I am taken aback at how beautiful the writing of Thomas Mann is in his Nobel Prize winning novel, ‘Buddenbrooks’.
It is precise, descriptive, unique, and accurately captures the scenes and characters so well that the story is utterly credible and believable.
Mann was only 25 when he wrote the book, and it is hard to escape the conclusion that he was gifted and had a special talent for writing. I have no doubt he read a great deal from a young age, and he surely worked hard at his craft in his formative years and up to writing ‘Buddenbrooks’.
But to be writing with the genius he displays at the age of 25 demonstrates a precocious talent.
There is a world of difference between writing or telling a good story and writing a novel like ‘Buddenbrooks’, with all its stunning beauty.
There is a comparison to be made, I believe, with my showing up here every day and writing something versus spending more time writing something with a great deal of effort, thought, and racking of the brain.