1174. Siddhartha, by Hermann Hesse (read 29 Jul 1972) This was quite different but did not make me enamored of Indian philosophy. ( )

To some people this book, as I understand, could be life changing. This wasn't so for me because the Buddha is not my saviour. And if you take away that layer, which says 'this book is my all-time favourite because its story has the deepest impact possible on my life of all books out there', if you take away that, then this book's writing is about average. It doesn't have the best stuff in it. In fact sometimes I thought to myself that I'd much rather learn about what Siddartha was hearing, say, from listening to the river, than just knowing that he heard something life-changing and be left with just that bit. In many ways the book presented me very interesting and important observations, but it has left a lot of unsatisfactory holes and questions. It's a very good introductory book into Buddhism, but I suspect if I am genuinely interested in the subject I should pick up a real Buddhist philosophy book and start digging.

Comparisons that I drew with this book include one to The Alchemist, which, come to think of it, I'll need to put a little underneath Siddartha in terms of philosophical value, but The Alchemist was a bit more interesting to read I think. There's an element of Garcia Marquez in Siddartha as well, which I enjoyed. Anyhow the book is thin and very easy to read. It's the Buddhist stuff that's the hard part.

But I suppose I didn't like it as much as other people have, nor did I like it as much as I've for other books. ( )

everyone reads Sid. what's important is what cover you had and whether you chose to read any other Hesse or not. I did, and the choice lead to discovering a life-changing author. this however, is not his best it is simply a fairytale. something germans always dug. ( )

One of my all time favorite books. Very provocative yet peaceful. I introduced my daughter to Hesse and her feelings mirrored mine. ( )

Incredible little novel, which from an atheist's perspective appears to be a magical realist work without even trying. Apart from that, some fantastic insights are to be found here; one of which I am particularly fond is the one about knowledge being something that you can teach and communicate, but that cannot be said of true wisdom. ( )