Books by Hermann Hesse

Book SynopsisFollow Siddhartha on a journey toward peace and enlightenment in this gorgeous hardcover edition of Herman Hesse’s lyrical masterwork. Herman Hesse’s classic novel Siddhartha comes to you in this newly designed edition complete with full-color illustration and foil and debossed hardcover. In the journey, Siddhartha, living in ancient Nepal, rediscovers the illumination of travel, meditation, and the wisdom of the Buddha. Join the young Brahmin and explore the themes of enlightenment and self-discovery in his ultimate search for reality. This edition contains the original work from the US publication in 1951. For Herman Hesse fans, this elegantly designed keepsake edition features beautiful illustrations that enhance Hesse’s poetic vision.Table of ContentsPART I The Son of the Brahman With the Samanas Gotama Awakening PART II Kamala With the Childlike People Sansara By the River The Ferryman The Son Om Govinda

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Book SynopsisTrade ReviewHesse is not a traditional teller of tales but a novelist of ideas and a moralist of a high order...The autobiographical undercurrent gives Demian an Existentialist intensity and a depth of understanding that are rare in contemporary fiction. * Saturday Review *Beautifully written, it has a seriousness as compelling as as that of The Waste Land . . . the work of a major writer * Observer *One can neither date nor doubt the sincerity of the hero s search for satisfaction or the quality of the spirit that lies behind it -- Times Literary Supplement

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Book Synopsis'A subtle distillation of wisdom, stylistic grace and symmetry of form' Sunday Times 'It's hard to think of a more recent novel that has sung so eloquently the joys of being alone' Guardian An inspirational classic from Nobel Prize-winner Hermann Hesse, Siddhartha is a beautiful tale of self-discovery Dissatisfied with the ways of life he has experienced, Siddhartha, the handsome son of a Brahmin, leaves his family and his friend, Govinda, in search of a higher state of being. Having experienced the myriad forms of existence, from immense wealth and luxury to the pleasures of sensual and paternal love, Siddhartha finally settles down beside a river, where a humble ferryman teaches him his most valuable lesson yet. Hermann Hesse's short, elegant novel, echoing the life of the Buddha, has been cherished by readers for decades as an unforgettable spiritual primer. A tender and unforgettable moral allegory, it is an undeniable classic of modern literature. Part of the Pushkin Press Classics series: timeless storytelling by icons of literature, hand-picked from around the globe Translated by Hilda Rosner Hermann Hesse (1877-1963) is counted among the leading novelists and thinkers of the twentieth century. He was awarded the Nobel Prize in 1946 for a body of literature renowned for its humanist, philosophical and spiritual insight. His most famous works include Siddhartha, Journey to the East, Demian, Steppenwolf, and Narcissus and Goldmund.Trade Review'A subtle distillation of wisdom, stylistic grace and symmetry of form' - Sunday Times'A writer of genius' - The Times''[It's] hard to think of a more recent novel that has sung so eloquently of the joys of being alone... beguiling' - Guardian'Its simple prose and rebellious character echoed the yearnings of a generation that was seeking a way out of conformity, materialism and outward power.... Siddhartha emerged as a symbol; the symbol of those who seek the truth' - Paulo Coelho, author of The Alchemist'This novel is an eternally unfolding lotus: as fresh as the day I first read from its leaves' - LitHub

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Book SynopsisHermann Hesse was born in Calw, Württemburg in 1877. In 1919, as a protest against German militarism in the First World War, Hesse moved to Switzerland where he lived in self-imposed exile until his death at the age of eighty-five in 1962. His major works include Steppenwolf, Siddharta and Narcissus and Goldmund. Hesse worked on his magnum opus, The Glass Bead Game, for twelve years. This novel was specifically cited when he was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1946. Hesse died in 1962.Trade ReviewOne of the truly important books of the century, in any language * The Times *Sublime -- Thomas MannA massive novel set out to explore the positive side of human nature, the fullness of man's capacity as a thinker and as a prober into scared mysteries...Touching and impressive * Observer *

