Siddhartha

Rating:
Summary: A Beautiful Novel
Review: Hermann Hesse tracks Siddhartha, a Brahmin's faithful son, in his quest for spiritual fulfillment. How does one encounter the inner God? Siddhartha meets a variety of people, each with their own philosophies on reaching this spiritual fulfillment, this Nirvana. The most important lesson Siddhartha learns is that some things cannot be taught; only discovered.
The novel takes the reader to so many different locales that it could almost be considered an epic. The fact separating Siddhartha from the genre is the focus of the plot is not on epic happenings, but rather personal growth. Siddhartha attempts to discover many aspects of life such as business, love, and family. Siddhartha learns all the skills of the practical world, while seeking a skill that is not so applicable, the ability to reach inner peace.
Hilda Rosner's translation of Hesse's work captures the contrasting language of the novel. Descriptions are often curt, but the dialogue of the characters is as lyrical as a religious text. In effect, Rosner hints to the reader not to focus so much on the character's surroundings and actions, but on their thoughts and motives.
The search for sublime happiness and inner peace continues in many cultures while many more abandon it. Siddhartha argues that such satisfaction is personal in nature, and just as each human being is unique, so too is their method of finding enlightenment.

Rating:
Summary: Excellent book
Review: I'm rather surprised that there are no reviews for this book, which is a masterpiece of literature. I had to read this for my AP english class in high school about ten years ago, and i still remember the many great parts to this book. this book describes the life of the great Siddhartha and how he achieved enlightenment, becoming the great Buddha. there are beautiful imagery, my favorite being about the river and how it flows, and how life is like that river (sorry i dont remember the details of it, after all, i did read this ten years ago.)

Rating:
Summary: Siddhartha
Review: This is, in my opinion, one of the most beautiful books ever written; I couldn't put it down. This story follows the life of Siddhartha, the son of a respected Brahmin, who later becomes a Samana in hopes of finding his destiny; his perminent faith. He eventually realizes that locking himself into one religion will not bring him to happiness; to Utopia. Siddhartha has been the student of many teachers, and at first he believed in their teachings, but as he grew, as he discovered himself, he wanted to throw all of these false truths away (and succeeded after a long battle). He had always tried looking for the answers in other people; people he thought to be more wiser than him. But they were not wiser, more experienced, but not wiser. So Siddhartha sets out on his life's journey with one goal: to find Siddhartha. He meets Kamala (a beautiful courtesan) who teaches him of love and of giving. He is ward to Kamaswami, who teaches him business and profit and power, but the real Siddhartha only becomes more hidden; is only supressed deeper. Siddhartha becomes a rich man, with rich clothes and rich ways and rich speech, but he has forgotten simplicity and the beauty it posesses. He realizes what a fool he was to have that goal, that goal to find Siddhartha. Siddhartha was within him from the beginning, he was just looking too hard. He now has to look no more, he has already found himself, through all his foolish ways, his ascetism, his former wealth. Siddhartha is reborn.

Rating:
Summary: Siddhartha
Review: In the story Siddhartha writen by Hermann Hesse, the main character (Siddhartha) tries to find a way to be happy. He is very smart and talented, yet he never feels good inside. He is often sad and depressed. We believe that when you have an individual who is extremely gifted with insight, he will lead a lonely life. Siddhartha dedicates his whole life to try to find true happiness. Happiness that is pure and true. Yet on this adventure he finds only pain and distress. For he is so intelligent and wise that he tends to over examine things. He takes everything to a completely different level. He feels emotions very strongly and ponders on everything. However even though he does take emotions to the heart it is still hard for him to find and give love. He gives love physically to Kamala but he dose not love mentally till he encounters his son. All together there are three main scenes that show intelligent and gifted Siddhartha leads a lonely life. Those are the scene where Siddhartha leaves his father to join the Samana. The scene where he leaves Kamala, and the scene where he lets his son go. All the Scenes lead him into the conclusion of the story where he finds what he as been looking for, which is the greatest thing ever. Read this book to find out what that things is. I give you my word, you will not be disappointed.

Rating:
Summary: siddhartha review
Review: In the story Siddhartha writen by Hermann Hesse,the main character (Siddhartha) tries to find a way to be happy. He is very smart and talented, yet he never feels good inside. He is often sad and depressed. We believe that when you have an individual who is extremely gifted with insight, he will lead a lonely life. Siddhartha dedicates his whole life to try and find true happiness. Happiness that is pure and true. Yet on this adventure he finds only pain and distress. For he is so intelligent and wise that he tends to over examine things. He takes everything to a completely different level. He feels strong emotions and ponders everything.However even though he does take emotions to the heart it is still hard for him to find and give love. He gives love physically to Kamala but he does not love mentally till he encounters his son. All together there are three main scenes that show intelligent and gifted Siddhartha lead a lonely life. Those are the scene where Siddhartha leaves his father to join the Samana. The scene where he leaves Kamala, and the scene where he lets his son go. All the Scenes lead him into the conclusion of the story where he finds what he as been looking for, which is the greatest thing ever. Read this book to find out what that things is. I give you my word, you will not be disappointed.

