152 pages
English language
Published Jan. 2, 1971 by Bantam Books.
Hermann Hesse wrote Siddhartha after he traveled to India in the 1910s. It tells the story of a young boy who travels the country in a quest for spiritual enlightenment in the time of Guatama Buddha. It is a compact, lyrical work, which reads like an allegory about the finding of wisdom.
Fourth read into Hesse and I can confidently say there’s a schema common to everything he writes. All I can do is marvel at the fact his reused ‘wander to find yourself’ bit has not once bored me. That being said, this is still no GBG or N&G.
I bet this is a cool book to read if you never heard of Buddhism before. In the historical context when it was published it was surely important. But right now you can learn about Buddhist philosophy in other, better ways, and Hesse's ponderous self-importance is a drag. This is a book for young men who want to feel deep and then lord it over others that they've read it.
I don't recommend taking the time to read this mostly on account of life being short and there being plenty of better books.
