Have you always wanted to read Thomas Mann’s Nobel Prize-winning novel of ideas set in a Swiss sanatorium but were daunted by its length and/or scope? Here is the support group you need! This is a low-key exploration of a classic of world literature, emphasizing our shared journey of discovery.

Format: We’ll read a manageable portion of the book—approximately 70 pages—each week and then discuss our impressions. Participants will take turns presenting their findings on germane topics, including but not limited to: Mann’s biography; the history and treatment of tuberculosis; the advent of Freudian psychoanalysis; rising totalitarianism in pre-WWI Europe; isolationism; Swiss neutrality; and critical reception of the work. Together we will reach the summit. Excelsior!

Resources/Expenses: The Magic Mountain by Thomas Mann, translated from the German by John E. Woods. Vintage International paperback edition, 1996; $22.00 at barnesandnoble.com.

Coordinator: Sandy Levis is a recent transplant to Providence from Pittsburgh, Pa., where she served as the literary editor of Pittsburgh Quarterly magazine. The Magic Mountain has been in her “To Be Read” pile for many years.