Mario and The Magician

Mann's short stories explore his abiding interest in the split nature of humanity and the discordance of the world it inhabits. In `A Man and his Dog', domestic tempests are symbols of the muddle of humanity. In `The Black Swan', the demands of intellect clash with physical desires. And in `Mario and the Magician' a young family on holiday in Italy encounters a creepy entertainer: Cipolla, a hypnotist with a fascist-like will to control his audience. Written between 1918 and 1953, this collection shows the literary development of one of Germany's most important writers.