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Book SynopsisTold in a simple mythical style, the story of Siddhartha is an inspirational classic by Hermann Hesse, winner of the Nobel Prize for Literature. Part of the Macmillan Collector’s Library, a series of stunning, clothbound, pocket-sized classics with gold-foiled edges and ribbon markers. These beautiful books make perfect gifts or a treat for any book lover. This edition is translated from German by Hilda Rosner with an introduction by John Peacock.Siddhartha, the son of a wealthy Brahmin, is unable to find peace within his own religion and community so sets off on his travels through India in search of enlightenment. First he spends time with a group of ascetics called Samanas. For a while he embraces their doctrine and rejects all worldly goods. When he hears about a man called Gotama the Buddha he leaves the Samanas. However Buddhist teaching disappoints him and he realizes that self-discovery must come from his own experiences. He rejects the spiritual life, takes a lover and becomes a rich merchant. But after some years, dissatisfied with materialism, he takes off again in search of the spiritual peace he longs for.Trade ReviewHe was an interesting figure who, through his refusal to acknowledge his limitations or the times he lived in, brought something entirely new to the novel -- Philip Hensher * Spectator *A trusted guide for a generation of readers whose faith in institutions was destroyed by the First World War -- Adam Kirsch * New Yorker *A subtle distillation of wisdom, stylistic grace and symmetry of form * The Sunday Times *

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Book SynopsisAlienated from society, Harry Haller is the Steppenwolf, wild, strange and shy. His despair and desire for death draw him into an enchanted, Faust-like underworld. Through a series of shadowy encounters, romantic, freakish and savage by turn, Haller begins to rediscover the lost dreams of his youth.Trade ReviewThe gripping and fascinating story of disease in a man's soul, and a savage indictment of bourgeois society * New York Times *Existential masterpiece * The Times *A profoundly memorable and affecting novel * New York Times *

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Book SynopsisA bold translation of Nobel Prize-winner Herman Hesse's most inspirational and beloved work, which was nominated as one of America’s best-loved novels by PBS’s The Great American ReadA Penguin Classic Hesse's famous and influential novel, Siddartha, is perhaps the most important and compelling moral allegory our troubled century has produced. Integrating Eastern and Western spiritual traditions with psychoanalysis and philosophy, this strangely simple tale, written with a deep and moving empathy for humanity, has touched the lives of millions since its original publication in 1922. Set in India, Siddhartha is the story of a young Brahmin's search for ultimate reality after meeting with the Buddha. His quest takes him from a life of decadence to asceticism, through the illusory joys of sensual love with a beautiful courtesan, and of wealth and fame, to the painful struggles with his son and the ultimate wisdom of renunciatioTrade ReviewBy the Winner of the Nobel Prize in LiteratureTable of ContentsSiddhartha IntroductionSuggestions for Further ReadingA Note on the TranslationSIDDHARTHA

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Book SynopsisA powerful new translation of Nobel Prize winner Hermann Hesse’s masterpiece of youthful rebellion—with a foreword and cover art by James FrancoA Penguin ClassicA young man awakens to selfhood and to a world of possibilities beyond the conventions of his upbringing in Nobel Prize winner Hermann Hesse’s beloved novel Demian. Emil Sinclair is a quiet boy drawn into a forbidden yet seductive realm of petty crime and defiance. His guide is his precocious, mysterious classmate Max Demian, who provokes in Emil a search for self-discovery and spiritual fulfillment. A brilliant psychological portrait, Demian is given new life in this translation, which together with James Franco’s personal and inspiring foreword will bring a new generation to Hesse’s widely influential coming-of-age novel.For more than seventy years, Penguin has been the leading publisher of classic literature in the English-speaking world. With

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Book SynopsisHerman Hesse remained clear-sighted and consistent in his political views and his passionate espousal of pacifism and the bloody absurdity of war from the start of the First World War to the end of his life. He wrote the earliest essay in this book in September 1914, before he cemented his fame with the novels Steppenwolf and Siddhartha, and continued writing a stream of letters, essays and pamphlets throughout the war. In his native Germany his views earned him the labels 'traitor' and 'viper', but after World War II he was moved to reiterate his beliefs in another series of essays and letters.If the War Goes On . . . resonates as strongly today as it did when originally published and begs the question: have our politicians learnt nothing in the last seventy years?Trade ReviewJust as telling now as it must have been when it first appeared * * Guardian * *A writer of genius * * The Times * *A spectacular and deeply insightful read * * Brain Pickings * *

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Book SynopsisHermann Hesse's novel follows H.H. on a spiritual journey with the League, encountering historical figures and seeking enlightenment in the East. Conflict arises among the travelers, leading to self-discovery and realization of personal responsibility for the journey's failure.

