Joseph and His Brothers English 2026

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