm still mystified about why Germany was so bellicose leading up to WWI. Oh well. I'm also mystified that there doesn't seem to have been many great novelists in 19th century Germany. I wouldn't take Mann's philosophizing too serious. These guys are always over-reaching for profundity, sublimity and paradox. Muddying their waters to appear deep as my grandma used to say.

[@7DAYS_ATSEA]

I loved The Magic Mountain. I need to (finish) Buddenbrooks someday. Nice video!

[@ami1649]

Thank you!

[@ramblingraconteur1616]

An exciting time of science and technology up on that mountain! I read the first three books of Mann’s Joseph and his Brothers in March, and I found it quite engrossing but very verbose and weird. Mann has a particular sense of humor that works in a long work at the right register. Hope your week started well. Best, Jack

[@ami1649]

I love the weirdness 😆

[@sterlingreads547]

I'm only on page 278. Hans is deep into his medical studies & there's so much of it I don't understand but I figure as long as he understands it that's the important thing. Enjoyed hearing your thoughts. 😁

[@ami1649]

It's definitely dense! Thank you Summer!

[@sterlingreads547]

@@ami1649 It's Christmas time on the mountain & the words are flowing easily again. So something I'm curious about. Dr. Max Gerson was born 6 years after Thomas Mann & he was about treating the immune system with diet instead of treating symptoms with drugs. Gerson teamed up with Dr. Sauerbrunch who was Europe's foremost tuberculosis specialist. They did a clinical trial of Gerson Therapy at the University of Munich. He treated 450 people, it was successful with 446. I wonder if Mann ever heard about him or knew about the treatment. Mann studied art & Lit at the University of Munich. They both eventually end up in the United States. I just find it interesting & was wondering if you knew more.

[@ami1649]

Interesting. I'm not familiar with Max Gerson sorry!

[@intellectualreads5696]

Loved your review man! Thanks To Mayberry Bookclub I found your channel in his links! Wow I am definitely subscribed. Love to see how in depth you go and the things you personally pull from the book! Very Eloquent! Looking forward to your videos on my subscriber feed! Cheers

[@ami1649]

Thanks a lot! Just subscribed to you as well 🙂

[@reaganwiles_art]

I'm only now reading this book at age 47! Perhaps it is because I had so much of these themes in my early twenties, reading Blaise Cendrars, Henry Miller, the DADA writers, that I forebore and deferred Mann. I had nourished an impression of a too staid and precious writer. Having almost finished The Magic Mountain I am little less sure of that impression. I am very much enjoying your review. I wonder if you have reviewed Moravagine by Blaise Cendrars? Similar themes-a less school-masterly presentation. The book is a monster about a monster.

[@ami1649]

Thanks for it recommendation I'll definitely check it out!

[@joncapps2753]

brilliant exposition

[@ami1649]

Thank you!

[@EveryoneWhoReadsitMustConverse]

This is a great discussion video, Ami. God=Nature is a slippery slope that many high-minded individuals through history have expounded to their own and other's peril. I will listen to this again tomorrow with a less sleepy mind 🙃 and give more coherent thoughts thanks brother

[@demian5133]

Hi ! I love your reviews. I've found this one dedicated on Thomas Mann's Magic Mountain particularly interesting. Novel that split my world in two pieces and blowed my mind when I read it some years ago. I'd really love to be in touch with you and exchange viewpoints about Books and Literature. I'm from Buenos Aires, Argentina. I noticed you have the complete works of Borges on your Bookshelves ! I could suggest you lots of Argentine writers

[@ami1649]

Thanks! You can message me on twitter @ami1649

[@demian5133]

Twitter is the only social app Im not using :p. Thanks anyway !