A review by soavezefiretto
Die Manns. Geschichte einer Familie by Tilmann Lahme

4.0

Got this on Christmas Eve, finished it four days later. Yes, I'm on vacation. Still. It's an immensely readable book, and I think anyone who is interested in people, family relationships, Germany and/or the history of the 20th century would like this. Should you read it if you are already a "Mann-fan" and have read other books about the family? Yes, I think you should. The parallel treatment of all eight family members is really new and give new insight. There are also new sources, so many dishy little details will be new. The tone is chatty, but with a sad undertone, something that seems to me very appropriate to the subject matter. No one is vindicated, no one is demonized. People are who they are, most of them don't understand themselves and don't want to, and why should they?