Rating:
Summary: easy like sunday morning
Review: There's something about its mediocrity which makes it so good. It never tries too hard. It should be read in one day.

Rating:
Summary: Deceptively Simple and Stars
Review: Hesse knows Buddhism. I could say 'knew' but, as Siddhartha learns, there is no such thing as time. Hesse also knows how to write. The prose of the book is simple and direct, and though poetic in its own way, it does not rely on complex metaphor or construction to get its point across. And yet the book itself is a complex metaphor, a distillation of the principles of Buddhism and, to an extent, Hinduism through the story of Siddhartha, the young Bramin with a streak of Western individualism who wants to be truly free.

"Siddhartha" is a powerful statement about Buddhism, both in its reconstruction of Buddhist teachings and in its criticisms of those teachings. Anyone interested in Buddhism, Hesse, spirituality, individuality, or life and how to live it will surely enjoy this book. And yet all that I have said is water, as is "Siddhartha."

Rating:
Summary: deeply moving
Review: Hermann Hesse's Siddhartha is a profound novel telling story of a young Bramin who lived around 25 hundred years ago and was a contemporary of the Gotama Budda.
The first time I read this book was when I was studying in a University. I, being a Theravat buddist, was amazed at the level of understanding Hesse had about Buddism and eastern spiritual belief. The story led life of a young Bramin through the quest for eternal serenity. The holy quest gave Siddhartha chances to learn the world and meet people including the Budda himself.

Given that the book was written almost a hundred years ago, when the idea of eastern philosophy was almost no where to be found in the western world, I really have to say that Hesse had done an incredibly deep study on the topic. considering from the dialogue between the Budda and Siddhartha, I'd say that Hesse understood the thought of Budda better than most Buddist in Thailand. This book is outstanding.

Rating:
Summary: Restless Recollections
Review: There exists a space in which we find ourselves in deep contemplation over life and our destiny. It is at those moments when a book like Siddhartha can be meaningful without being invasive. The journey of a Brahmin's son and his childhood friend asks more questions than it answers.

What is the meaning to our existence and how do we find true joy? Siddhartha is outwardly content, yet in his heart there is no joy. This is not a matter of simply struggling over a current confusion, this is an internal struggle which seeks to destroy his very being, eating at his very life energy, consuming his waking hours. He is a seeker, insatiable, desiring his own sense of Nirvana.

At first he seeks to become a Samana and deny himself all worldly possessions and pleasures. "Siddhartha had one single goal-to become empty, to become empty of thirst, desire, dreams, pleasure and sorrow-to let the Self die."

After living a life in which he denies himself all pleasure, he longs for a life filled with pleasure and is satiated to the point of feeling sickened by lust and greed. Finally he finds his way to a river. The most beautiful section of this book is when Siddhartha listens to what the river is telling him.

"Have you learned from that secret from the river, that there is no such thing as time?"

"Yes...That the river is everywhere at the same time, at the source and at the mouth, at the waterfall, at the ferry, at the current, in the ocean and in the mountains, everywhere, and that the present only exists for it, not the shadow of the past, nor the shadow of the future."

Siddhartha almost gives his life to the water in his despair. However, the river becomes a source of inner reflection for him when he realizes his awakening is his path to wisdom. Even as I finished the story I wondered if Siddhartha had found the inner peace, or if he had just made a pact with his soul not to contemplate the mystery of the universe any further.

Even in the most difficult situations when God feels far away, He might just be letting us awaken to our own inner world. Waiting, loving us, waiting. Perhaps waiting for us to make the right decisions in life, to find our destiny. To find Him.

If you enjoy Siddhartha, you will love Of Marriageable Age by Sharon Maas. She mentions this book in her novel.

Rating:
Summary: awesome deep thinking book
Review: One of the best books I've ever read, next to Catcher in the Rye. Steppenwolf is on one of my next books list. I usually hate reading, but that was a great book because it dealt with the deeper meaning in life and made you think. It also made you realize how you can only be happy with simple things and with whatever makes YOU happy. It also deals with the fact that although there may be obstacles in your path, you must always follow your true destiny to uncover your Nirvana. 10/10!