Fairy Tales of Hermann Hesse, The [Hardcover]

Hermann Hesse (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 1, 1995

A collection of twenty-two fairy tales by the Nobel Prize-winning novelist, most translated into English for the first time, show the influence of German Romanticism, psychoanalysis, and Eastern religion on his development as an author.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Merging Eastern mysticism with the motifs of the European fairy tale, the stories translated for this volume, many for the first time, offer insight into Hesse's development as an artist during the first two decades of this century. Sometimes lush and lyrical, sometimes in the simple language of the parable, these tales elaborate Hesse's concerns with mortality, the unity of life and the isolation of the artist. Characters renounce human society to become poets, vegetarians or, as in the fantastic story "Faldum," a mountain. The artist as ascetic, observer and loner, misunderstood by his audience, is a recurring theme. Several of the stories reflect Hesse's pacifist stance during WWI, covering great spans of time to drive home the devastation of war and transience of civilization. Whether evoking the rise and fall of a nation or an individual, Hesse is preoccupied with the need for both to rediscover their "undestroyed essence" and begin anew. A refreshing lack of narrative closure distinguishes Hesse's tales, which mitigates an irritating tendency to equate self-knowledge with the return home to an eternal, spiritual mother. Quirky and evocative, Hesse's fairy tales stand alone, but also amplify the ideas and utopian longings of such counterculture avatars as Siddhartha and Steppenwolf.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

Grade 9 Up. Six timeless, imaginative tales of individuals who struggle to fit within the boundaries of normal society are brought to life?"The Poet," "The Flute Dream," The Dwarf," "Faldum," "Ziegler," and "Dream of the Gods." The characters are unconsciously compelled to search for meaning in their lives. Often Hesse involves elements of magic and fantasy to the delight of listeners. The tales are narrated by well-known singer, Donovan, whose voice has a special ethereal quality which is perfect for these fanciful tales. His raspy, resonant tones and slight accent add a mysterious touch, but he is easily understood as every syllable is clearly enunciated. The pace is slightly fast which is good, since Hesse gives many background details which could become tedious. The speed varies appropriately to raise interest. The few passages of direct dialog are differentiated for age and sex, but most is spoken by a narrator. Short musical passages heighten dramatic intensity, help to show the passage of time, and separate the stories. This tape will be an excellent introduction for teens where this author is studied.?Claudia Moore, W.T. Woodson High School, Fairfax,
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 266 pages
• Publisher: Bantam (October 1, 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0553100238
• ISBN-13: 978-0553100235
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 5.8 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (16 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,691,406 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Great stories . . . Not so great translation, October 6, 2003

By 

G. Hansman "jakebc" (Vancouver, Canada) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Fairy Tales of Hermann Hesse (Paperback)

Though the dust jacket claims that the bulk of these stories are appearing here in English for the first time, only a handful haven't appeared in English elsewhere. Hunt down copies of "Stories of Five Decades," "Strange News from Another Star," "If the War Goes On . . .", "Pictor's Metamorphasis," and "Tales of a Student's Life" and you'll have 18 out of 22 of these stories. Zipes' translations themselves are a bit lackluster, and do not really capture the spirit of these texts. That being said, the stories themselves are brilliant, and he does present a good cross-section of Hesse's shorter works.

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Short-Story Collection, June 3, 1998

By 

Jesse Williamson (Medford, Oregon, US) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Fairy Tales of Hermann Hesse (Paperback)

After reading several of Hermann Hesse's novels, I saw this book in a local bookstore and, admittedly attracted at first by it's lovely cover, I decided to purchase it. And what a joy it was to read! It provides a nice selection of Hesse's short-stories, in very readable translation. I'm very happy that I bought it, and I think that it is a must-have for anyone who wants a good introduction to Hesse's short stories. Includes the memorable story "Iris".

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Certain Fairytales in Particular, October 30, 2005

By 

George M. Peters - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Fairy Tales of Hermann Hesse (Paperback)

I found Hesse fairy tales enlightening; three in particular stood out. One is "If the War Continues", which I studied in Intermediate German in college. This is an example of how war
will trample on individual freedom; it carries shades of 1984, with Big Brother forbidding wearing of leather shoes, taking walk without permit. This tale does EXAGGERATE wartime restrictions; indeed, in OUR history, even in the two World Wars, civilians could wear leather shoes and take walks when they saw fit. Yes, there was rationing; yes, news was censored; yes, non-essential goods were not manufactured; yes, non-essential travel was
frowned on. I wonder if Germany under the Hohenzollerns in WWI
(and Hitler in WWII) had restrictions that Hesse mentioned. This
story is eloquent of Hesse pacifist views.
There is also "The Difficult Path", which shows that however
difficult it is to achieve a goal, it can be achieved with will and vision.
Most of all, I remember-- and enjoy-- "Flute Dream". This, too, I studied first in intermediate German in college. This
tale is of young man leaving home with talents-- but no focus.
He met girl who kissed him and gave him bread, as he utilized his singing talent. However, he walked on, passing up not only a relationship but an outlet for his talents. Then he boarded a boat piloted by an old man, seeing this as opportunity knocking.
The young man's songs were not appreciated, and he regretted taking this course, seeing as night came on, that he must identify with the old man. He also was told by the helmsman that there is no way back, but when he took the helm, the old man disappeared, and HE BECAME the old man! What this is about is young adults' going off on their own with talents AND idealism, but no focus, so when they DO see opportunity to be creative and use their talents, and be REALLY successful THAT way, they pass it up, seeking ring dang doo or whatever. THEN they jump at what LOOKS like opportunity but is really a dead end! IT can take the form of having high goals but winding up in dead-end job for life
OR-- GETTING to the TOP NOT by being creative, using talents, but MINDLESS CONFORMISM, being yes-men. So, "Flute Dream" sym-
bolizes, among other things, idealism and high hopes, but missing
opportunity and heading for dead end, from lack of focus. I was blind to this in college, then when I LATER read it in English, part of Strange News From Another Star, I did not grasp this meaning. Now, I am thankful to have copy of Hesse's Fairy Tales,
as I have more grasp of meaning of "Flute Dream", and should find others that give insights.