Hermann Hesse

The classic novel of a quest for knowledge that has delighted, inspired, and influenced generations of readers, writers, and thinkers—a perennial favourite for graduation gifts. Nominated as one of America's best-loved novels by PBS's The Great American Read. Though set in a place and time far removed from the Germany of 1922, the year of the book's debut, the novel...

A new translation of this counterculture classic by David Horrocks. At first sight, Harry Haller seems like a respectable, educated man. In reality, he is the Steppenwolf—wild, strange, alienated from society, and repulsed by the modern age. But as he is drawn into a series of dreamlike and sometimes savage encounters—accompanied by, among others, Mozart, Goethe, and the bewitching Hermione—the...

The Glass Bead Game, Hermann Hesse's magnum opus, stands as a seminal work of twentieth-century literature. Set in the far-off future of the Twenty-Third century, within the secluded and serene Kingdom of Castalia, the narrative revolves around an intricate and highly intellectual pursuit known as the Glass Bead Game. This complex and sophisticated game synthesises all human knowledge, blending elements...

A gripping, vivid novel which brings to life Europe in the Middle Ages, in all its beauty and horror. One of Hermann Hesse's greatest novels, Narcissus and Goldmund is an extraordinary recreation of the Middle Ages, contrasting the careers of two friends. One of them shuns life in a monastery and goes on the road, entangled in the extremes of...

Enriched Classics offer readers accessible editions of great works of literature enhanced by helpful notes and commentary. Each book includes educational tools alongside the text, enabling students and readers alike to gain a deeper and more developed understanding of the writer and their work. This allegorical novel, set in sixth-century India around the time of the Buddha, follows a young...

This Faust-like and magical story of the humanisation of a middle-aged misanthrope was described in The New York Times as a 'savage indictment of bourgeois society'. However, as the author notes in this edition, Steppenwolf is a book that has been consistently misinterpreted. This self-portrait of a man who felt himself to be half-human and half-wolf can also be seen...

An inspirational classic from Nobel Prize-winner Hermann Hesse, Siddhartha is a beautiful tale of self-discovery. 'A subtle distillation of wisdom, stylistic grace and symmetry of form' - Sunday Times 'It's hard to think of a more recent novel that has sung so eloquently the joys of being alone' - Guardian Dissatisfied with the ways of life he has experienced, Siddhartha,...

90 classic titles celebrating 90 years of Penguin Books Of course, very few people go through the gate and abandon the beautiful phenomenon of the outside world for the interior reality that they intuit... A visitor to a zoo discovers he can understand the animals talking, a young man turns into a mountain, and a bird guides a boy to...

The novel that became the hip bible of Sixties counterculture 'The unhappiness that I need and long for . . . is of the kind that will let me suffer with eagerness and die with lust. That is the unhappiness, or happiness, that I am waiting for.' Alienated from society, Harry Haller is the Steppenwolf, wild, strange and shy. His...

Siddhartha is a gorgeous hardcover edition where you'll discover the timeless relevance of Hermann Hesse's masterwork alongside beautiful illustrations. Hermann Hesse's classic novel Siddhartha comes to you in this newly designed edition complete with full-colour illustration and a foil and debossed hardcover. In the journey, Siddhartha, living in ancient Nepal, rediscovers the illumination of travel, meditation, and the wisdom of...

A powerful new translation of Nobel Prize winner Hermann Hesse's masterpiece of youthful rebellion—with a foreword and cover art by James Franco. A Penguin Classic A young man awakens to selfhood and to a world of possibilities beyond the conventions of his upbringing in Nobel Prize winner Hermann Hesse's beloved novel Demian. Emil Sinclair is a quiet boy drawn into...

The classic literal-metaphorical journey – Guardian A classic meditation on artistic creation and the quest for spiritual transcendence from the Nobel Prize-winning author of Siddhartha In the aftermath of the Great War, a band of artists embarks on a journey traversing space and time. Each is on a different quest, but all are united in a vow of secrecy. Years...

Hermann Hesse's Narcissus and Goldmund is the story of a passionate yet uneasy friendship between two men of opposite character. Narcissus, an ascetic instructor at a cloister school, has devoted himself solely to scholarly and spiritual pursuits. One of his students is the sensual, restless Goldmund, who is immediately drawn to his teacher's fierce intellect and sense of discipline. When...

Siddhartha takes place in the ancient Indian kingdom of Kapilavastu and follows the spiritual journey of a man who embarks on a quest for enlightenment. Along the way, he becomes a wandering beggar, a rich businessman, a lover, a Buddhist convert, and, ultimately, a wise man. Hermann Hesse's most inspirational and beloved work, Siddhartha integrates Eastern and Western spirituality, psychology,...

Nobel Prize winner Hermann Hesse’s iconic countercultural novel about the search for authenticity in an inauthentic world, in a new translation. A Penguin Classic At first glance, Harry Haller seems like a respectable, educated man. In reality, he is the Steppenwolf: wild, strange, alienated from society, and repulsed by the modern age. But as he is drawn into a series...

This extremely beautiful novel has a ripeness and wisdom all too rare in modern literature — Telegraph There's a certain time in life when one needs to read Hesse — Jenny Erpenbeck With an introduction by Graham Coxon In a monastery in medieval Germany, brilliant, analytical monk Narcissus is drawn to his new student, the impulsive, charismatic Goldmund. Despite their...

Told in a simple mythical style, the story of Siddhartha is an inspirational classic by Hermann Hesse, winner of the Nobel Prize for Literature. Part of the Macmillan Collector's Library, a series of stunning, clothbound, pocket-sized classics with gold-foiled edges and ribbon markers. These beautiful books make perfect gifts or a treat for any book lover. This edition is translated...

Emil Sinclair is tormented by a constant battle between light and dark, purity and corruption, ignorance and knowledge. As a restless young man, he struggles to locate a path towards acceptance and serenity. Only under the friendship and guidance of the charismatic, otherworldly Max Demian does he discover an alternative way to think, and to live. Demian transforms a young...

One of America's Favourite Books, PBS's The Great American Read Nobel Prize-winning author - This classic of 20th-century literature chronicles the spiritual evolution of a man living in India at the time of the Buddha—a tale that has inspired generations of readers. Here is a fresh translation of the classic Hermann Hesse novel, from Sherab Chödzin Kohn—a gifted translator and...