Steppenwolf

Altough slumpy and clunky at first, the book soon picks up pace and by adding new characters it makes you involved into it. The plot is one that has been met before, a lonely man that rejects the society around himself, but he starts to enjoy life and change when a woman appears in his life. Even if sometimes is got a bit too philosophical and complicated for it to be a light read, the book was fairly enjoyable, especially towards the end, when everything gets metaphorical and Hesse says its up to you to decide what the ending was. Could have been a five star if not for the slow start and some of the longer self analysis paragraphs.

A wonderful book about a journey in hell or a manual of how to face your “noche obscura”. The contrast between nihilism and emerging existentialism and the dialectical harmony between Continental philosophy (mostly Plato, Schopenhauer and Nietzsche) and Indian wisdom is superb. I almost feel skeptical towards the novels written today (which I usually enjoy) after reading this 1927 manifesto about the destruction and resurrection of Atman.

It was entertaining reading Herman's critique on 1920s European bourgeois decadence, spiritual atrophy and mechanisation. Its interesting to see reflections of this critique in other writers like Orwell, Chatwin and Lawrence, inviting wonder on the timeless effects of civilisation on humankind. This book gets pretty gnarly towards the end as our protagonist begins to enter into some abstract realms with strange characters. Overall I liked Hesse's self reflection and hypocrisy in Haller, but got a bit bored with the sections of prolonged dialogue and romantic tropes. But maybe I need to give this one another shot, perhaps reading Siddharta will contextualise me with Hesse's interests in spirituality, enriching my re-reading of this book.

Paquita Maria`s review summarises my opinion on this better than I ever could.

Not an ounce of inspiration or insight.

Diese Buch hat mir gezeigt daß meine Deutschkenntnisse im Oasch sind.


This book was pretty amazing but I honestly struggled with my own mother tongue. I think it's time I read more german written books.

Ein Buch, das zeigt, dass das Leben lebenswert ist.

We all look for book recommendations from myriad sources. Brett McKay and his Art of Manliness world served as the source for this recommendation. (Side note: If you're looking for a well-rounded list of 100 books, crossing genres and ranging classic to contemporary, McKay's 100 books that every man should read is a good list.)

Put differently, Steppenwolf is not a title I would likely have picked up on my own. Like most books, though, I find value in having read it.

Hesse's work with the duality of one's personality or, more aptly, the multiplicity of one's personality, was the highlight of this work. Who hasn't struggled with their identity, wondering which of numerous roles takes center stage? In my own life, am I a father? Husband? Entrepreneur? Professor? Researcher? The answer, generally, is “yes.” The deciding variable is where I find myself at any given moment.

Hesse deals more with our primal natures vs. our more refined, cultivated identities. That we have an introverted, more animalistic, almost visceral nature isn't exactly groundbreaking, but the character's turmoil over when and how to give that nature it's fair share is an interesting take.

I find myself deficient in my knowledge of European history between the world wars. Hesse works toward commentary on the bourgeois, and I'll admit that I'm missing something. That said, it's easy to pick up on the element of longing in the text. Haller's revulsion toward all things bourgeois is, at the same time, his (to himself) inexplicable inclination toward it. The protagonist sees no meaning in the mundane trivialities of the bourgeoisie, yet he is frustrated when an aimless railing against it offers no meaning. “Meaning,” then, is what we make of it, and Haller can't quite get to the realization that the bourgeoisie have made their own sufficient meaning of life. Seeing emptiness in all things breeds emptiness in oneself.

Though I am unaware of any direct influence, Haller's listlessness prior to meeting Hermine appears in a more modern tone in Richard Yates' Revolutionary Road. The Frank Wheeler character just knows he's meant for more, yet he finds that he's meant for exactly the reality that he creates. He longs for more than just middle class, yet as life goes on, one realizes he/she has built something pretty special in the carrying out of the day-to-day.

By the end of Steppenwolf, I find myself questioning the meaning of it, while at the same time satisfied with what I think its meaning is. Perhaps that's exactly Hesse's intent.

I had high hopes for this book. It was my best friend in high school's favorite and I had only heard positive things. The plot was pretty disjointed (having read other Hesse, I shouldn't have been surprised by this), but it was still pretty engaging. I think my main issue was I wanted to learn more about plotting from this book and realized very early on that is not where its strengths lie. Still a good read.

whew this was a trudge