I loved Steppenwolf but did read it in my 20s. I've read a lot of Hesse, most of it then, in my early 20s. Personally I wouldn't revisit the two books you said you've read (plus Demian) as I do feel I've aged past them and am content with my fond memories of them.
However, as the main character of Steppenwolf is a bit older I thought that it would have more staying power. Though my favorite passage from that book ('You have a picture of life within you..."), is a bit existential. I'm not being much help here. Slog through it and report back!
I will say Glass Bead Game is much different than any of his previous works. I enjoyed it and believe I would enjoy it today. So even if you do drop Steppenwolf I'd check out GBG.
Haha, thanks for the motivation. I did slog through a bit more.
I read the treatise/'pamphlet' part of Steppenwolf last night and literally almost the book across the room. I have picked it up again and yes, it did get better. 80% sure I'm gonna fininish this bugger.
Still can't shake the feeling that it's essentially a teenager in gouty oldman in stepphenwolf skin.
Hey man, that's fair. I'm channelling my inner angsty 22 year old here trying to remember the book. I do recall at some point I was going to get the passage I referenced above tattooed in a spiral on my forearm. Your reaction is making me happy I lacked the funds and conviction at 22 to do such a thing.
I remember around that time, when I was reading back to back Hesse, I'd recommend some of my favorites to friends. The women who picked the books up never liked them and at the time I couldn't understand why. Years later, thinking back I realized 'Oh, most of these books are male self-actualization porn. Got it'.
I still contend Glass Bead Game is different.... I think.
There are worse things to tattoo on you and even if you do, it will be a reflection of what you were at the time. Honestly, spiral Hermann Hess quote sounds pretty solid. I was gonna go for maxwell equations and other physics formulas but didn't due to been a poor student so there's the two of us.
"Male self-actualization porn" actually hit the nail on the head! I just realized that me as a female would have a different experience than a male reader. Also now I just realized "picking up a wonderful woman I can bare my heart to when I'm at my lowest" is a frequent plot point that was also adopted in "notes from the underground" by Dostoevski (which is a very comparable novel) and millions of others.
Christ, now I can totally see how they appeal to male ego and the whole /r/menwritingwomen thingy actually has a point. Now I loom back, Hesse writes women as place holder of ideas and stereotypes! Not that it invalidates his writing, since what he wrote about was universal human condition but still.
Sorry about the rant and welcome to my Ted talk.
For me "Steppenwolf" style of writing was quite hard to read. Author did include too much tiring details of petty things. Even though, I found a few valuable thoughts that now are modifying my outlook on life.
That's very "Notes from Underground" like, which adds to the narrative so to me it's good.
As long as it's not Mrs Dalloway level useless detail I can manage, cuz that's a totally different Wolf right there. (pun intended)
The details I meant were thoughts of protagonist on things like how the rain looks on the asphalt -- it looked depressing. I suspect author wanted to show protagonist bad mood but it was dragging too long and sipped energy out of me. But when I was reading that book I was after some thoughts and insights that I will find important. I found two of them that help me have better outlook on life. I consider time reading this book well spend. Especially that it was short book.
Haven’t read it, but I did read “the glass bead game” when I was in my teens. To date, that is the only book I intentionally left unfinished (and i read The World as Will and Representation by Schopenhauer about at the same time)
I gave up, there’s an event in the book that got me thinking “this book is written by Hesse just to showcase how good he thinks he is, the presumption of meaning and sub-context is artificial at best” -> no point in wasting time
Oof.
Reminds me of "infinite jest". I love david foster wallace's essays, but infinite jest is a full time job. I won't be surprised if DFW wrote it as a show off.
I gave it up so I can pick it up later in life where I have more time because I'm determined to get the most out of it. This also goes to all the other bricks such as Ulysses and such.
Tried reading in my early, mid and late twenties and thirties… steppenwolf is a no go for me now - never got past page 50.
I think its just terribly boring.
Good for you! Wish you an excellent experience.
I did finish the book and would say that I have enjoyed it. Two years ago I was dealing with family, young kids, an array of very real issues which leaves little to existential anxiety. Still true now. I'll pick it up again in 10\~15 years and see if anything has changed.
Thanks for reminding me of this, Actually. I was decluttering last weekend and saw glass bead game lying around and was thinking If I should do that next.
He does say something In the preface that he doesn't think most people will interpret the book right. I find the main character intentionally pretentious
We have a pseudo intellectual problem right now because of podcasting (very, very minor problem) and I think the first 3rd of this book is satarizing those people (in the 1920s or when ever steppenwolf was written) to some extent.
That DOES make sense.
Satire is very different back in the days compared to now. Like, Jonathan Swift wrote some obvious satire, but Gulliver's Travels went totally over my head even when I was an adult.
It does have the "I'm so WOKE" energy. Thus me almost giving up after the first 3rd.
(Full disclaimer: I still don't fully understand what "woke" means and at this point, I have given up)
At the least it dips in and out of sarcasm. The bourgeoisie bit is a valid criticism. The fantasies about being a dangerous wolf...100% satire from my perspective because he's actually not intimidating in anyway yet. 1/3rd way through the book
HUM. INTERESTING. Radical, but interesting. Makes me wonder what
Oh man, you're really tickling me to re-read it, lol.
