Mephisto — Klaus Mann

A SAVAGE INDICTMENT OF EVIL, TOLD WITH AMAZING SKILL, MEPHISTO IS BASED ON THE LIFE OF THE AUTHOR'S OWN BROTHER-IN-LAW, THE CELEBRATED GERMAN ACTOR GUSTAV GRUNDGENS. BANNED IN GERMANY FOR YEARS AFTER ITS INITIAL PUBLICATION, THE BOOK HAS BECOME A BEST-SELLER THROUGHOUT EUROPE WITH THE SUCCESS OF THE RECENT FILM VERSION. IT IS THE STORY OF A MAN OBSESSED WITH A SINGLE PASSION - TO BE A FAMOUS ACTOR. HENDRIK HOFGEN, AS HE IS CALLED IN THE NOVEL, IS AN UNKNOWN ACTOR WHO MARRIES TO ADVANCE HIS CAREER WHILE CONTINUING A MASOCHIS- TIC INVOLVEMENT WITH A BLACK DANCER. WHEN THE NAZIS COME TO POWER, HOFGEN IN ORDER TO KEEP PERFORMING,HASTILY RENOUNCES HIS COMMUNIST PAST AND DESERTS BOTH HIS WIFE AND MISTRESS, WHO HAVE BECOME POLITICAL LIABILITIES. HIS RAPID ASCENT IN NAZI SOCIETY CULMINATES IN HIS TRIUMPHANT PERFORMANCE AS THE DEMONIC MEPHISTO, BRINGING HIM INTO FAVOR WITH HERMANN GORING, WHO APPOINTS HIM HEAD OF THE STATE THEATRE.HOFGEN HAS REACHED THE APEX OF HIS CAREER BUT NOW MUST FACE THE MORAL CONSEQUENCES OF HOW HE GOT THERE. 1ST PUBLISHED 1936: THIS TRANSLATION 1977: AUTHOR DIED 1949(JS-7/91)