Hermann Hesse

[matinflames]

Has anyone read works by Hermann Hesse? What were your thoughts of the literature and the author's intent. Please list book and possibly an excerpt that you found interesting.

[Desolation]

I really enjoyed Steppenwolf until Hermine was introduced, then it got really weird and I put it down. Someday I'll try again.

[Dark Muse]

I loved Siddhartha, I thought it was truly an enlightening book, it has been some time since I have read it, but it really spoke to me upon a spiritual level. As I read the book at a time when I was redefining and seeking my own spiritual journey and starting to craft my own personal beliefs, I could on some level truly relate to the book and the book was truly a meditative experience for me, and I felt that it also did help work as a guide to me because I felt I could relate to it so well. It was also just a beautifully told story.

I have also read a short story by Hesse called Youth Beautiful Youth, that was filled with some marvelous and poetic prose. Beautifully written story about a man returning to his home after having left long ago, and rediscovering the memories of his past and evaluating his current life.

[Red-Headed]

'Man is a bourgeois compromise between primal nature & troublesome spirit living in a temperate zone between them; tolerating personality & at the same time surrendering to the Moloch state'.

'Who read by night above the Rhine the cloud-script of the drifting mists? it was the Steppenwolf.'

~ Hermann Hesse - Steppenwolf

[Paulclem]

I've read Siddartha. I thought it would be more Buddhist influenced than it is. It seems to be more influenced by Hinduism. It's a great read though.

I also started Steppenwolf though I can't remember too much about it. I found it a difficult read at that time - perhaps I'm mature enough for it now.

[Dark Muse]

Well Buddhism was born out of Hinduism and in a way the story is about the birth of Buddhisim, so it is from the Hindu roots that Siddartha arrose before he laid the course for Buddhisim.

[hot4jwg]

I read Siddhartha and honestly, I didn't like it. There was too much indecisiveness in the path that he chose and it actually gave too many theories and philosophies in my opinion.

[motherhubbard]

I read Siddartha and The Glass Bead Game. They were both masterfully written. He's clear and peaceful. I enjoyed both, but The Glass Bead Game was a much better book. I think it would make the list of best books.

[Janine]

I read Siddartha and The Glass Bead Game. They were both masterfully written. He's clear and peaceful. I enjoyed both, but The Glass Bead Game was a much better book. I think it would make the list of best books.

Interesting, motherhubbard, since I have always wanted to read The Glass Bead Game; started it once, but didn't keep with it. That was eons ago. I should look into it again. I fully enjoyed his other works - read Siddartha, Damien, Steppenwolf in college. I liked them all very much; quite different from what I had been previously exposed to. I love the sheer name of The Glass Bead Game. Thanks for recommending it.

[Granny5]

I read Siddartha and The Glass Bead Game. They were both masterfully written. He's clear and peaceful. I enjoyed both, but The Glass Bead Game was a much better book. I think it would make the list of best books.

She gets it from me.:nod:

[Paulclem]

Well Buddhism was born out of Hinduism and in a way the story is about the birth of Buddhisim, so it is from the Hindu roots that Siddartha arrose before he laid the course for Buddhisim.

Quite true, but I had different expectations of the book. I thought it would have been focused upon Siddhartha Gautama's life, which is well documented, rather than a fictionalised Hindu. It may be that it was due to the time it was written when there was academic confusion about the differences in Hinduism and Buddhism. I'm not trying to diminish the book though. It stands as a powerful read.

Also, you've all reminded me about The Glass Bead Game which I've been intending o read for ages. Cheers.

[stlukesguild]

Immediately after grade school I set out to do a little discovering of German literature, being of German heritage. I became quite hooked on Hermann Hesse and his classic bildungromances and I read nearly everything I could find by him. The strongest works, in my opinion, are Steppenwolf, Narcissus and Goldmund, and The Glass Bead Game. The last is essentially his masterpiece. Hesse is also a marvelous lyric poet... although there is but little of this aspect of his writings available in translation.

[Janine]

Immediately after grade school I set out to do a little discovering of German literature, being of German heritage. I became quite hooked on Hermann Hesse and his classic bildungromances and I read nearly everything I could find by him. The strongest works, in my opinion, are Steppenwolf, Narcissus and Goldmund, and The Glass Bead Game. The last is essentially his masterpiece. Hesse is also a marvelous lyric poet... although there is but little of this aspect of his writings available in translation.

Oh my gosh, I forgot about Narcissus and Goldmund; that was one of my favorites.

[blazeofglory]

I have read Siddhartha several times of Herman Hess. This book is really appealing, particularly spiritually, and one of the great ideas I found in the book is how a man advances spiritually and spiritually evolved in the book through different phases and man flowing with the stream of spirituality finds himself in a different world and of course the character of Siddhartha is really interesting and everything there is greatly enlightening. This is one of my favorite books, and baring this I have not read any other by him

[PeterL]

I read Steppenwolf, Siddhartha, The Glass Bead Game, and something else by him. I don't know why some people were wildly enthusiastic about his writing. He was a good writer, and the Nobel may have been deserved. I especially wonder why people think that Steppenwolf was so great. Perhaps it was the translation that I read, but I found it boring, and the main character seemed uninteresting.

