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[Unregistered]

i disagree i didnt like this book.... to slow

[Unregistered]

Prathap, I thought your response to the book was longer than the book itself. Cut down the essay!

[John Lerza]

This book is about as close to perfection as I have ever read. Fast or slow has no meaning here. I first read it 35 years ago and read it from time to time.

[Davide]

Great book,but have you ever thought that no self realization could exist?<br> (sorry for my bad english.)

[xyz]

You bet! I think translation measure is not the matter, the matter is we have to understand what Hesse tried telling us in such an easy way, the meanings of Life, the path of spirituality, and the path of self- realisation! Life is too short to explore things we want to know in our life time, but we must try to explore as many as we can and it is called Life and that's why we will feel fulfiled and never be afraid of the coming if death, right?<br><br>I am trying to read this book for the third time and now I am 28... yet each time I read this book, I feel calm and peaceful!<br><br>Really a good book to share with...

[iamsexy]

the book is ok, sure it offers some interesting outlooks on life, but overall, i give it a 6 out of 10..ive read better, and believe me, i read a lot...i read fast too, im only 15 and i can read an 800+ page book in 20 hours counting eating and sleeping and doing other things than reading

[Janene]

It is necessary for the tale to unfold rather slowly. It incompasses most of a man's life and the revelations of the writing cannot happen in a quick manner. Our culture has gotten too used to rapid fire story telling thanks to television, movies, and video games. The pace of this book allows the reader to take a mini journey with Siddhartha which results in greater satisfaction at the end of the book.

[b]

I have to right an essay on this book and it is do tomorrow at first period. It is supposed to be about the "meaning of the book and how Hesse conveys this "meaning". I am supposed to "consider literary elements" when writing the essay. My problem is that I have been un able to find the meaning of the book. I could regergitate plenty of themes of the novel, but it's actual "meaning" i cannot find. Please help a student out and tell me what the meaning is. I read it twice in 2 weeks and still couldn't figure it out.

[Unregistered]

this is a tad late... but i think (especially since hesse himself had religious problems ie couldn't find one) it's about finding the right one and not crawling in someone's path. The right one could be any number of things for any number of people but overall i think this book is about saying: hey!! don't march in step with everyone else... find your own... of course that's my OPINION i have no idea as to the real meaning of the book the best way to find out would be to resurrect hesse and ask him<br><br>tell me when you can do that!

[simone]

We definitly have to find a path on our own...<br>Try to read Krishnamutry and you will understand better.We don't have to follow somebody's way becose we can't identify our self with that '' sombody ''.<br>Anyway, good book.

[Prathap]

A simple book to read, but the message it has to offer is profound. Everytime I read the story of Siddhartha - his arduous journey towards self realization, not in conformace or blind devotion to any of the religions of his time-Buddhism, Hinduism or for that matter Jainism (which he follows with the samanas), it offers me with a new perspective at looking life. <br><br>Herman Hesse has put forward in 'Siddhartha' some questions for every traveller on the path of spirtuality, on the path of self-realization : " Can one reach the goal by just following the footsteps of those who've reached there, like the Buddha? Can one reach there by blindly following the religious traditions or by becoming disciples of saints and listening to their discourses and teachings?" These are questions that haunted Siddhartha for a long time and finally it was the river that provided him the answers. <br><br>As long as the deeper meaning of 'Siddhartha' is understood and is used by people in their life, I think it does not matter whether the translation measures up to the original work in German: it would be naive of us to debate over whether the translation is better or the original. <br><br>Please publish more works of Herman Hesse like 'Steppenwolf', 'Beneath the Wheel' and 'Rosshalde'. Hesse fans would be delighted. <br>