The Prodigy [Hardcover]

Hermann Hesse (Author), W. J. Strachan (Translator)

Product Details

• Hardcover: 188 pages
• Publisher: Peter Owen and Vision Press; 1st edition (1961)
• Language: English
• ASIN: B000GLH5II
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #10,048,433 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Hermann Hesse (1877-1962) was born in Germany and later became a citizen of Switzerland. As a Western man profoundly affected by the mysticism of Eastern thought, he wrote many novels, stories, and essays that bear a vital spiritual force that has captured the imagination and loyalty of many generations of readers. In 1946, he won the Nobel Prize for Literature for The Glass Bead Game.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars the prodigy, May 13, 2003

By 

victor - See all my reviews

This review is from: Prodigy (Peter Owen Modern Classic) (Paperback)

this book felt like an analysis of my life. any child who was thrown into a level of the education system that could be considered above there 'class' will surely be able to relate to this story (try being a working class kid in an elitist private school!). a nice balance of captivation and realism.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Detached narrative, no humour, low action, little insight, September 21, 2003

By 

Trevor Kettlewell "trevsbookreviews" (Nowra, NSW Australia) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Prodigy (Peter Owen Modern Classic) (Paperback)

I can't handle all this detached, measured narrative without some insight to make it worthwhile. There is very little dialogue, no humour, hardly any action - just reams of detached description of an academically gifted child's seemingly unfortunate ambition (somewhat fuelled by misguided adults) driving him away from the joys of nature, work and friendship. Apart from, perhaps, the evangelical shoemaker there's no-one here to really enjoy being with, particularly as the condescendingly mature narrator always keeps us removed from them.

The kid never really gains my great sympathy, although the story is clearly meant to be tragic. The ending bluntly nails this home with much the same shortcut predictability of a `and then I woke up' finish.