100,000+ Books, Games & Puzzles in-stock πŸ‡³πŸ‡Ώ

Enjoy overnight NZ-wide delivery from our NZ-owned independent bookstore! πŸŽ‰

Narcissus and Goldmund

By Hermann Hesse
Series: Penguin Modern Classics
0.0 (0 reviews)
4.22 goodreads logo

Ratings/reviews counts are updated frequently.

Check link for latest rating. ( 70,722 ratings, 3,922 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
Narcissus and Goldmund by Hermann Hesse explores the contrasting lives of two men in medieval Europe. Narcissus is a disciplined, intellectually driven monk, while Goldmund is a free-spirited wanderer in pursuit of meaning through art and experience. Their different paths embody the duality of mind and heart, intellect and passion, as they both seek self-discovery and understanding.
Read More
Format: Paperback / softback
$2800
Buy to Win
Purchase this title for your chance to win a Penguin Classics Prize Pack!
AVAILABLE WITH SUPPLIER Ships from our Auckland warehouse within 4-6 weeks

Found a better price? Request a price match

Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

This book may appeal to you if you enjoy exploring the contrasting paths of intellectual and sensual pursuits. Set during the medieval period, it delves into the journey of two polar opposite characters, offering profound insights into the nature of friendship, spirituality, and self-discovery. Hermann Hesse's storytelling weaves rich philosophical themes with an evocative narrative that examines the essence of human desires and destiny.

Book Hero thinking about your next read

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

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 life in a world dominated by sin, plague, and war. The other stays in the monastery, struggling with equal difficulty, to lead a life of spiritual denial.

An superb feat of imagination, Narcissus and Goldmund can only be compared to such films set in medieval Europe as Bergman's The Seventh Seal and Tarkovsky's Andrei Rublev. It is a gripping, profound reading experienceβ€” as startling, in its different way, as Hesse's Siddhartha and Steppenwolf.

