Hermann Hesse

i've been on a bit of a Hesse kick. read PETER CAMENZIND last month, and just now finished DEMIAN. i was a bit disappointed in the latter, which started to fall off about halfway through and then eventually became downright silly -- "dippy spiritual" revelations upthread is otm. CAMENZIND was much less cornball but ultimately was another case of the first half being much better, and the second half failing to deliver.

i'm thinking now of tracking down some of the other early ones, like GERTRUD and ROSSHALDE. still haven't read STEPPENWOLF, and eventually will probably read NARCISSUS AND GOLDMUND, which is my favorite of his along with SIDDHARTHA.

*re-read N&G

it's crazy how much that cover of Der Spiegel looks AI generated ...

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/fb/Hans_Sturzenegger_-_Hermann_Hesse_mit_Panamahut%2C_1912.jpg

Hesse made his bones as a westerner who appropriated various strands of eastern philosophical and religious traditions, but filtered them through an essentially western interpretation and reworked them into narratives with allegorical elements. That's his basic contribution to the canon. But I have trouble with his novels because, for me, he never quite figured out how to marry his ideas with compelling narratives. I'd rate Steppenwolf as probably his most successful, if only because it came from a more personal and urgent place and broke through his tendency toward awkward and labored exposition.

I loved the Glass Bead Game when I was in my early 20s but I don't think I'd dare re-read it: current me would see straight through it, I think?

I read a lovely short book of his, Wandering, a spiritual autobiography built around his walks in the Italian Alps.

I would never bother with Jesse again but that sounds nice

Hesse