Siddhartha
An Indian Tale
Hermann Hesse 1922
This novel follows a young man's search for spiritual understanding in ancient India. His journey brings him to a ferryman who listens closely to the river.
138 pages 2h 40m reading time
- One of the most widely read Western novels about Eastern spiritual ideas, drawing on Buddhism and Hinduism.
- Argues that wisdom cannot be taught by any teacher or religion, and that each person must find it through their own life and experience.
- Imagines a full life, including wealth, love, and despair, as part of the path to peace rather than a detour from it.
- Became a favorite book of the 1960s counterculture in the United States, helping spark wide Western interest in Eastern religion and meditation.
- Has been translated into dozens of languages and is still commonly taught in schools and colleges.
Stuck halfway for over a year
Hesse stopped writing midway because he felt he had not yet lived the peace his hero finds.
Raised among India stories
His grandfather and parents had worked as Christian missionaries in India, so he grew up hearing about it.
A disappointing trip east
Hesse traveled to Sri Lanka and Southeast Asia years earlier, but the journey left him feeling let down.
Two halves, two dedications
The first part was dedicated to French writer Romain Rolland, the second to Hesse's cousin in Japan.
Translated from German by Gunther Olesch, Anke Dreher, Amy Coulter, Stefan Langer, and Semyon Chaichenets