This triptych of stories represents some of the finest work by the great German master, Thomas Mann. From a classic early account of artistic formation, suffused with deep melancholy, to works that explore the complex social fractures of his time, this volume showcase the range of Mann's genius and his matchless understanding of character.In sparkling new translations by Lesley Chamberlain, these tales take us from a tense party in Weimar Berlin to a disturbing magician's performance in an Italian seaside town, probing the consolations and limitations of art with wit and profound irony.