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

"Read casually, The Holy Sinner seems merely an affectionate embroidery of a pious legend. But that would not be Thomas Mann. As usual, he has glazed the legend with elegant mockery; the notions of Freud creep in to jostle the miracles of faith."—Time

"The Holy Sinner is at one level, a tale of 'transfiguration by divine mercy.' At still another it is a brilliantly erudite spoofing of medieval superstition and the traditions of chivalry—for which the author obviously has so great an affection."—Lewis Vogler, San Francisco Chronicle Book Review

"A small masterpiece. . . . It is a triumph of art indistinguishable from moral sensibility which makes the miraculous, most incredible part of the story . . . the most convincing."—Stephen Spender, New York Times Book Review