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Book SynopsisA modernist work of profound wisdom that continues to enthral readers with its subtle blend of Eastern mysticism and Western culture, the Penguin Modern Classics edition of Hermann Hesse''s Steppenwolf is revised by Walter Sorell from the original translation by Basil Creighton.At first sight Harry Haller seems a respectable, educated man. In reality he is the Steppenwolf: wild, strange, alienated from society and repulsed by the modern age. But as he is drawn into a series of dreamlike and sometimes savage encounters - accompanied by, among others, Mozart, Goethe and the bewitching Hermione - the misanthropic Haller discovers a higher truth, and the possibility of happiness. This blistering portrayal of a man who feels himself to be half-human and half-wolf was the bible of the 1960s counterculture, capturing the mood of a disaffected generation, and remains a haunting story of estrangement and redemption.Herman Hesse (1877 - 1962) suffered from depression and weathered series of personal crises which led him to undergo psychoanalysis with J. B. Lang; a process which resulted in Demian (1919), a novel whose main character is torn between the orderliness of bourgeois existence and the turbulent and enticing world of sensual experience. This dichotomy is prominent in Hesse''s subsequent novels, including Siddhartha (1922), Steppenwolf (1927), Narcissus and Goldmund (1930) and his magnum opus, The Glass Bead Game (1943). Hesse was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1946.If you enjoyed Steppenwolf, you might like Hesse''s Siddhartha, also available in Penguin Classics.''A savage indictment of bourgeois society ... the gripping and fascinating story of disease in a man''s soul''The New York TimesTrade ReviewThe gripping and fascinating story of disease in a man's soul * The New York Times *

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Book SynopsisTrade ReviewOne of his masterpieces . . . without doubt a great novel * Observer *At the medieval monastery of Mariabronn, the restless Goldmund realises he isn't cut out for a cloistered life under the tutelage of his friend and mentor, the ascetic Narziss, and so begins a series of travels that see him work his way through most of the seven deadly sins before finding a psychic resolution of sorts in an apprenticeship to a master sculptor. Only by feeding his appetite for worldly experience does Goldmund finally find the courage to face death. * The Guardian 1000 Novels Everyone Must Read *

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Book SynopsisSiddartha by Hesse is a profound moral allegory blending Eastern and Western spiritual traditions. It follows a Brahmin's quest for truth, navigating through decadence, love, wealth, and wisdom. Penguin Classics' new translation offers readers a timeless exploration of humanity's search for meaning.

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Book SynopsisNobel Prize winner Hermann Hesse’s iconic countercultural novel about the search for authenticity in an inauthentic world, in a new translation and featuring a foreword by Marlon James, the New York Times bestselling author of Black Leopard, Red WolfA Penguin ClassicAt first glance, Harry Haller seems like a respectable, educated man. In reality, he is the Steppenwolf: wild, strange, alienated from society, and repulsed by the modern age. But as he is drawn into a series of dreamlike and sometimes savage encounters—accompanied by, among others, Mozart, Goethe, and the bewitching Hermione—the misanthropic Haller undergoes a spiritual, even psychedelic, journey, and ultimately discovers a higher truth and the possibility of happiness.This blistering portrait of a man who feels himself to be half human and half wolf was the bible of the 1960s counterculture, capturing the mood of a disaffected generation. It continues to reson

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Book Synopsis90 classic titles celebrating 90 years of Penguin BooksOf course, very few people go through the gate and abandon the beautiful phenomenon of the outside world for the interior reality that they intuitA visitor to a zoo discovers he can understand the animals talking, a young man turns into a mountain and a bird guides a boy to another planet in this selection of dream-like and visionary fairy tales from the great German-Swiss master.

