Writing Who's read Faust?

[Sicarius]

I have been reading the book, [u]The Tale of the Body Thief[/u], by Anne Rice, and it mentions a cool book about a man who cuts a deal wihtt he Devil in order to get something. I want to know what this Book is about and wheter or not i should spen the 20 someodd $ on a 24 year old copy of it off of eBay. ( Whoo go Ebay!!) I know that many versions of it are in German, I am in a hish school German 3 course.
Please any one who has read this book and either despised it, or loved it more than a cute little puppy, please help me.

[Cyriel]

You mean...Faust, by von Goethe? Eck, we had to read that book for AP Lit. Um, basically it's about a guy named Faust who's spent his whole life studying and learning from books and just gaining a lot of knowledge. However, he hasn't really experienced anything since his whole life was studying, and now he's regretting it all and that stuff.

So! The devil dude, named Mephistopheles, cuts a deal with Faust, and basically it's giving Faust a second chance at life to do and experience everything that he wants. However, at the time that Faust reaches happiness and content, Mephi will snap Faust into hell as his slave forever. And that's the deal, and so Faust and Mephi go out on their little adventures in the world, and so forth. But the entire theme of the story is for Faust somehow to reach redemption.

Anyway, did you say buy it? NO. DO NOT BUY THE BOOK. Borrow it from your library. Not to mention, yeah, there are versions in German, but if you get those, I promise that you are in for an agonizing read. Not to mention that it's confusing enough in English. Seriously, once you start reading it, you'll understand it's one of the hardest things to understand until you get the hang of it. And the first act (it usually comes in two books) is sooo boring until like the last third. And the second act? Haven't read it, because it's even more difficult and weird to understand. Frankly, I thought it's a really good work, but it's just kind of hard to get through at times... And I wouldn't recommend buying it until you've actually tried to read it.

Hope that helped. :)

[Sicarius]

Yeah i guessed that it would have been hard to read. I'm sure i can get it fomr an AP Eng. 4 teacher at school. or my teach...any way thanks.
PLease keep osting everyone i want an even palet to decide about.

[Meggido]

There is also a play based on the story called Dr. Faustus. It is not the actual story but is an adaptation to stage by a playwright by the name of Christopher Marlowe. I haven't read faust but the play is a really good read.