Siddharta
Authored by Hermann Hesse, Siddhartha is one of the most influential spiritual works of the twentieth century. It is the story of a young man who decides to leave his wife and kids and embark on a journey of suffering and rejection to finally find peace within and attain salvation.The story revolves around a young man who leaves his home and family on a quest for the Truth. Embarking on a journey that takes him from the austerities of renunciation to the profligacy of wealth. That leads him through the range of human experiences from hunger and want, to passion, pleasure, pain, greed, yearning, boredom, love, despair and hope. A journey that leads finally to the river, where he gains peace and eventually wisdom.
Stats for nerds
8recommend
11mentions
11people
2010–2026years
73% recommend18% neutral9% critical
Mentions per year
What Hacker News says
- Some pretty cool recommendations here!
I've personally neglected national (Portuguese) authors for about a decade now, so I've started focusing on that; I'm currently reading "Livro do Desassossego" by Fernando Pessoa.
For the few months before that, I'd focused on some classics:
- War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy
- Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky
- 1984 by George Orwell
- The Village by Ivan Bunin
- The Master and Margarita by Mikhail Bulgakov
- Siddharta by Hermann Hesse
I read quite a bit and love it; if only I could be paid to do it at my own pace and rhythm!
- Demian by Hermann Hesse. I wanted to scream "Stop overthinking!" to the protagonist. Something I can relate to.
Siddharta by Hermann Hesse. Helped me understand that a perfect life is a collection of ups and downs and that one must accept it all.
Amerika by Franz Kafka. Could relate to the protagonist because people take advantage of his naivety.
Factfulness by Hans Rosling. Made me see the world in a less pessimistic way.
- Glass Bead Game by Herman Hesse I assume?
If you want to try more Herman Hesse I preferred Demian & Siddharta far over Glass Bead game (read in German though, can't speak for translations).
- I tried this book and wanted to like it. I couldn't. There's something about that "lessons in disguise" type of style that doesn't click with me. I feel it tries too hard when those lessons and the analogies are things that could be explicitly said without so much ceremony. I also found the story itself rather boring.
I prefer a book like Siddartha by HH. The lessons are there, but the interpretation is open and the narrative is not compromised. You start reading it and you don't want to stop reading it because you're now part of Siddharta's journey. You’re no expecting the punch line that has the lesson, you simply live the story and therefore live the lesson.
- Siddharta - Herman Hesse
Sometimes when I feel a bit sad I remind myself to read a few chapters. It reminds me what I find important in life. What I can ask from myself and from other. It gives me joy in a good way.
- I've discovered Hermann Hesse comparatively late in my life, given that many of his novels are seen as "coming of age" topics. Still I can recommend them to anyone with an open mind or willing to open their mind or change perspectives. For instance if you are into eastern thinking there's the famous "Siddharta".
One of my personal favourites is "Narcissus and Goldmund", which sketches the relationship between two young men who represent an "artistic" and a "scientific" way of thinking and life.