Series: Penguin Modern Classics

View all
  • East of Eden
    Set against the backdrop of the fertile Salinas Valley in California, East of Eden is a profound and compelling novel by John Steinbeck, one of the greatest writers of the 20th century. This masterful narrative charts the intertwining destinies of two familiesβ€”the Trasks and the Hamiltonsβ€”across multiple generations. Steinbeck's intricate portrayal of human nature and enduring exploration of moral themes...
    By John Steinbeck
    Paperback
    $2499
    Elsewhere:
    $2600
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • The Origins of Totalitarianism
    The Origins of Totalitarianism by Hannah Arendt is a seminal examination of the rise of totalitarianism in the 20th century. Through a profound and thorough analysis, Arendt explores the complex mechanisms and underpinnings that facilitated the emergence of totalitarian regimes, specifically delving into the horrors of Nazi Germany and Stalinist Soviet Union. Arendt masterfully dissects the various elements that contribute...
    By Hannah Arendt
    Paperback
    $2200
    Elsewhere:
    $2600
    (1)
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • The Grapes of Wrath
    The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck is a profound and evocative tale that captures the journey of the Joad family as they traverse the harsh landscapes of America during the Great Depression. As drought and economic hardship ravage their farming homeland in Oklahoma, the resilient Joads are driven from their beloved home and journey westward in a desperate bid...
    By John Steinbeck
    Paperback
    $2600
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • A Month in the Country
    A sensitive portrayal of the healing process that took place in the aftermath of the First World War, J.L. Carr's A Month in the Country includes an introduction by Penelope Fitzgerald, author of Offshore, in Penguin Modern Classics. A damaged survivor of the First World War, Tom Birkin finds refuge in the quiet village church of Oxgodby where he is...
    By J L Carr
    Paperback
    $1900
    Elsewhere:
    $2299
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • The Trouble With Being Born
    The Trouble With Being Born by E. M. Cioran is a deeply introspective and profoundly philosophical exploration of the human condition. The book navigates the bleak and often darkly comic territories of existence, examining fundamental questions such as birth, death, the concept of God, the relentless passage of time, the complexity of human relationships, and the daily struggle to find...
    By E. M. Cioran
    Paperback
    $2300
    Elsewhere:
    $2600
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • The Fountainhead
    The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand is a gripping narrative that revolves around the unwavering and fiercely independent architect, Howard Roark. Roark’s vision and uncompromising integrity lead him to clash with a conformist society that resists innovation and creativity. The novel intricately explores Roark's journey as he battles against traditional norms, challenges mediocrity, and strives to preserve his unique artistic vision...
    By Ayn Rand
    Paperback
    $2500
    Elsewhere:
    $2600
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • Storm of Steel
    Storm of Steel chronicles the harrowing experiences of Ernst JΓΌnger, a German officer during the First World War. From the moment he enters the trenches on the Western Front, JΓΌnger immerses readers in the brutal, relentless combat that defined an era. His narrative is a visceral journey through the realities of war: the brief moments of camaraderie, the relentless artillery...
    By Ernst Junger
    Paperback
    $2300
    Elsewhere:
    $2600
    Backorder
    Ships early September
  • On the Road
    "The most beautifully executed, the clearest and the most important utterance yet made by the generation Kerouac himself named years ago as 'beat.'" - The New York Times On the Road swings to the rhythms of 1950s underground America, jazz, sex, generosity, chill dawns, and drugs, with Sal Paradise and his hero Dean Moriarty, traveller and mystic, the living epitome...
    By Jack Kerouac
    Paperback
    $2300
    Elsewhere:
    $2600
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • The Haunting of Hill House
    The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson is an unparalleled classic in the genre of horror literature, weaving an atmosphere of dread and suspense that continues to captivate readers. The story follows four distinct characters brought together by a shared curiosity about the supernatural phenomena reported at the infamous Hill House. Dr. Montague, a determined and scholarly investigator of...
    By Shirley Jackson
    Paperback
    $2300
    Elsewhere:
    $2600
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • The Myth of Sisyphus
    The Myth of Sisyphus by Albert Camus explores one of the most profound philosophical questions: Is life worth living? Set against the tumultuous backdrop of the Second World War, Camus delves into the existential crisis faced by humanity, particularly the struggle to find meaning in a world devoid of higher purpose. Through a captivating blend of philosophical discourse and literary...
    By Albert Camus
    Paperback
    $2700
    Elsewhere:
    $3000
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • The Fire Next Time
    The Fire Next Time by James Baldwin is a seminal work that offers a profound and personal exploration of race relations in America. Structured as two poignant letters, Baldwin addresses his 14-year-old nephew on the one hand, and on the other, an open letter to his fellow countrymen. Through these missives, Baldwin intimately reflects on his experiences growing up in...
    By James Baldwin
    Paperback
    $2299
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • Steppenwolf
    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 Steppenwolfβ€”wild, strange, alienated from society, and repulsed by the modern age. But as he is drawn into a series of dreamlike and sometimes savage encountersβ€”accompanied by, among others, Mozart, Goethe, and the bewitching Hermioneβ€”the...
    By Hermann Hesse
    Paperback
    $2600
    Backorder
    Ships mid September

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

Narcissus and Goldmund by Hermann Hesse is esteemed as one of his masterpieces, celebrated for its exploration of contrasting lifestyles. Set in a medieval monastery, it follows Goldmund's journey from cloistered monkhood to a life rich with worldly experiences and indulgence in desires, before finding a deeper understanding through art. The novel is acclaimed for its profound themes and narrative, making it an essential read in literary circles.

Book Hero reading reviews

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9780141984612

Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 06 April 2017

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Penguin Classics

Audience: General / adult, Tertiary education, Professional and scholarly

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 20.0mm

Width: 128.0mm

Height: 198.0mm

Weight: 237g

Pages: 320

Collections

Classic Fiction Classic General Fiction Fiction General Fiction Hermann Hesse Literary Fiction Penguin Books Penguin Classics Series: Penguin Modern Classics

About the Author

Hermann Hesse was born in Calw, Germany, in 1877. After a short period at a seminary he moved to Switzerland to work as a bookseller. During the First World War he worked for the Red Cross. His later novels - most importantly Siddhartha (1922), Steppenwolf (1927), Narcissus und Goldmund (1930) and The Glass Bead Game (1943) - and his poems and critical essays established him as one of the towering literary figures of the German-speaking world. He won many literary awards including the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1946. Hermann Hesse died in 1962.

