A masterpiece of German modernism and one of the greatest novels of the twentieth century.Adrian Leverkühn is a young man destined for success. He is a composer - creative and brilliant, but he will stop at nothing to achieve greatness. Intentionally contracting syphilis in order to deepen his creative potential through madness, Adrian makes his pact with nature. Mann''s interpretation of the Faustian legend is a story of madness and sanity, genius and corruption, intellectual attainment and Germany''s moral fall.''Arguably the great German novel'' New York TimesTHE ORIGINAL TRANSLATION BY H. T. LOWE-PORTER