Love your reviews and your choice of books! I think Siddhartha fits in really nicely with Hesse's other works (I haven't read all of them though) in the sense that they're all about self-discovery one way or another. That's probably the reason Hesse tends to be quite popular with young adults, too. You should definitely check out "Narcissus and Goldmund", it has a very interesting medieval-ish setting and centres a bit more around the theme of friendship than Siddhartha does, I liked it just as much. Keep up the good work!
I just bought it on sale a week or so ago as an audiobook and am looking forward to revisiting it again while traveling so your review is timely for me. I read it in my early twenties more decades ago than I care to admit and enjoyed it. I also read Magister Ludi and Demian and remember Demian to be one of the most moving recountings of growing up I've ever come across. Happy reading.
Interesting, I always thought that this is about the journey of Siddhartha into becoming the Buddah. The story is very similar to the one you described. I did visit India more than once, from the South not the global West so my perception was different. I looked at Buddhism as a disciplined religious practice but I sometimes find the way its portrayed in the West a bit orientalist and reductive. But I think I have this book lying around somewhere and will read it. Speaking of which have you done a video on Edward Said's Orientalism? Would love to watch before I read it.
I just knew you were going to say DQ and Sancho before you said it. I THINK I read Siddhartha (or was it Damian? or Ariel?) my first year at uni - it went over my head entirely - perhaps because I was still learning how to read in Spanish. Of course, now I'm intrigued because of your review. Gracias.
Just a few days ago I thought that it would be really great if you did a review of a hermann hess book so this perfectly timed haha, it would be awesome if at some point you did a review of the Steppenwolf as well
Siddhartha was the real name of Buddha, he got the name Buddha after he was enlightened. The word Buddha comes from Bodhi, which is a tree found in India beneath which Siddhartha found the true meaning of the self and world. Which is why he was later called Buddha. So yes, it is about Buddha but it also includes times of his life before he wasn't known to be buddha, and was just another little boy called Siddhartha.
Buddhism plain and simple, steve hagen. The focus of Buddhism is the four Noble truths. Also its foundation. People that call it a philosophy know very little of Buddhism.
Love your reviews and your choice of books! I think Siddhartha fits in really nicely with Hesse's other works (I haven't read all of them though) in the sense that they're all about self-discovery one way or another. That's probably the reason Hesse tends to be quite popular with young adults, too.
You should definitely check out "Narcissus and Goldmund", it has a very interesting medieval-ish setting and centres a bit more around the theme of friendship than Siddhartha does, I liked it just as much. Keep up the good work!
Thank you so much, Jonathan! I plan to read more than Hesse, including Narcissus and Goldmund.
I just bought it on sale a week or so ago as an audiobook and am looking forward to revisiting it again while traveling so your review is timely for me. I read it in my early twenties more decades ago than I care to admit and enjoyed it.
I also read Magister Ludi and Demian and remember Demian to be one of the most moving recountings of growing up I've ever come across. Happy reading.
I regret not reading Hesse when I was younger, but I guess it is never really too late!
The book was made into a movie in 1972:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siddhartha_(1972_film)
I too thought the book would be about the Buddha until I read it last year. Enjoyed this!
Thanks!
Mi autor favorito y mi libro favorito de toda la vida junto con Demian. También te recomiendo Narciso y Goldmundo de Hesse. 👌🏼
Gracias, Jaime. Quiero leer más de Hesse y Demien probablemente sea el próximo libro que lea de él.
Interesting, I always thought that this is about the journey of Siddhartha into becoming the Buddah. The story is very similar to the one you described. I did visit India more than once, from the South not the global West so my perception was different. I looked at Buddhism as a disciplined religious practice but I sometimes find the way its portrayed in the West a bit orientalist and reductive. But I think I have this book lying around somewhere and will read it. Speaking of which have you done a video on Edward Said's Orientalism? Would love to watch before I read it.
Thank you. I read Said's Orientalism when I was a student, but I haven't reviewed here. So far, I've been sticking to fiction writing in my reviews.
¸Vasudeva no budist monk but he open Sidarta mind heart and Vasudeva whose like ancient Zen master in China and Japan
I just knew you were going to say DQ and Sancho before you said it. I THINK I read Siddhartha (or was it Damian? or Ariel?) my first year at uni - it went over my head entirely - perhaps because I was still learning how to read in Spanish. Of course, now I'm intrigued because of your review. Gracias.
Gracias, Alba.
Just a few days ago I thought that it would be really great if you did a review of a hermann hess book so this perfectly timed haha, it would be awesome if at some point you did a review of the Steppenwolf as well
That's great! And I have good news. I am planning to read and review Steppenwolf. I just can't say when that will be at this point.
Amei esse livro!!!!👍😉
Siddhartha was the real name of Buddha, he got the name Buddha after he was enlightened. The word Buddha comes from Bodhi, which is a tree found in India beneath which Siddhartha found the true meaning of the self and world. Which is why he was later called Buddha.
So yes, it is about Buddha but it also includes times of his life before he wasn't known to be buddha, and was just another little boy called Siddhartha.
Buddhism plain and simple, steve hagen. The focus of Buddhism is the four Noble truths. Also its foundation. People that call it a philosophy know very little of Buddhism.
नमस्ते from india 😊❤