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  • Buddenbrooks

  • The Decline of a Family
  • Written by: Thomas Mann
  • Narrated by: David Rintoul
  • Length: 26 hrs and 57 mins
  • 4.8 out of 5 stars (32 ratings)

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Buddenbrooks cover art

Buddenbrooks

Written by: Thomas Mann
Narrated by: David Rintoul
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Publisher's Summary

First published in 1900, when Thomas Mann was 25, Buddenbrooks is a minutely imagined chronicle of four generations of a North German mercantile family - a work so true to life that it scandalized the author's former neighbours in his native Lübeck.

As he charts the Buddenbrooks' decline from prosperity to bankruptcy, from moral and psychic soundness to sickly piety, artistic decadence and madness, Mann ushers the reader into a world of rich vitality, pieced together from births and funerals, weddings and divorces, recipes, gossip and earthy humour. It is perhaps the first great family saga of modern literature, and it brought to public notice a writer of world stature who, three decades later, was to be awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature. David Rintoul gives one of his finest performances in this committed and deeply moving reading.

©1993 Alfred A Knopf (P)2016 Ukemi Productions Ltd

What listeners say about Buddenbrooks

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Life is unfair. Deal with it.

From the top of aristocracy to apartment dwellers. These old fashioned characters know how to deal with adversity. Tomas Mann teaches us that falling from great heights is not the end of all especially when honour, love and loyalty to our ancestors are challenged in a rapidly changing world.

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Masterpiece

David Rintoul did an excellent job of narrating this epic classic. One of my favorite books

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Literary High

After listening to David Rintoule narrate The Magic Mountain- I listen to him perform Buddenbrooks. Considering that Biddenbrooks was written before The Magic Mountain- I feel that my capacity to objectively review this book has been compromised. Nevertheless- It was a highly rewarding experience- Thomas Mann is Great

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Superb reader 

This is not I think, my favourite Mann novel, though most compelling. What makes this a marvellous listen is the reader, who even renders Mann’s densest passages, listenable to! Thank you Audible. 

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    4 out of 5 stars
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  • S2
  • 2023-03-13

Family life

Historical fiction fan here. This book is purely written about the societal aspects of history. memorable story. Good narration.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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A humanist masterpiece.

Listening to this was an epic experience. Thomas Mann geniously transport us to the lives of multiple generation of a German family, through him we get to know at a profound level many unique characters who, despite their common heritage, are very different from each other. Their personalities are shown in an illuminating way, and every character seems very real: they are bound to remind you of one or several persons you know.


A great representation of the gap in mindset and thoughts that arises between different generations.

The narrator is excellent, is voice contributes much to the livelyness lf the characters. He's pleasant to listen to.

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  • me
  • 2020-03-03

Great novel and Narrator

Brilliant narrator. Great book. I can’t believe how invested in the characters I became. Thomas Mann is a genius. Magic Mountain on audible please.

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1 person found this helpful