im a teen and when i read it i deeply related to it, i think it has the best description of suicidality that ive ever read and i really latched onto it, though there are parts which i think are unique to middle age and i cant fully understand (my copy even has a warning from Hesse in the front to young people who have latched onto it despite being able to understand which i ignored). then again many of my favourite books are about middle age
Thank you so much for this thought provoking response. It’s so interesting to get different viewpoints and in particular, from people younger than me. I do wonder at times that certain periods in our life - transitions - bring about change where we reflect about what lies ahead. Eg. Adolescence to adulthood. Adulthood to middle aged ;middle aged to senior age. Periods where we take stock of where we have come from, where we are going and the person we choose to be through it.
I think it was you who requested it. I had it on my bookshelves so I thought I’d give it a read. Thanks again. I liked it. Despite it being odd towards the end, I think in its oddness, I came to realise the message.
I would recommend if you come across it The Novels of Hermann Hesse: A Study in Theme and Structure by Theodore Ziolkowski. It can be found on archive if you are interested or your library doesn't have a copy. I got my used copy some years back online. Chapter 9 pages 178-228 deal specifically with this novel and I think you find it worth your time to read it.
1st: Goethe was more of a poet than philosopher (I mean.. ok.. granted, there is much "philosophy" in his works, but that is the case with almost all poetry/writing art) If anything, he was a science man (in addition to being a poet) 2nd: I read the "Steppenwolf" and "Glasperlenspiel" and.. well.. I still don't like Hesse :D ... A friend of mine said , it is because I didn't read it as a Teen, but in my mid twenties. So yes, it seems Hesse really "speaks" to (modern) teens somehow
One of the mistakes in interpreting the text, per Hesse, is to take it literally: Hesse provided a short introductory note to the text in 1961, in which he states that "of all my books Steppenwolf is the one that was more often and more violently misunderstood than any other." One of the keys to the text, to me, is the magical theater where transcendence takes place. Another is that he leaves the text behind and it is the nephew who is actually narrating. The nephew ultimately changes his opinion about haller. Another interesting thing is that Haller had been to that town before.
I was trying to find more detail as to why he said that and what his explanation of Steppenwolf was but couldn’t find anything. I think it may be in that reference book you mentioned about his work. Ultimately though, I still liked the book but I think it needs a few more reads. I think I’ll get something more with each reread. It stays on my shelf now….
![I.N "HALLUCINATION" | [Stray Kids : SKZ-PLAYER]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/n5B5q1Hwt_U/mqdefault.jpg)
I just read this book and it was really deep/psychedelic experience. I agree with everything that you said about the book. :)
Thank you for watching and sharing your thoughts. 🙏😊
Very enjoyble and I have the book on my shelf so I better give it a read.
Let me know what you think!
im a teen and when i read it i deeply related to it, i think it has the best description of suicidality that ive ever read and i really latched onto it, though there are parts which i think are unique to middle age and i cant fully understand (my copy even has a warning from Hesse in the front to young people who have latched onto it despite being able to understand which i ignored).
then again many of my favourite books are about middle age
Thank you so much for this thought provoking response. It’s so interesting to get different viewpoints and in particular, from people younger than me. I do wonder at times that certain periods in our life - transitions - bring about change where we reflect about what lies ahead. Eg. Adolescence to adulthood. Adulthood to middle aged ;middle aged to senior age. Periods where we take stock of where we have come from, where we are going and the person we choose to be through it.
Helen you had an amazing review of this book.
Thank you once again. Always appreciated. 🙏😊
Woohoo one of my favorites!!!! Glad you reviewed it finally 🙂
I think it was you who requested it. I had it on my bookshelves so I thought I’d give it a read. Thanks again. I liked it. Despite it being odd towards the end, I think in its oddness, I came to realise the message.
@@LifeLessonsFromBooks You did great!
THANK YOU SO MUCH, VERY USEFUL
Appreciate that, glad it was. Happy reading!
I would recommend if you come across it The Novels of Hermann Hesse: A Study in Theme and Structure by Theodore Ziolkowski. It can be found on archive if you are interested or your library doesn't have a copy. I got my used copy some years back online. Chapter 9 pages 178-228 deal specifically with this novel and I think you find it worth your time to read it.
Okay thanks for this. I knew I was barely scratching the surface upon reading this book. This reference would help. Thank you! 🙏
@@LifeLessonsFromBooks Like I said, if you can't find it locally it is on archive
This is an excellent novel.
And an excellent review! :)
Thank you!!! 🙏
1st: Goethe was more of a poet than philosopher (I mean.. ok.. granted, there is much "philosophy" in his works, but that is the case with almost all poetry/writing art) If anything, he was a science man (in addition to being a poet)
2nd: I read the "Steppenwolf" and "Glasperlenspiel" and.. well.. I still don't like Hesse :D ... A friend of mine said , it is because I didn't read it as a Teen, but in my mid twenties. So yes, it seems Hesse really "speaks" to (modern) teens somehow
One of the mistakes in interpreting the text, per Hesse, is to take it literally: Hesse provided a short introductory note to the text in 1961, in which he states that "of all my books Steppenwolf is the one that was more often and more violently misunderstood than any other." One of the keys to the text, to me, is the magical theater where transcendence takes place. Another is that he leaves the text behind and it is the nephew who is actually narrating. The nephew ultimately changes his opinion about haller. Another interesting thing is that Haller had been to that town before.
I was trying to find more detail as to why he said that and what his explanation of Steppenwolf was but couldn’t find anything. I think it may be in that reference book you mentioned about his work. Ultimately though, I still liked the book but I think it needs a few more reads. I think I’ll get something more with each reread. It stays on my shelf now….