Thomas Mann …

Thomas Mann …

Portrait of German author Thomas Mann (1875 – 1955)

Paul Thomas Mann (1875 – 1955) was a German novelist, short story writer, social critic, philanthropist, essayist, and the 1929 Nobel Prize in Literature laureate.

Born into a well-off family and gifted with early literary success, Mann was able to commission a luxurious villa on Poschingerstrasse, in Munich, in 1913. He lived there with his family until 1933, when Hitler came to power and accusations that he was an enemy of the state overtook him.

Mann fled to Switzerland. When World War II broke out in 1939, he moved to the United States, returning to Switzerland in 1952. Thomas Mann is one of the best-known exponents of the so-called Exilliteratur, literature written in German by those who opposed or fled the Hitler regime.

His notable works include Death in Venice (1912), The Magic Mountain (1924), Joseph and His Brothers (1943) and Doctor Faustus. (1947).

Thomas Mann at his writing desk in Pacific Palisades, California

Mann wrote in his study every morning from 9am until noon.
During this time he made himself unavailable for visitors, telephone calls or family. It was then that his mind was freshest and he placed tremendous pressure on himself to get things down during that time. Anything that didn’t come by noon would have to wait until the next day.