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Joseph and his Brothers
  • Published: 7 July 2026
  • ISBN: 9780241785430
  • Imprint: Penguin Classics
  • Format: Paperback
  • Pages: 1536
  • RRP: $45.00

Joseph and his Brothers

Formats & editions
Paperback
7 July 2026
EBook
9 Apr 2026
Hardback
15 May 2005
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The definitive translation of Mann's magnum opus

Thomas Mann described Joseph and His Brothers as his ‘pyramid’: his greatest literary achievement, although the Nazi regime in his homeland did their best to tear it down on its first publication. A vivid and dazzlingly ambitious epic, it 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 in Egypt. With rich detail and unexpected humour, Mann paints the lost landscapes of Egypt, Canaan and Palestine and brings to life the great characters of Genesis – patriarchs, pharaohs, avenged sisters and jealous brothers – in a story of epic grandeur with a family drama at its heart.

John E. Woods' translation is considered the definitive English version: a rich and immersive reading experience and a towering achievement of its own.
  • Published: 7 July 2026
  • ISBN: 9780241785430
  • Imprint: Penguin Classics
  • Format: Paperback
  • Pages: 1536
  • RRP: $45.00
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About the author

Thomas Mann

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.

TM

Also by Thomas Mann

The Magic Mountain
Thomas Mann: Buddenbrooks, Death in Venice, The Magic Mountain
Reflections of a Nonpolitical Man
Confessions Of Felix Krull
Lotte in Weimar
Collected Stories (Mann)
Little Herr Friedmann And Other Stories
See all

Praise for Joseph and his Brothers

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
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