Siddhartha  (English, Paperback, Hesse Hermann)

Siddhartha is an allegorical novel written by the Nobel Laureate, Hermann Hesse. It deals with the spiritual journey of an Indian boy called Siddhartha during the time of the Buddha.

Summary of the Book

This title was originally written in German, in a simple, yet powerful and lyrical style. It was first published in the year 1922 after Hesse had spent some time in India in the 1910s. The story revolves around a young Indian man who leaves his home and family in search for meaning and truth. The spiritual quest takes him from the austerities of renunciation to the profligacy of prosperity. It makes him experience a wide range of human experiences - from hunger and want to passion, pleasure, pain, greed, yearning, boredom, love, despair and hope. The journey ultimately leads him to the river, where he gains peace and eventually wisdom.

About Hermann Hesse

Hermann Hesse was a German-born Swiss poet and author, best known for writing the novels Steppenwolf, Siddhartha (the current title), and The Glass Bead Game. He was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1946. His themes focus on man's struggle to break away from the rigid structures of civilisation and follow his essential and inner spirit. For this, Hesse became a literary cult figure.