Royal Highness (Annotated)
Enriched Edition. Philosophical NovelBy Thomas Mann
Length14h 29m
About this audiobook
Thomas Mann's Royal Highness (1909) is a poised, ironic fairy-tale novel about Prince Klaus Heinrich, heir to a financially exhausted German grand duchy, and his transformative relationship with Imma Spoelmann, the brilliant daughter of an American millionaire. Combining courtly romance, social satire, and Bildungsroman, Mann examines monarchy as performance, the burdens of symbolic identity, and the possibility of renewal through love, wealth, and modernity. Its lucid, ceremonious prose belongs to the prewar European novel, yet its irony quietly unsettles inherited hierarchies. Mann, born into a Lübeck merchant family, repeatedly explored the decline of traditional elites and the uneasy prestige of bourgeois culture. After Buddenbrooks established his reputation, Royal Highness offered a lighter but still intellectually serious variation on themes of decadence, vocation, and social legitimacy. His marriage to Katia Pringsheim, from a wealthy and cultivated family, also sharpened his interest in alliances between aristocratic forms and modern capital. This novel is warmly recommended to readers who admire Mann's psychological precision but want a more graceful, accessible entry into his work. Beneath its charm lies a sophisticated meditation on duty, selfhood, and historical change.
This enriched edition has been carefully crafted to add value to your reading experience.
- A succinct Introduction situates the work's timeless appeal and themes.
- The Synopsis outlines the central plot, highlighting key developments without spoiling critical twists.
- A detailed Historical Context immerses you in the era's events and influences that shaped the writing.
- An Author Biography reveals milestones in the author's life, illuminating the personal insights behind the text.
- A thorough Analysis dissects symbols, motifs, and character arcs to unearth underlying meanings.
- Reflection questions prompt you to engage personally with the work's messages, connecting them to modern life.
- Hand‐picked Memorable Quotes shine a spotlight on moments of literary brilliance.
- Interactive footnotes clarify unusual references, historical allusions, and archaic phrases for an effortless, more informed read.
Audiobook details
Rating★★★★ 3.6 (1.1K)
Includes Goodreads
GenreHumor, Literary Classics
Length14 hrs 29 mins
Narrated byListen with 1,000+ voices
FormateBook with Audio
Publish dateApr 17, 2020
LanguageEnglish
Table of contents
1The Red and the Black (Annotated)
11V. ALBRECHT II
2Introduction
12VI. THE LOFTY CALLING
3Synopsis
13VII. IMMA (pt. 1)
4Historical Context
14VII. IMMA (pt. 2)
5Author Biography
15VIII. THE FULFILMENT
Mostrar todos os capítulosVer menos
6PRELUDE
16IX. THE ROSE-BUSH
7I. THE CONSTRICTION
17Analysis