[Red-Headed]

I have yet to read Das Glasperlenspiel but I look forward to it. I am not sure exactly why Steppenwolf became a counter-cultural Bible for the 'Beat Generation'. I have always loved it as a novel & I re-read great sections of it every year. I am far to young to have belonged to the 'Beat Generation' but I think it was the sense of alienation tinged with the mystical awareness that Harry Haller feels that was highly symbolic for some. I should imagine that the translation of the novel (unless you read German) would be important.

[Inka]

Red-Headed

What is a 'Beat Generation'?

[Red-Headed]

Red-Headed

What is a 'Beat Generation'?

Surely you mean, what was the 'Beat Generation?' (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beat_generation)

[Amethyst2010]

The only book by Hermann Hesse which I have read is Gertrude. I read the English translation. I like this book very much mainly due to the simple yet beautiful language. I stumbled upon it in the library and decided to give it a read because there wasn't any other Hesse's book on the shelf and this is a novella which won't take too much time. I haven't read any other books in which the emotions and thoughts of musicians were protrayed and I have found the parts on how the protagonists feel about composing music and producing opera to be interesting, though I know nothing about music. I feel the three main characters to be realistic. While the ending is quite predictable, I still experience sadness as the story moves along, though it isn't tragic.

[Dimitra]

I have read Demian,the Journey to the East and a little of Steppenwolf but I never finished it.I didn't like any of them very much they were all confusing or perhaps their symbolisms or meaning escaped me :/ but I want to read at least Siddhartha before I form my final opinion.:)

[Darcy88]

Hesse might just be my all time favorite author. I liken him to Dostoevsky in that his works lay bare so much of the human soul.

Reminded by this thread, I think its about time I re-read Steppenwolf.

[Red-Headed]

I think its about time I re-read Steppenwolf.

I re-read huge sections of it every year. I'm not sure why though... ;)

[hypshirpet]

I accept with information:Immediately after grade school I set out to do a little discovering of German literature, being of German heritage. I became quite hooked on Hermann Hesse and his classic bildungromances and I read nearly everything I could find by him. The strongest works, in my opinion, are Steppenwolf, Narcissus and Goldmund, and The Glass Bead Game. The last is essentially his masterpiece. Hesse is also a marvelous lyric poet... although there is but little of this aspect of his writings available in translation.
__________________
Annonces immobilier entre particuliers maison | (http://immobilierentreparticuliers.org/)Achat immobilier entre particuliers vente | (http://immobilierentreparticuliers.org/)Annonces immobilier entre particuliers (http://immobilierentreparticuliers.org/immobilier-entre-particuliers/)

[Inka]

I am not sure exactly why Steppenwolf became a counter-cultural Bible for the 'Beat Generation'.

Me neither, so I'll write only my opinion on this:
I read some about "betnieks" (I remember calling them like this) and postmodernism (I don't see how they differ) and I might say the novel responded them just good.
Why aren't you sure exactly, perhaps we can try to explain this together?

[dfloyd]

Frankly, I'd rather read Huckleberry Finn.

[Red-Headed]

@ Inka

Maybe it was the sense of alienation that Haller feels & expresses in the novel that appealed to them.

The hippies & beatniks seemed to be primarily from middle class bourgeois families.

Hesse saw humanity as a sort of bourgeois compromise between primal nature & a 'troublesome spirit' as he puts it. He seemed to believe that we had become comfortable in a temperate zone in-between these two entities & had surrendered to the 'Moloch' state.

I suppose the hippies believed that they could do something about this state of affairs. I think this was when they tried to 'turn the world on' or something. Unfortunately for them, they couldn't find the switch. :eek:

[Inka]

@ Inka

Maybe it was the sense of alienation that Haller feels & expresses in the novel that appealed to them.

The hippies & beatniks seemed to be primarily from middle class bourgeois families.

Hesse saw humanity as a sort of bourgeois compromise between primal nature & a 'troublesome spirit' as he puts it. He seemed to believe that we had become comfortable in a temperate zone in-between these two entities & had surrendered to the 'Moloch' state.

I suppose the hippies believed that they could do something about this state of affairs. I think this was when they tried to 'turn the world on' or something. Unfortunately for them, they couldn't find the switch. :eek:

No, I believe, not only alienation, but the surrealistic atmosphere, the merge of the main hero with the writer himself and the writer being the observer - these are the features of a book of the "Bit Generation". Moreover, the composition of the plot itself is just like the "beatniks" literature - it's surrealistic style.

And did Haller surrender himself to "Moloch" completely? He tried to resist it through his articles, conversations and a style of living, didn't he?
Just like them, the beatniks, through their style of living, their art and their thoughts which they weren't afraid to make public.

They couldn't find the switch, heh) you're damn right)

[Red-Headed]

No, I believe, not only alienation, but the surrealistic atmosphere, the merge of the main hero with the writer himself and the writer being the observer - these are the features of a book of the "Bit Generation". Moreover, the composition of the plot itself is just like the "beatniks" literature - it's surrealistic style.

Yes, the psychedelic 'feel' of the novel interspersed with mysticism would have appealed to the hippies. Let's face it, they were spaced out most of the time. Most of them ended up as failed space cadets anyway! LOL


And did Haller surrender himself to "Moloch" completely? He tried to resist it through his articles, conversations and a style of living, didn't he?
Just like them, the beatniks, through their style of living, their art and their thoughts which they weren't afraid to make public.

They couldn't find the switch, heh) you're damn right)


Yeah, life is one big magical stage...maybe :cool: