How Long to Read The Tables of the Law

How Long Does it Take to Read The Tables of the Law?

It takes the average reader 2 hours to read The Tables of the Law by Thomas Mann

Assuming a reading speed of 250 words per minute. Learn more

Description

"Brilliant…a little masterpiece."—Chicago Sun-Times "Beautiful…one of the best short novels he has written."—New York Times Book Review "Can rank with the best of Mann's writing."—The Boston Globe "Magnificent…one of the greatest bits of writing which one of the world's greatest writers has ever given us."—Chicago Herald-American "Brilliant…one of those splendid novelettes which in this reviewer's opinion represent the very essence of Mr. Mann's literary art."—Saturday Review of Literature "Thomas Mann wrote this engaging novella in a few weeks in 1943. (The new translation by Marion Faber and Stephen Lehmann, which is brisk and direct, is a welcome replacement of the fussier and less accurate English version done by Helen Lowe-Porter for the original publication.)…What is especially noteworthy about The Tables of the Law among Mann's fictions is its playfulness." —Robert Alter, London Review of Books "His senses were hot, and so he yearned for spirituality, purity, and holiness—the invisible, which seemed to him spiritual, holy, and pure." Thus Thomas Mann introduces Moses in The Tables of the Law, the Nobel Prize winner's retelling of the prophet's life. Invited in 1943 to write this story as a defense of the Decalogue, Mann reveals how strange and forbidding Moses' task was. As "the Lawgiver"—endowed with the wrists and hands of a stonemason—engraves the tablets, so he hews the souls of his people: "Into the stone of the mountain I carved the ABC of human behavior,but it shall also be carved into your flesh and blood, Israel…" Mann's tale of the ethical founding and molding of a people sharply rebukes the Nazis for their intended destruction of the moral code set down in the Ten Commandments. But does his famous irony and authorial license mock or enhance the Biblical account of the shaping of the Jewish people? You know the Bible story. Now read Mann's version—it will grip you anew. Newly translated from the German by Marion Faber and Stephen Lehmann. "To present the foundation of law for half the world is no simple task. The Tables of the Law is a historical title following Moses as he is tasked by God to present the ten commandments, providing a human and much different insight on the role of Moses as the Prophet of God. Expertly translated, The Tables of the Law is a solid addition to any literary fiction collection."—Midwest Book Review

How long is The Tables of the Law?

The Tables of the Law by Thomas Mann is 120 pages long, and a total of 30,000 words.

This makes it 40% the length of the average book. It also has 37% more words than the average book.

How Long Does it Take to Read The Tables of the Law Aloud?

The average oral reading speed is 183 words per minute. This means it takes 2 hours and 43 minutes to read The Tables of the Law aloud.

What Reading Level is The Tables of the Law?

The Tables of the Law is suitable for students ages 10 and up.

Note that there may be other factors that effect this rating besides length that are not factored in on this page. This may include things like complex language or sensitive topics not suitable for students of certain ages.

When deciding what to show young students always use your best judgement and consult a professional.

Where Can I Buy The Tables of the Law?

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