Also by Hermann Hesse

View all
  • Siddhartha
    The classic novel of a quest for knowledge that has delighted, inspired, and influenced generations of readers, writers, and thinkersβ€”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...
    By Hermann Hesse
    Paperback
    $1700
    Elsewhere:
    $1999
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • Steppenwolf
    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 Steppenwolfβ€”wild, strange, alienated from society, and repulsed by the modern age. But as he is drawn into a series of dreamlike and sometimes savage encountersβ€”accompanied by, among others, Mozart, Goethe, and the bewitching Hermioneβ€”the...
    By Hermann Hesse
    Paperback
    $2600
    Backorder
    Ships mid September
  • The Glass Bead Game
    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...
    By Hermann Hesse
    Paperback
    $2700
    Elsewhere:
    $3000
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks
  • Siddhartha
    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...
    By Hermann Hesse
    Paperback
    $1900
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • Steppenwolf: Popular Penguins
    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...
    By Hesse Hermann and Hermann Hesse
    Paperback
    $1599
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • Siddhartha
    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,...
    By Hermann Hesse
    Paperback
    $2799
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • Strange News from Another Planet
    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...
    By Hermann Hesse
    Paperback
    $1799
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks
  • Steppenwolf
    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...
    By Hermann Hesse
    Paperback
    $2400
    Elsewhere:
    $2600
    Backorder
    Ships late August
  • Demian
    Demian
    A powerful new translation of Nobel Prize winner Hermann Hesse's masterpiece of youthful rebellionβ€”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...
    By Hermann Hesse
    Paperback
    $4600
    Available
    Ships in 2-3 weeks
  • The Journey to the East
    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...
    By Hermann Hesse
    Paperback
    $2799
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks
  • Narcissus and Goldmund
    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...
    By Hermann Hesse
    Paperback
    $5500
    Available
    Ships in 2-3 weeks
  • Siddhartha (Warbler Classics Annotated Edition)
    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,...
    By Hermann Hesse
    Paperback
    $3700
    Available
    Ships in 2-3 weeks