8II. THE COUNTRY
18Reflection
9III. HINNERKE THE SHOEMAKER
19Memorable Quotes
10IV. DOCTOR UEBERBEIN
Der ZauberbergThomas Mann39h 6m4.3 (82.3K)$24 · $0.00
BuddenbrooksThomas Mann28h 42m4.3 (49.7K)$30 · $0.00
Lotte in WeimarThomas Mann15h 42m3.9 (5.4K)$18 · $0.00
Thomas Mann: Mario und der ZaubererThomas Mann2h 16m3.9 (18.2K)$6 · $0.00
Thomas Mann: Wie Jappe und Do Escobar sich prügeltenThomas Mann37m3.6 (60)$2 · $0.00
Thomas Mann: TristanThomas Mann1h 54m$6 · $0.00
Thomas Mann: Die vertauschten KöpfeThomas Mann3h 58m3.8 (1.7K)$9 · $0.00
Thomas Mann: Das EisenbahnunglückThomas Mann25m3.6 (42)$2 · $0.00
Mario und der ZaubererThomas Mann27m3.9 (27.5K)$5 · $0.00
Thomas Mann: AnekdoteThomas Mann12m3.7 (12)$2 · $0.00
Thomas Mann: LuischenThomas Mann44m3.4 (95)$4 · $0.00
Thomas Mann: Unordnung und frühes LeidThomas Mann1h 39m4.0 (4.8K)$3 · $0.00
Thomas Mann: WälsungenblutThomas Mann1h 18m3.8 (529)$3 · $0.00
Thomas Mann: Der KleiderschrankThomas Mann25m3.8 (67)$2 · $0.00
Thomas Mann: Der Weg zum FriedhofThomas Mann27m3.4 (55)$6 · $0.00
Thomas Mann: Das WunderkindThomas Mann26m3.7 (555)$2 · $0.00
Thomas Mann: Beim ProphetenThomas Mann24m3.8 (152)$2 · $0.00
Der junge JosephThomas Mann10h 34m4.4 (406)$1 · $0.00
Königliche HoheitThomas Mann10h 58m$1 · $0.00
Thomas Mann: Short Stories & NovellasThomas Mann35h 31m$1.99 · $0.00
Lost In TranslationAudrey Davis9h 15m4.4 (235)Free
This Is Going to HurtAdam Kay5h 47m4.4 (444.7K)$24 · $0.00
You Will Get Through This NightDaniel Howell6h 56m4.4 (11.8K)$24 · $0.00
Northanger Abbey (Annotated)Jane Austen10h 7m4.5 (1.6K)$2 · $0.00
My Dear HamiltonStephanie Dray, Laura Kamoie23h 7m4.4 (63.6K)$46 · $0.00
THE SCREWTAPE LETTERS & SCREWTAPE PROPOSES A TOAST (Annotated)C. S. Lewis5h 6m4.4 (471K)$2 · $0.00
BufferingHannah Hart5h 55m4.4 (12.4K)$24 · $0.00
The Office BFFsJenna Fischer, Angela Kinsey8h 26m4.3 (45.4K)$26 · $0.00
The Collected Stories of Dorothy ParkerDorothy Parker8h 36m4.3 (13.6K)$1 · $0.00
LambChristopher Moore15h 22m4.3 (211.3K)$33 · $0.00
#IMomSoHardKristin Hensley, Jen Smedley7h 19m4.3 (7.3K)$24 · $0.00
Mixed PlateJo Koy8h 18m4.3 (7.1K)$26 · $0.00
Over the TopJonathan Van Ness5h 50m4.3 (87.3K)$24 · $0.00
It Never EndsTom Scharpling8h 53m4.4 (2.3K)$20 · $0.00
The Importance of Being EarnestOscar Wilde2h 31m4.3 (475.9K)$1.20 · $0.00
More Tales of the CityArmistead Maupin8h 23m4.3 (22.6K)$26 · $0.00
Joyful Recollections of TraumaPaul Scheer6h 38m4.3 (8.2K)$7 · $0.00
More Than a WomanCaitlin Moran9h 31m4.3 (16.8K)$29 · $0.00
FamesickLena Dunham11h 46m4.3 (49.7K)$29 · $0.00
Scandalous WomenGill Paul10h 46m4.4 (1.5K)$29 · $0.00
To Kill a MockingbirdHarper Lee12h 18m4.5 (7.4M)$29 · $0.00
These Precious DaysAnn Patchett11h 14m4.5 (45.2K)$29 · $0.00
Henry V (The Play, Historical Background and Analysis of the Character in the Play)William Shakespeare, William Hazlitt8h 50m4.6 (1.3K)$1.99 · $0.00