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Book SynopsisThe final novel of Hermann Hesse, for which he won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1946, The Glass Bead Game is a fascinating tale of the complexity of modern life as well as a classic of modern literatureSet in the 23rd century, The Glass Bead Game is the story of Joseph Knecht, who has been raised in Castalia, the remote place his society has provided for the intellectual elite to grow and flourish. Since childhood, Knecht has been consumed with mastering the Glass Bead Game, which requires a synthesis of aesthetics and scientific arts, such as mathematics, music, logic, and philosophy, which he achieves in adulthood, becoming a Magister Ludi (Master of the Game).

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Book SynopsisWith its blend of Eastern mysticism and Western culture, Hesse''s best-known and most autobiographical work is one of literature''s most poetic evocations of the soul''s journey to liberationHarry Haller is a sad and lonely figure, a reclusive intellectual for whom life holds no joy. He struggles to reconcile the wild primeval wolf and the rational man within himself without surrendering to the bourgeois values he despises. His life changes dramatically when he meets a woman who is his opposite, the carefree and elusive Hermine. The tale of the Steppenwolf culminates in the surreal Magic TheaterFor Madmen Only!Originally published in English in 1929, Steppenwolf ''s wisdom continues to speak to our souls and marks it as a classic of modern literature.

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Book SynopsisHermann Hesse''s Narcissus and Goldmund is the story of a passionate yet uneasy friendship between two men of opposite character. Narcissus, an ascetic instructor at a cloister school, has devoted himself solely to scholarly and spiritual pursuits. One of his students is the sensual, restless Goldmund, who is immediately drawn to his teacher''s fierce intellect and sense of discipline. When Narcissus persuades the young student that he is not meant for a life of self-denial, Goldmund sets off in pursuit of aesthetic and physical pleasures, a path that leads him to a final, unexpected reunion with Narcissus.

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Book SynopsisA great writer . . . complex, subtle, allusive. - New York Times Book ReviewIn simple, mesmerizing prose, Hermann Hesse''s Journey to the East tells of a journey both geographic and spiritual. H.H., a German choirmaster, is invited on an expedition with the League, a secret society whose members include Paul Klee, Mozart, and Albertus Magnus. The participants traverse both space and time, encountering Noah''s Ark in Zurich and Don Quixote at Bremgarten. The pilgrims'' ultimate destination is the East, the Home of the Light, where they expect to find spiritual renewal. Yet the harmony that ruled at the outset of the trip soon degenerates into open conflict. Each traveler finds the rest of the group intolerable and heads off in his own direction, with H.H. bitterly blaming the others for the failure of the journey. It is only long after the trip, while poring over records in the League archives, that H.H. discovers his own role in the dissolution

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Book SynopsisIn Hermann Hesse''s Beneath the Wheel, Hans Giebernath lives among the dull and respectable townsfolk of a sleepy Black Forest village. When he is discovered to be an exceptionally gifted student, the entire community presses him onto a path of serious scholarship. Hans dutifully follows the regimen of study and endless examinations, his success rewarded only with more crushing assignments. When Hans befriends a rebellious young poet, he begins to imagine other possibilities outside the narrowly circumscribed world of the academy. Finally sent home after a nervous breakdown, Hans is revived by nature and romance, and vows never to return to the gray conformity of the academic system.

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Book SynopsisBy the Winner of the Nobel Prize for Literature A book—rare in our arid age—that takes root in the heart and grows there for a lifetime. Trade Review"The cool and strangely simple story makes a beautiful little book, classic in proportion and style; it should be read slowly and with savor, preferably during the lonely hours of the night." -- The Nation"In Siddhartha the setting is Indian and we encounter the Buddha, but the author’s ethos is still closer to Goethe." -- Washington Post Book World"One could even hope that Hesse’s readers are hungrily imbibing Siddhartha, and that they will be so wisely foolish as to live by it." -- Chicago Tribune"Hermann Hesse is the greatest writer of the century." -- San Francisco Chronicle

