Narcissus and Goldmund

Set in medieval Germany, this much-lauded 1930 novel contrasts its hero, the mercurial wandering artist Goldmund, with his great friend, Narcissus, an Apollonian intellectual and priest. The former meanders through medieval Germany, womanizing and striving to discover the meaning of his wayward life, while the latter dedicates his life to science and contemplation. Despite the many violent and emotional occurrences limned herein, narrator Simon Vance adopts a gentle tone, beautifully suggesting the mystical, poetic, and arcane nature of the parable-like story. This he retains throughout while still doing ample justice to the passages of drama, pathos, and humor. A neat trick and one that enhances every passage of this excellent translation. Y.R. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award (c) AudioFile 2009, Portland, Maine