text: In this novel, a man's purchase of Ralf von Maiboom's crops is ruined when the crops are destroyed by hail.
full_question: In this novel, a man's purchase of Ralf von Maiboom's crops is ruined when the crops are destroyed by hail. Late in this novel, a boy makes friends with Kai Molin and is criticized by the fiery Pastor Pringsheim. A woman in this novel married Parmaneder after getting divorced from Herr Grunlich, the father of her daughter Erica. In this book, Christian goes to (*) South America and disdains working with his brother, who marries the music loving Gerda and is named Thomas. Other characters in this novel include the central family's lone daughter, Tony, and a sickly boy who dies from typhoid, named Hanno. FTP, name this novel about a merchant family in Lubeck inspired by the family of its author, Thomas Mann. 
first_sentence: In this novel, a man's purchase of Ralf von Maiboom's crops is ruined when the crops are destroyed by hail.
raw_answer: Buddenbrooks: The Decline of a Family [or Buddenbrooks: Verfall einen Familie] 