Anyone remember Herman Hesse??

[papapoet55]

I read Siddartha the first time in 1968,man it was trippendickular!!!!! I reread it last year almost 40 years later, what a trip it was. I think any self respecting hipster should read It! Herman Hesse was a man way ahead of his time..

[PAX-MAN]

I read my first Hermann Hesse book in '69. I read Steppenwolf and really became fascinated by his work and ended up reading everything he wrote. I really enjoyed everything but The Glass Bead Game: I thought it was a waste of time- it really didn't say anything.
Maybe I will also reread some of his books. He definitely was a great author. I hope that the youth of today read his work as well.
PAX

[MikeE]

I'm the other way, the Glass Bead Game is my favorites.

The story of a high adept trying to pass the core of his understanding to those just starting on their path resonates with me.

[PAX-MAN]

I'm the other way, the Glass Bead Game is my favorites.

The story of a high adept trying to pass the core of his understanding to those just starting on their path resonates with me.

I don't mean this as an insult, but you are the first person I have ever met that actually liked that book. The thing I remember the most about it is how all of us pseudointellectuals[LOL] would sit there for hours discussing the book and the only conclusion that we could come up with - whatever meaning there was in the book - had totally escaped us.

now- Steppenwolf - I believe was his best work -
It was the first book that I truly could not put down until I had finished it.
The next day at work was extremely difficult because I didn't get any sleep the nite before.
PAX

[fylthevoyd]

Yeah Steppenwolf was his greatest works.....and was a manitory read for any one who came of age during the 60's....thanx to John Kay:)......I have his complete library (in paperback) unfortunately...wished they were all hard bound editions

[peaceman7000]

I was born in '88 but Hesse's book Demian was one of my choices for summer reading senior year of high school. The book had such an impact on me I've probably read it 4 times now.

After that I read Steppenwolf, Siddhartha, and Journey to the East. I liked them all, especially Siddhartha, but Demian would have to be my favorite. I really connected with the main character Sinclair.

The part about Abraxas is so deep, how he is the god of both light and dark. I still struggle to grasp the concept Abraxas represented.

See, if your god is all the good and the evil then you worship everything as it is. Blind fate basically and thats what Demian was trying to teach but I still have a problem with the philosophy.

It puts you in the hands of fate and says you have no free will but to me is problematic. If you have no free will then what motivates you. Fate maybe?

Who even knows? but its that concept that keeps me coming back to Demian.

[movingcloud]

Yes I do !

'Siddharta' is a great book ... it gave me chills when I was young by age.

It's a wonderful trip when a book takes you into kinda mellow, continous rapture.

:)

[wishful sinful]

I read Siddhartha in the summer of 2007, as a summer reading book for my English class senior year. I really enjoyed it, and felt very connected to it. What would you all suggest I read next by Hesse?