Death in Venice

By Thomas Mann

I was around fourteen when I first read this tale of a famous writer who goes away to Venice and becomes obsessed with a beautiful boy. I’ve always been fascinated by the way his downfall is also a kind of liberation. The plot of ‘Tiepolo Blue’ is modelled partly on Mann’s novella.
~ James Cahill

Share the book

Publish Date: 1912

Gustave von Aschenbach is a successful but ageing writer who travels to Venice for a holiday.
One day, at dinner, Aschenbach notices an exceptionally beautiful young boy who is staying with his family in the same hotel.

Soon his days begin to revolve around seeing this boy and he is too distracted to pay attention to the ominous rumours that have begun to circulate about disease spreading through the city.