Siddhartha

Description

Dissatisfied with the traditional Vedic way of life, 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 the wealthy and luxurious, 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 subtle distillation of wisdom, stylistic grace and symmetry of form.' - Sunday Times 'A writer of genius' - The Times 'It's simple prose and rebellious character echoed the yearnings of a generation that was seeking a way out of conformity, materialism and outward power.' - Paulo Coelho

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 (1922), Journey to the East (1932), Demian (1919), Steppenwolf (1927), and Narcissus and Goldmund (1930).

'Inside the guise of a simple Eastern fable, Hesse is delivering an anguished German Bildungsroman about a young man who comes upon a new self-cancelling revelation every day and has finally to shed his cleverness, his pride and most of all his love of nothing but the quest ... Siddhartha can encompass many more readings than one first supposes, and can become a touchstone that somehow keeps one company through life, growing older and more mature as the reader does.' - Pico Iyer; 'A writer of genius.' - The Times; 'A subtle distillation of wisdom, stylistic grace and symmetry of form.' - Sunday Times; 'It's simple prose and rebellious character echoed the yearnings of a generation that was seeking a way out of conformity,'materialism and outward power.' - Paulo Coelho