The River Laughs

[dotinthesky]

Hermann Hesse, Siddhartha, 1922
This allegorical tale of a Brahmin's son who gives up everything in the search for his self is, in my opinion, one of the masterpieces of the 20th century. The story is short and clear, with one foot in Buddhism and another in Modernism. The first time I read this book (during one sitting in a Toronto cafe), I fell in love with it. Now, after reading it for the second time, I feel as if it will be the book I keep by my side, through out my life, for whenever I need to be comforted.

If you feel lost, depressed, unhappy or unsure about life in general, this book is worth a thousand self-help tomes injected into your blood.

Comments

[sushidog.livejournal.com]

Based on that recommendation, I've just ordered a copy!

[commonpeople.livejournal.com]

Cancel order! I can lend you mine! :-)

[sushidog.livejournal.com]

Aw, that's very kijnd of you! It's tyhe sort of book I probably ought to own though, and getting parcels from Play is always exciting. And it wasn't expensive! :-)

[commonpeople.livejournal.com]

Fair enough. It is definitely the kind of book you want to have a copy of your own. I hope you enjoy it (and I would love to hear what you think of it.)

[sallypointzero.livejournal.com]

I have run out the door and am currently rushing to a bookshop to buy it.

OK that was a lie, but I will do ASAP.

[commonpeople.livejournal.com]

I hope you enjoy it.

[commonpeople.livejournal.com]

I don't know about Steppenwolfe, but what I came away with from Siddhartha is that it's OK to be middle class. It's how you look at the world as a middle class person that makes a difference. Perhaps you weren't looking too closely at the baggage reclaim conveyor belt? ;-)

[blu-bear.livejournal.com]

Looks good. I may have to order one myself when I have some dosh heh.

[commonpeople.livejournal.com]

It's the kind of book that's easily found in second-hand bookstores, in case you are low on cash.

[theairwebreathe.livejournal.com]

oh, I love that book! I read it during the early part of highschool. One night I left it on the coffeetable and my stepfather got up in the middle of the night to let the dog out. He picked up the book just to kill time while the dog did her business and ended up reading the whole thing right then, in the middle of the night. The next morning we had a really enthusiastic conversation over breakfast. I think I'm going to go pick up another copy today and reread it, I haven't thought about it in years!

[commonpeople.livejournal.com]

I found this second time around that I was able to pick up on new things, perhaps which went over my head the first time I read it. I think it's one of those books that will keep giving and giving as I grow old.

[izzybees]

Grace just finished reading my copy and loved it. Next I hope she reads Narcissus and Goldmund.

[commonpeople.livejournal.com]

That's my next one too. Every time I read Hesse I ask myself why I'm not reading his stuff more often.

[woodsrule.livejournal.com]

I keep meaning to read Hesse - is this his best one do you reckon?

[commonpeople.livejournal.com]

He has many good ones. I think it varies between his fans which ones are the "best".

[desayuno-ingles.livejournal.com]

alright I´ll try it, but what happened to only reading portuguese for the next year? same as me not speaking english here?

[commonpeople.livejournal.com]

Yup!!! :-)

Plus, books in Portuguese are damn expensive here and I didn't want to bring many over then have to carry them back.

It will have to be a happy balance, as usual.

[desayuno-ingles.livejournal.com]

Blah, that sucks. No areas with lots of Brazilians and a library?

[commonpeople.livejournal.com]

The brasilians that are over here and not exactly the reading type. ;-)

[desayuno-ingles.livejournal.com]

awwww, sorry, ollie!

[commonpeople.livejournal.com]

It's ok. my friend bruno is going to send me books in exchange for DVDs. I'll work something out.

xoxoxo

[desayuno-ingles.livejournal.com]

oh, that´s fantastic. make him your intercontinental librarian, eh?

comforting

[(Anonymous)]

oi oliver! hmm, boa, vou procurar este livro. há alguns anos meu pai me presenteou com uma edição em espanhol (hein?), que eu não li, mas a tua descrição me assanhou! se é que esta palavra se aplica, rsrs. como estás?.. saudade. quando vier ao brasil vem me visitar no copan! beijo. paula.

Re: comforting

[commonpeople.livejournal.com]

Estou bem! Agora melhor depois de ler sua mensagem. Com certeza te visito ai no Copan quando estiver em Sao Paulo... estou com saudades e espero que tudo esteja bem com voce.

beijo.

[sublimevisions.livejournal.com]

siddhartha is such a wonderful tale :)
it opened many doors of which i'm only really starting to realise how great they are; even though i walked through them years ago.

kudos

[gorecky22.livejournal.com]

I've read it twice, too. But i don't like that book that much. I don't know why. Maybe 'cause I still prefer the "hard" Hesse on "Demian"...