"Siddhartha" by Hermann Hesse - Book Review
Summary
"Hesse's famous and influential novel, Siddartha, is perhaps the most important and compelling moral allegory our troubled century has produced. Integrating Eastern and Western spiritual traditions with psychoanalysis and philosophy, this strangely simple tale, written with a deep and moving empathy for humanity, has touched the lives of millions since its original publication in 1922. Set in India, Siddhartha is the story of a young Brahmin's search for ultimate reality after meeting with the Buddha. His quest takes him from a life of decadence to asceticism, through the illusory joys of sensual love with a beautiful courtesan, and of wealth and fame, to the painful struggles with his son and the ultimate wisdom of renunciation."
Review
A few years ago, I read Herman Hesse, and I found his surrealism to be a fascinating aspect of his writing. It felt like there was a deeper meaning beneath the surface, conveyed through a continuous interplay of metaphors and symbols. In Siddhartha, this feeling is even more prominent through a beautifully written mythological tale about life and spiritualism. It is a very short book, and it feels like an old tale of ancient knowledge. The reading has a very good flow, and it conveys timeless wisdom so concisely that it is likely one of those books that holds different meanings at various stages of your life. The character lived years of hedonistic pleasures to understand that mundane things and shortcuts to blissfulness only do one thing to you: they poison your soul. Through Siddhartha's journey, we learn the importance of accepting reality as it is and falling in love with the world with no preconceived notions and distorted illusions. The key message is that the deepest knowledge must ensue, and we must take responsibility for our existence to find the answers to the most poignant questions.
Key Takeaways
- Beautifully written ancient tale about spiritualism and life's meaning
- It explores a life's journey through relatable experiences depicted with metaphors
- You finish the book with a deeper connection to life
Who Should Read This
People looking for timeless wisdom and tales that convey deep truths, and readers that are needing inspiration to connect with themselves spiritually.
Favourite Quotes
"It is not my place to judge another person's life. Only for myself, for myself alone, I must decide, I must chose, I must refuse."
"Him, who was, regarding love, still a boy and had a tendency to plunge blindly and insatiably into lust like into a bottomless pit, him she taught, thoroughly starting with the basics, about that school of thought which teaches that pleasure cannot be taken without giving pleasure, and that every gesture, every caress, every touch, every look, every spot of the body, however small it was, had its secret, which would bring happiness to those who know about it and unleash it. She taught him, that lovers must not part from one another after celebrating love, without one admiring the other, without being just as defeated as they have been victorious, so that with none of them should start feeling fed up or bored and get that evil feeling of having abused or having been abused."
"Perhaps that you're searching far too much? That in all that searching, you don't find the time for finding?"
Rating
⭐⭐⭐⭐½ (4.5/5 stars)