More from General Fiction

View all
  • The Wedding People
    'BEST READ OF THE YEAR SO FAR' THE TIMES 'BOOKS AS FUN AS THIS ONE ARE FEW AND FAR BETWEEN' GUARDIAN Phoebe Stone arrives at a grand beachside hotel in Rhode Island wearing her best dress and least comfortable shoes. Immediately she is mistaken for one of the wedding people β€” but she's actually the only guest at the Cornwall...
    By Alison Espach
    Paperback
    $2399
    Elsewhere:
    $2799
    (3)
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • Throne of Glass Box Set (Paperback)
    Enter the realm. Unleash the darkness. Live the legend. Discover the worldwide phenomenon of the #1 New York Times-bestselling Throne of Glass series in this gorgeous 8-book box set! In a land without magic, an assassin is summoned to the castle. She has no love for the vicious king who rules from his throne of glass, but she has not...
    By Sarah J. Maas
    Set
    $12400
    Elsewhere:
    $15500
    (6)
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • The Goal
    Welcome to Briar U!Get ready for your newest obsession . . . Discover the addictive world of the Off-Campus series from The Queen of Hockey Romance, Elle Kennedy!Read The Goal now for the perfect forced proximity romance! She's good at achieving her goals . . . College senior Sabrina James has her whole future planned out: graduate from college, kick...
    By Elle Kennedy
    Paperback
    $2499
    Elsewhere:
    $2799
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • Red Rising
    The first book in the incredible New York Times bestselling series Darrow is a Helldiver, toiling beneath the surface of Mars. As a member of the Red caste, he performs grueling labor in the belief that his sacrifice will enable future generations to one day inhabit the surface of the Red Planet. The Reds are humankind's lowest caste, living in...
    By Pierce Brown
    Paperback
    $2200
    Elsewhere:
    $2799
    (1)
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • New Release
    The Ballad of Falling Dragons [Special Deluxe edition]
    The No.1 Sunday Times bestselling sensation When the Moon Hatched continues with the second book in The Moonfall Series, The Ballad of Falling Dragons… Raeve’s thirst for vengeance continues to burn, as does her love for Kaan Vaegor – a staunch beacon from a past she’s yet to face. With Rekk’s blood still fresh on her hands, she learns the...
    By Sarah A. Parker
    Hardback
    $5999
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • Carl's Doomsday Scenario
    Join Carl and his ex-girlfriend's cat Princess Donut as they fight fantastical creatures and deadly mobs in the second book in the smash-hit Dungeon Crawler Carl series -now with bonus material exclusive to the print edition Now on the third floor, Carl and Donut have to fight harder than ever. They've already proven that a Coast Guard vet and once-and-forever...
    By Matt Dinniman
    Hardback
    $4699
    Elsewhere:
    $6000
    (1)
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • The Score
    Welcome to Briar U! Get ready for your newest obsession... Discover the addictive world of the Off-Campus series from The Queen of Hockey Romance, Elle Kennedy! Read The Score now for the perfect friends with benefits romance! He knows how to score, on and off the ice... Allie Hayes is in crisis mode. With graduation looming, she still doesn't have...
    By Elle Kennedy
    Paperback
    $2499
    Elsewhere:
    $2799
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • Golden Son
    ENDER'S GAME meets THE HUNGER GAMES in this, the second in an extraordinary trilogy from an incredible new voice.'I'm still playing games. This is just the deadliest yet.' Darrow is a rebel forged by tragedy. For years he and his fellow Reds worked the mines, toiling to make the surface of Mars inhabitable. They were, they believed, mankind's last hope....
    By Pierce Brown
    Paperback
    $2400
    Elsewhere:
    $2799
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • Dylan's Pick Dylan's Pick
    Theo of Golden
    THE INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLING PHENOMENON'For anything to be truly good, there must be love in it. Nothing is what it's supposed to be if love is not at the core.' One morning, a stranger arrives in the town of Golden. No one knows who he is or where he came from…His name is Theo and he's arrived there by chance –...
    By Allen Levi
    Paperback
    $2899
    Elsewhere:
    $3499
    (5)
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • Project Hail Mary
    Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir, the SUNDAY TIMES and NEW YORK TIMES bestselling author of The Martian, offers a gripping new adventure in hard science fiction. With endorsement from notable figures such as Barack Obama and a slew of five-star reviews, this novel promises a thrilling and intellectually stimulating journey. Ryland Grace, a lone astronaut, finds himself on a...
    By Andy Weir
    Paperback
    $2399
    Elsewhere:
    $2400
    (4)
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • New Release
    On Mystic Lake
    One of the greatest storytellers of our time - Delia Owens, author of Where the Crawdads Sing Annie Colwater's only child has just left home for school in England. On that same day, her husband of twenty years confesses that he's in love with a younger woman. Left alone in the beautiful California house which was once a home, Annie...
    By Kristin Hannah
    Paperback
    $3100
    Elsewhere:
    $3800
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • East of Eden
    Set against the backdrop of the fertile Salinas Valley in California, East of Eden is a profound and compelling novel by John Steinbeck, one of the greatest writers of the 20th century. This masterful narrative charts the intertwining destinies of two familiesβ€”the Trasks and the Hamiltonsβ€”across multiple generations. Steinbeck's intricate portrayal of human nature and enduring exploration of moral themes...
    By John Steinbeck
    Paperback
    $2499
    Elsewhere:
    $2600
    In Stock
    Ships today

Why buy from us?

Book Hero is not a chain store or big box retailer. We're an independent 100% NZ-owned business on a mission to help more Kiwis rediscover a love of books and reading!

Service & Delivery

Service & Delivery

Our warehouse in Auckland holds over 100,000 books, toys, board games and puzzles in-stock so you're not waiting for your order to arrive from overseas.

Auckland Bookstore

Auckland Bookstore

We're primarily an online store, but for your convenience you can pick up your order for free from our bookstore, which is right next door to our warehouse in Hobsonville.

Our Gifting Service

Our Gifting Service

Books make wonderful thoughtful gifts and we're here to help with gift-wrapping and cards. We can even send your gift directly to your loved one.

General Fiction lists from the team

Explore our curated lists from our heroes to find your next read!

The Latest at Book Hero

View all