L'Élu by Thomas Mann

First published in 1951, The Holy Sinner explores a subject that fascinated Thomas Mann to the end of his life--the origins of evil & evil's connection with magic. Here Mann uses a medieval legend about 'the exceeding mercy of God & the birth of the blessed Pope Gregory' as he used the Biblical account of Joseph as the basis for Joseph & His Brothers --illuminating with his ironic sensibility the notion of original sin & transcendence of evil.