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Book SynopsisHermann Hesse’s classic novel in a new edition containing original writings attributed to the Buddha, The Dhammapada.Trade Review"Hermann Hesse is the greatest writer of the century." -- San Francisco Chronicle"Delight in Hesse signifies a new delight in human mysteries, in life’s possibilities, in the power of the will and the pleasures of the imagination." -- The Nation"In Siddhartha the setting is Indian and we encounter the Buddha, but the author’s ethos is still closer to Goethe...." -- The Washington Post Book World"One could even hope that Hesse’s readers are hungrily imbibing Siddhartha, and that they will be so wisely foolish as to live by it." -- Chicago Tribune

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Book SynopsisA timeless novel about the quest for knowledge and enlightenmentSiddhartha is an insightful glimpse into the human soul, a classic novel of discovery, and a literary exploration of the true nature of purpose and spirituality. Set during the time of the Buddha, the novel tells the story of a wealthy Brahmin who, plagued by a soul-deep discontentment, leaves his life of ease in order to seek out a sense of deeper fulfillment. His persistent, stumbling search for meaning has resonated with readers for generations, making Siddhartha one of the most powerful novels of the modern age. Nobel Prize winning author Herman Hesse presents a vision of spirituality distilled from schools of thought ranging from Jungian archetypes to Eastern religion that will challenge and resonate with readers from all walks of life. This edition of Siddhartha is part of the Essential Pocket Classics series, which publishes beautiful, small editions of beloved

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Book SynopsisLARGE PRINT EDITION. What does it mean to live a life of completeness? And how far must one go to understand the pain of others? Is change truly possible? This is the story that proves that it is. In what could be described as equal parts self-help book and a novelistic guide to spiritual awakening, Siddhartha has been hailed as prolific and unlike any other. Growing up, Siddhartha never experienced true pain. He was sheltered, as many are, turning a blind eye when the hardships of daily life made itself visible to the peasantry around him. Awakening from a hazy reverie that has shielded Siddhartha from the inevitable, he vows to make a change. With the hope of finding a deeper and resounding life’s purpose, Siddhartha, a young man living in the ancient Indian kingdom of Kapilavastu, embarks on a journey of self-discovery and actualization. Accompanied by his best friend Govinda, the pair abandon the comfort of their old life by trading their material possessions for what they hope will be eternal enlightenment. Ridding themselves completely of the comforts of their previous life, the duo vow to a life of attempted purity. In a world where suffering is inevitable, Siddhartha hopes that by experiencing the pain so many face, only then will he find the true meaning of life. Siddhartha, written by German author Hermann Hesse in 1951, is a tale of self-discovery and spiritual awakening. The novel as a whole explores the totality of the human experience, of what it means to abandon the parameters of comfort and routine in search for a higher calling.

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Book SynopsisBlends elements of psychoanalysis and Asian religions to probe an Indian aristocrat''s efforts to renounce sensual and material pleasures and discover spiritual truths.

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Book SynopsisOne America’s Favorite Books, PBS’s The Great American Read Nobel Prize–winning author: This classic of 20th-century literature chronicles the spiritual evolution of a man living in India at the time of the Buddha—a tale that has inspired generations of readers Here is a fresh translation of the classic Herman Hesse novel, from Sherab Chödzin Kohn—a gifted translator and longtime student of Buddhism and Eastern philosophy. Kohn invites readers along Siddhartha’s spiritual journey—experiencing his highs and lows, loves and disappointments along the way. We first meet Siddhartha as a privileged brahmin’s son. Handsome, well-loved, and growing increasingly dissatisfied with the life expected of him, he then sets out on his journey, not realizing that he is fulfilling the prophesies proclaimed at his birth. Siddhartha blends in with the world, showing the reader the beauty and intricacies of the mind, nature, and his experiences on the path to enlightenment.Sherab Chödzin Kohn’s flowing, poetic translation conveys the philosophical and spiritual nuances of Hesse’s text, paying special attention to the qualities of meditative experience. Also included is an extensive introduction by Paul W. Morris that discusses the impact Siddhartha has had on American culture.

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