The acclaimed, definitive translation of Mann's magnum opus

‘Deep is the well of the past. Should we not call it bottomless?’

Thomas Mann described Joseph and His Brothers as his ‘pyramid’: his towering literary achievement, although the Nazi regime tried to sabotage its first publication. This lavish, sweeping saga retells the Biblical story of Joseph, whose dreams and visions set him apart from his siblings and lead him first to slavery and ultimately to power and prestige. With rich detail and unexpected humour, Mann paints the lost landscapes of Egypt and Canaan and brings to life the great characters of Genesis – patriarchs, pharaohs, avenged sisters and jealous brothers – in a chronicle of epic grandeur, with a family drama at its heart.

Translated by John E. Woods

This excellent new translation by John E. Woods is a cause for celebration: first, because Joseph and His Brothers is in fact a great novel that will now be discovered by a new generation of readers; and second, because Woods himself is to be credited with an extraordinary achievement... Woods tackles the challenges of Mann’s wide-ranging diction with exuberance... Mann has finally found his ideal English translator. -- Ruth Franklin * New Republic *
John E. Woods, who has won praise for his translations of “Buddenbrooks,” “Dr. Faustus” and “The Magic Mountain,” has approached the Joseph tetralogy with immense conviction and enthusiasm -- Merle Rubin * Los Angeles Times *
In a new translation by John E. Woods it is surprisingly readable, subtly humorous at times, challenging, and ultimately rewarding. It is by far the best book I have read in years. -- Sue Asher * Historical Novel Society *

Thomas Mann (1875-1955) is widely regarded as the greatest German novelist of the twentieth century. His first novel, Buddenbrooks, was a huge success and led to a Nobel Prize in Literature. However, when the Nazis came to power, his works were blacklisted and burned and Mann was stripped of his citizenship. He spent the latter part of his life in exile in the United States and Switzerland. His other major novels include The Magic Mountain, Doctor Faustus and Joseph and His Brothers.