H. P. LOVECRAFT Ultimate Collection: Novellas, Short Stories, Poetry & Essays (Annotated)H. P. Lovecraft12h 28m4.6 (2.3K)$2 · $0.00
Time RegainedMarcel Proust16h 8m4.5 (10.6K)$1.99 · $0.00
Lessons in TruthH. Emilie3h 50m4.6 (1.4K)$4.70 · $0.00
TORAH - Bilingual Edition: English/Hebrew (Annotated)Max Margolis, JPS28h 26m4.6 (1K)$2 · $0.00
Betty Crocker picture cooky bookBetty Crocker, Inc. General Mills2h 13m4.5 (6.5K)$1 · $0.00
The Complete Tales of Beatrix PotterBeatrix Potter3h 36m4.5 (75K)$3 · $0.00
Anne of Green GablesL. M. Montgomery11h 1m4.5 (1.2M)$2.30 · $0.00
Crime and Punishment (The Unabridged Garnett Translation) (Annotated)Fyodor Dostoevsky24h 25m4.5 (15.4K)$1.99 · $0.00
The North American IndianEdward S. Curtis, Frederick Webb Hodge6h4.5 (1.2K)$2 · $0.00
The Picture of Dorian Gray: The Uncensored 13 Chapter Version + The Revised 20 Chapter Version (Annotated)Oscar Wilde16h 12m4.5 (2.8K)$1.99 · $0.00
Grimoire Of The Everyday WitchIsadora Lys / Virginia Santos5h 35m4.5 (3.9K)$9 · $0.00
Winnie-the-PoohAlan Alexander Milne2h 52m4.5 (401.1K)$3 · $0.00
Sitting PrettyRebekah Taussig7h 33m4.5 (18.9K)$26 · $0.00
The Poetic Edda & The Prose EddaSnorri Sturluson, Saemund Sigfusson9h 34m4.5 (4K)$1 · $0.00
The Complete Satires & Essays of Mark Twain (Annotated)Mark Twain23h 21m4.5 (1.1K)$2 · $0.00
Anne of Green GablesLucy Maud Montgomery11h 10m4.4 (1.3M)$8 · $0.00
The Posthumous Memoirs Of Brás CubasMachado De Assis7h 39m4.4 (120.4K)$5 · $0.00
You may also like
Royal HighnessThomas Mann10h 1m3.8 (1.8K)$1.99 · $0.00
Can You Forgive Her? (Unabridged)Anthony Trollope34h 40m4.2 (12.2K)$2 · $0.00
PersuasionJane Austen8h 3m4.3 (914.2K)$14 · $0.00
Royal HighnessThomas Mann11h 19m3.7 (1.8K)$20
Queen Victoria and the Royal FamilySantiago Machain6h 29m4.4 (503)$25 · $0.00
The Palliser Novels: Complete 6 Book CollectionAnthony Trollope182h 37m4.5 (1.6K)$1 · $0.00
The Palliser NovelsAnthony Trollope172h 39m4.3 (1K)$1 · $0.00
As an Earl DesiresLorraine Heath8h 1m3.8 (2.5K)$26 · $0.00
The Shuttle (Annotated)Frances Hodgson Burnett25h 2m4.0 (1.5K)$3 · $0.00
Duchess by DesignMaya Rodale8h 7m3.8 (1.6K)$26 · $0.00
The EuropeansHenry James6h 9m3.7 (7.7K)$20
Phineas FinnAnthony Trollope22h 33m4.1 (14.1K)$32
Barbara Blomberg (Annotated)Georg Ebers23h 1m$2 · $0.00
The Last Empress of FrancePetie & Evelyne Kladstrup & Resnick, Evelyne Resnick11h 15m4.3 (175)$29 · $0.00
Is He Popenjoy?Anthony Trollope22h 18m$2.30
Chosen by the DukeIsabella Grey9h 54m$5
Study of a WomanHonoré de Balzac25m3.2 (330)$2 · $0.00
Sharp Tongues & Social Ambition – 3 Classic Satire NovelsFrances Burney, Maria Edgeworth, Jane Austen39h 46m$1
Duke Seeks BrideChristy Carlyle8h 6m4.0 (368)$26 · $0.00
The Omnibus of Feminist Literary Heritage – 5 Classic Social NovelsMadame de La Fayette, Frances Burney, Thomas Holcroft, Claire de Duras, Anne Brontë64h 6m$1