Siddhartha

Rating:
Summary: Hesse is stronger on his own ground
Review: Having re-read Siddhartha recently, I am still of the opinion that Hesse is very much stronger on his own ground. This particular journey into Eastern literature and mysticism lacks a strong foundation and I do not feel that Hesse is comfortable at all on such distant terrain. Siddhartha is a lacklustre figure by comparison with his European models and I do not think that we (nor Hesse for that matter) can come away from the book with much sense of discovery. There should be the right kind of scene available here for Hesse to show us his ineffable poetic qualities. Somehow he misses the beat, I don't know why, and we are left with a sense of his not having quite established the meaning (that seems nonetheless, to be all around him), in a way for readers to understand. It may be that I fell in love with a Western Hesse too soon, which I did, but I do not see the magic, and certainly not the Hesse magic, in this, of all his novels.

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Summary: Best Book I've Ever Read
Review: I've read thousands of books with topics that span philosopy, religion, classic literature, bestsellers, etc. I spent 8 years of my career in publishing. This is without question, the greatest book I have ever read. It is the only book I have ever read twice. I'm jealous of people who have not yet read it, because the feeling one gets from reading it for the first time is similar to catching a first wave.

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Summary: It help you to understand more the reality of life...
Review: ...and all the inexplicables things of spiritual life, reality, the world, about you and the others,about the way you have to follow to understand the reality: to know God. In small words and, with a simplicity he make you learn how is the way of all the searchers. I guess this book is recommended for all people that has the small seed inside them, because make you feel that you are not alone. It make you be sure that is real "this" that you feel inside of you, and also that the best thing to do is to follow your feelings, because God is there talking to you.

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Summary: Educational aspects
Review: It is my opinion that not everything in life can be learned. This was evident in Siddhartha. He learns the knowledge offered him by teachers quickly, but after meeting Gotama he realizes that not all knowledge can be attained through teaching. There are things inside everyone that cannot be brought out through a teacher's words, and these things must be found by one's self. When Gotama tells of the suffering of the material world, Siddhartha must experience it to know it and believe it. So he goes to live with Kamala and the merchant. Soon he proves to himself that this life is indeed full of suffering and he reaches the point of suicide. At that very moment he hears within himself a sound that encourages him to move on and find what he has been seeking for so long, and that is a knowledge of himself.

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Summary: You Create Your Own Reality.
Review: (Sorry if this review is more about how the book changed my life than about the book itself.

I read this book during my senior year of high school, a time of depression and self-loathing because of the academic pressure and the time-consuming duty of being a editor-in-chielf of yearbook. From this book I learned about suffering and reality, that people either endure their unbearable situation or leave and create a better one. Well I did what Siddhartha has to end suffering: I dropped out of AP Chemistry and enrolled enrolled in a writing class and a social science class, classes that I wanted to be in in first place. Siddhartha starts his journey by leaving home. For me, to a lesser degree than Siddhartha, it was difficult to tell my chemistry teacher that I am not going to be in his class next term. Since I had dropped the class, I had a new look on life; my spirit was up, my heart beated normally again. It was as if a big, black cloud was lifted over me and I could look up and see the sky so clear and bright. The book's influence did not end there. Looking in my life I saw what I have wasted my time pursuing unessential things. Ever since I have returned to religion (which I had neglected for years), avoided eating meat (I'm not a complete vegetarian since I eat meat once or twice a week), I have accepted myself as who I am, I have become less materialistic (I refused to the mall when my parents ask me if I want to go). This is most favorite book.

My teacher said to me that I should read this book again after college and after any major turning points in my life because the book gives you a new perspective on life.

I do not claim that after reading this book people will have a life changing epiphany or go vegetarian, just that this book make you think about growing up and how you had to leave situations which caused you suffering--about your reality. The truth about reality is that you create your own reality.

Rating:
Summary: Hesse's Passion
Review: Hesse's Siddhartha has a unviersal theme that everyone can relate to. As a teenager, I felt extremely close to Siddhartha doing his time of rebellion. Hesse has done a wonderful job in creating a character and a story that is believable AND enjoying. Hesse's writing style is easy to understand and the text reads smoothly and quickly. Hesse obviously had a passion and true talent for writing that shows in his novels, especially Siddhartha.

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Summary: Breath of wisdom in the ignorant world
Review: In a society obsessed with the concrete heroism found only in action heroes, Siddhartha clears a path of quest for answers in a world where nothing seems to stand by itself anymore. A spiritual hero in quest for Selfhood, the son of Brahmin forsakes the luxuries and comfort of his home to join the wandering Samanas in the forest. Siddhartha's motive to abandon his familiar environment is his hunger for answers; instead of setting off to lead a glamorous life trimmed by fame and recognition so overstressed in the physical battle, Siddhartha willingly "become empty, become empty of thirst, desire, dreams, pleasure and sorrow-to let the Self die". Yet even Samanas' self-sacrificing ways can't satisfy Siddhartha's growing crave for wisdom that he leaves the Samanas to plunge into a new life of hallow desires. The unique nature of our protagonist is how he fights his inner Self by "fleeting from myself" to become himself. Yet the kind of wisdom Siddhartha yearns can only be found when he surrenders to Self and embraces what his nature fully encompasses. Having accomplished his spiritual hero deeds of fighting then becoming One with Self, Siddhartha is reborn through rising above the dark cluster of ignorance of his dissipate life to be enlightened under a mango tree. Only when he comes to reconciliation with his Self through acceptance of fate, does Siddhartha attains his wisdom after he yields to what destiny unfolds. What a fresh breeze it must be to be abandoned by the commonality of the material world only to be saved through the hell of unrest and discontent through the lessons of humanity: the pain of love, price of wisdom, and temptation of fear.

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Summary: Meaning of life
Review: Siddhartha to me has shown the path to find inner peace and meaning of life. In my mid 30's when I started thinking about the meaning of life, I accidentally picked up the book and started reading it. I was not enlightened (like Siddartha) but I learnt to live better. Now when my daughter wants to know what is the meaning of life, I feel confident when I answer her that there is no meaning. It is sad to see some of the reviewers bashing the book due to their limitations in understanding what Hesse was trying to convey.

Rating:
Summary: The road to self discovery..
Review: Sublime and poetic. Hesse's Siddhartha is not just the Buddha of ancient India but the individual who knowingly or not sets upon the inevitable road to self realization. The destiny of man that leads him to anticipation of a larger consciousness. Siddhartha in search of the supreme knowledge follows in the footsteps of numerous spiritual masters and walks the prescribed ways of ancient scriptures. And he grows out of the shadows of the teachers and their teachings to discover his own journey. And Hesse turns to the wisdom of ordinary life and the all important book of life. From the experiences of a life lived to the fullest Siddhartha reaches the peace and calm of mind and his understanding mingles with the timeless running waters of a stream.

Rating:
Summary: siddhartha gautama
Review: when my teahcer assigned us to read this book in two weeks i was like no way.but when i got to read it, it was very interesting.the story was good.but at times it was hard to understand what they were talking about, like that stone analogy.but it is a good book to read.it is interesting.i recommend this to everyone out there.