Siddhartha

This is a beautiful Edition.

Siddartha By Herman Hesse is my favorite book of all time. I have read it on numerous occaisons. It oftens sees me through darker times in my life. However the three copies I received were of the lowest quality books I have ever seen. Theres no page numbers, no copyright or publishing information in the front, no forwards, nothing. The first page in the book contains the title and Hesse and Holden Crowthers name and page two begins the story. The book is very tall and it seems like whoever published it was trying to save money on paper. Upon initial glances the actual translation seems off as well but I will have to confirm this using my older copies of Siddhartha. I will update this review with the names of my preferred translations as well as photos as I learn more. This has to be the cheapest physical copy of a book I have ever touched. It feels and looks more like a manual on how to put your IKEA furniture together. I bought 3 intending to gift these but Im a little apprehensive to give such a great book away in this form as it seems to very poorly put together. I purchased it for $5 bucks and some change for the soft cover with the bird on the front. One final thing I found odd was the date found on the very last page of the book. It says made in San Bernadino, Ca June 19, 2016. That is the same day I ordered it. Very odd. I dont mean to jump to conclusions but it seems like somebody has a fancy printer and is illegally reproducing and selling this book on amazon(surprised I should not be). The best way I could describe it is counterfeit. I would seriously look elsewhere for a copy of this magical text.

I read this story as a young man as I began looking for meaning and purpose in my life. I had times when I smoked or drank too much or maybe chased women around but it made me feel less than fulfilled. At that time I became interested in Eastern Wisdom and Philosophy. Reading books like the Art of War and I Ching. I stumbled upon this thinking it was the actual biography of Buddha and it is not, it is Hesses take on that, but this actually was perfect for my needs. Hesse is the intrepid Western explorer who like many of us seeks soul and purpose and found it in the East. This book is one of many he wrote where he pursues that fascination. As alway the writing is great. Buddha is primarily a literary device, though there are parallels with the events of Buddha reaching Nirvana as detailed in Buddhism. I will always remember Siddhartha standing in protest as his father tried to indulge him into a life of riches but he wanted more.

Read and meet the Buddha. Young Siddhartha journeys along his solitary path, which parallels the Buddhas own story. Siddhartha continues to move through all aspects of a full, worldly life as essential parts of his spiritual quest. Meeting Kamala brings pleasures to him along with a full exploration of the human experience of love and loving relationships. Siddhartha spends time as a rich merchant trader, a gambler, sinner, and a lowly ferry assistant. It is there by the ever-flowing, endless river that he finally listens. The sounds of the river show him trough. Truth beyond shamans tales. Reality beyond dogma. Life beyond family loyalty. Hesse takes the reader on a surprising journey that will be found nowhere else. This story is built upon a foundation of Buddhism and ventures upward into the shadows of our being as it explores the deeper crevices of our minds using the insights of his contemporary psychiatrist Carl G. Jung. It is a story of personal individuation - the developmental task that we all must deal with one way or another as we leave our family of origin to enter the adult life as our own person.

Siddhartha was a young Brahmin and thirsted for knowledge. Although he learned the art of saying Om and became the epitome of Braham, he was not happy and his curiosity was not satisfied. In order to find his true self, he decided to join Samanas. He became a business man, learned art of sex, became a rich man, lost everything, and became a ferry man. He finally understood that he knows that money is not important from the beginning, but in order to understand it, he has to be a rich man and a business man to experience such nauseated life. For me, Siddhartha is more sacred than Gotama the Buddha.

Siddhartha takes the reader on a journey with a man as he starts his physical and spiritual growth. The reader clearly sees the mans wants, desires, ego, and conceptions/misconceptions. There are so many nuggets of perception that I will reread passages many times for the insights they give me. Love this book for its message which is as timely now as when it was written in 1921.

Since Siddhartha was a name of Buddha, I assumed the book was about the Buddha. It’s not, and yet it is. Hesse wrote some of the deepest and most amazing books I’ve ever read; he was truly worthy of his Nobel Prize. “Siddhartha” is one of the best, and one I’ll read again, many times. Almost as good as what I consider Hesse’s best, The Journey to the East. A few things about the translation in the early pages made me question whether this was worth reading or whether I should find a better version. It didn’t take long until I was hooked in and forgot about the translation issues. Those problems rarely resurfaced in the rest of the book, and only in minimal ways. Rich in the lore and mysticality of ancient India, “Siddhartha” tells the tale of two friends who are seekers after truth, the divergent paths life led them down, and their reunions. It’s also the story of a simple, humble man who knew only a quiet life on a great river, yet learned the highest wisdom from the river. For all seekers after truth who love great literature.

The story of siddhartha to me was very interesting to me because I too have similar thoughts about life. Will definitely read again

I read Siddartha about 40 years ago along with all of the other books written by Hesse, a number by Kafka, and other existentialist authors. Im so glad I took.the time to read it again. Reading it now, in my sixties, my perspective is findamentally different than it was in my twenties. With Siddartha, Hesse wrote something simultaneously similar to and different from his typical fare. He delved into Eastern Mysticism and my very limited knowledge of Buddhism tells me that he got it right. Siddartha is the story of a young Hindu, a Brahma ftom a high caste family who gives up everything in his search for truth and self. Throughout the book, he uses his knowledge and skills to prosper in whatever venture he might try... be it religion, business, or love. None however fill the void, or answer his question, what is it all about? Finally, it the river that calls to him and brings him the answers he has always sought. Siddartha is a book that can be enjoyed by everyone including those seeking answers themselves.

I am keeping the pants although it has an issue. I am 58, 158 lbs. I usually wear a 14; ordered instead 16. The fit is perfect. I have very long legs...and thats were the problem is..slightly too long. I folded the waist and problem corrected. If the legs are long for me, I would think twice in ordering the pants.