Siddhartha (Shambhala Classics) (Mass Market Paperback)

by Hermann Hesse (Author), Sherab Chodzin Kohn (Translator)
Key Phrases: Exalted One, Venerable One, The Son (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
This book chronicles the spiritual evolution of a man living in India at the time of the Buddha—a tale that has inspired generations of readers. We are invited along Siddhartha's journey experiencing his highs, lows, loves, and disappointments along the way. Hesse begins by showing us the life of a privileged brahmin's son. Handsome, well-loved, and growing increasingly dissatisfied with the life expected of him, Siddhartha sets out on his journey, not realizing that he is fulfilling the prophesies proclaimed at his birth. Siddhartha blends in with the world, showing the reader the beauty and intricacies of the mind, nature, and his experiences on the path to enlightenment. Sherab Chödzin Kohn's flowing, poetic translation conveys the philosophical and spiritual nuances of Hesse's text, paying special attention to the qualities of meditative experience. Also included is an extensive introduction by Paul W. Morris that discusses the impact Siddhartha has had on American culture.

From the Inside Flap
In the novel, Siddhartha, a young man, leaves his family for a contemplative life, then, restless, discards it for one of the flesh. He conceives a son, but bored and sickened by lust and greed, moves on again. Near despair, Siddhartha comes to a river where he hears a unique sound. This sound signals the true beginning of his life -- the beginning of suffering, rejection, peace, and, finally, wisdom.

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Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 192 pages
• Publisher: Shambhala; Tra edition (January 11, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1590302273
• ISBN-13: 978-1590302279
• Product Dimensions: 6.6 x 4.2 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #99,515 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A re-reading after 35 years, July 5, 2005

By	David E. Levine (Peekskill , NY USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

When I was about to start college, a friend who had just finished his freshman year came home for the summer raving about Hermann Hesse. I had not heard of Hesse but, I later learned that he was a writer who was particularly relevent to college students of that era who were questioning the status quo and seeking spiritual growth.

On my friend's recommendation, I read Siddhartha. In my recent re-reading of this 20th century classic, I read this edition which is a new translation. Since my memories of 35 years ago are dim, I have no basis to compare the translation with earlier ones but, I will say that this edition was readable and poetically written.

Siddhartha is a Brahmin youth who has a close friend in Govinda. Upon Siddartha's urging, the two leave their families and comfortable surroundings in a search for spirituality. They join a group of ascetics and numb themselves to the world around them. Siddhatha is seeking to subjugate his ego. After years of this existence, they go to hear the Buddah speak. Govinda becomes a follower but, Siddhartha believes that he has to discover truth for himself and that as great as the Buddah's teachings are, he must nonetheless strike out on his own.

He goes from his ascetic lifestyle to an oppulent one in which he enjoys pleasures of the flesh. But even then, he ultimately feels the need to move on in his spiritual journey. He joins a ferryman along the river and becomes the ferryman's assistant. He lives in the ferryman's hut and discovers that he can learn much by listening to the river talk. He also discovers that he has a son who he happens upon. However, just as Siddhartha left his father, his own son does not remain with him. His son leaves for a very different reason, however. Siddartha's son had been raised in the opulent style that Siddartha had abandoned and rather than seeking spirituality, the son is seeking to maintain his comfortable lifestyle.

In this novel, Siddhartha goes from a very young man to an old man. His journey to discover truth is a lifelong one and the stages he goes through ultimately leads to inner peace. This is a book to be read carefully and savored. Of course, it's a translation, not the original German but, assuming a faithful translation, the words are to be carefully considered. Perhaps the stages in Siddhartha's life mirror the stages in our own as we seek spiritual growth.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Inspiring, March 29, 2007

By	Latasha M. Dale "Tyydae" (Columbus, Ga) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Siddhartha was a book that I did not want to put down. It is about a man on a spiritual quest to find himself. I was so in love with the choices he made and the realization that he came to at the end.
Hesse is one of the best writers to keep the journey of life at the for-
front of all of his works.

5.0 out of 5 stars Must Read., May 12, 2009

By	S. Shah (california USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Its Must read book.
explains life is in this moment.
live it fully.
There is no past and no future.