In this modernist novella, aging writer Gustav von Aschenbach becomes obsessed with a beautiful boy he encounters while on holiday in Venice. As the city falls into the grip of a deadly plague, his fixation deepens, blurring the line between art, desire, and decay. With haunting symbolism and psychological depth, Mann explores beauty, repression, and the inevitability of decline.
~ Included for its iconic, queer-coded meditation on obsession and aesthetics, and its lasting influence on LGBTQ+ literature and art. ~