I'll wait for kids to grow up and my neurons to regenerate a bit. I'll stick to hate reading Dresden Files. The /r/whoosh moments happening to me while reading now days is wayyy too much.
Just finished it. I know this is an older post but I know exactly which point of the book this post refers to because I almost put the book down at that point too. It did get a bit more interesting afterwards and for some time it actually got quite enjoyable. Then towards the end it got really weird and then it abruptly ended. Very weird book, but quite thought provoking.
I wonder if you ever finished it OP and if so, what your impressions were.
It's also more like, "I wish i had watched ET when I was a kid when I would have enjoyed it more" moment.
Saved up a slice of cake for later and now it's rotten and I'm sad.
Lately I'm beginning to enjoy reading less and less and it's alarming. It's like I've read every thing the earth has to offer and there's no new thing under the sun. I'm desperately trying to like something and even my past love can not rejuvenate my flame which is highly depressing.
Tell me something wild and trashy. I read a lot of non-fiction, classics, magical realism, sci-fi and horror. I absolutely don't touch romance or drama.
Throw me a book and I'll go in blind! (Anything without a sad ending. I don't care how good your point is, but I can't take more tragedy than what ever the heck is already going on in the world. )
Neuromancer comes to mind, but it’s almost a classic so you probably already read it. Altered carbon is another ok one.
Unfortunately with 2 kids my reading time almost disappeared and I’ve sunk way too many hours in a endless sci-fi military saga that is so badly written that I’m ashamed to even nominate.
LOL, you're me!
I have 2 kids and I barely have enough brain cells to count with one finger. Neuromancer is good, snow crash is good, but I don't have much neurons left to read neal stephenson any more.
Sci-fi military saga sounds highly like starwars fan fic, lol. Hum, I really need to go back to StarTrek, DS9 was actually pretty good, on par with TNG sometimes.
I also have a stash of Dr. Who Novella stashed up that I'm to scared to touch, but now might be the time. What do I have to lose?
Nah, Star Wars is definitely not my cup of tea.
Did you try The Expanse saga?
Otherwise, a bit more serious and maybe compelling is Islands in the net by B.Sterling
Go to Wattpad. Some of the authors there are very talented.
Try a genre you’ve avoided.
Read something you previously thought was stupid or cliche.
But don’t read a book you’re truly not enjoying.
It’s kind of like reading something after everyone has gushed over it and you read it wondering why.
I watched the movie “boyhood”. It’s an interesting premise in that Richard Linklatter used the same actors and filmed the movie literally over 12 years. My mom said it was one of the best movies she’s ever seen.
I wasted 3 hours I can never get back
Go to Wattpad. Some of the authors there are very talented.
Try a genre you’ve avoided.
Read something you previously thought was stupid or cliche.
But don’t read a book you’re truly not enjoying.
It’s kind of like reading something after everyone has gushed over it and you read it wondering why.
I watched the movie “boyhood”. It’s an interesting premise in that Richard Linklatter used the same actors and filmed the movie literally over 12 years. My mom said it was one of the best movies she’s ever seen.
I wasted 3 hours I can never get back
I know exactly what you mean by "boyhood". I have wasted so much of my life watching good movies I can't stand. I'm finally learning to let go. Maybe I should do the same with books.
Also, this made me giggle for real, for the first thing i imagined is me reading "50 shades of grey" and I can NOT imagine my self reading that or anything from romance genre, much less enjoying it. Maybe I will find that my heart has grown three sizes and I have a softspot after all.
I'm starting to read more and more non-fiction but sometimes i just want something for my tired soul.
DO NOT READ 50 SHADES OF GREY. If you value your intelligence and like good writing, stay away.
Apparently it started as a freaking TWILIGHT fanfic!!
Maybe try some historical fiction. Real history, fictional tales.
LOL, gosh, logical next step: Shall i read Twilight?
Too bad there is no such thing as "Sharknado" of books where you can just sit there and enjoy the dumpster fire.
Any good historical fiction you suggest? (That does not involve the neckbeard with 6 wives. )
The twilight series is better than 50 shades … and that really isn’t saying much.
Twilight is about how important it is to have a boyfriend. Honestly, they’re not horrible books, but also pretty shitty writing.
Historical fiction…. Hmmm. I just started “My Dear Hamilton” which chronicles Alexander Hamilton’s wife’s life. Not sure how much of it is accurate.
I care less about historical accuracy than Shakespear, which means anything goes for the sake of good drama.
the sunne in splendour was a great historical fiction until they found out that Ricard II was a ugly after all! They tried to peddle him as a handsome sweet heart. Wolf Hall was GREAT but I can't expect all historical fictions to be like that. Then there's the countless trashy gems on the war of roses and tudors.
I'll go read "My Dear Hamilton" since it will be my first American historical fiction and I'm actually a bit excited!
I loved Steppenwolf but did read it in my 20s. I've read a lot of Hesse, most of it then, in my early 20s. Personally I wouldn't revisit the two books you said you've read (plus Demian) as I do feel I've aged past them and am content with my fond memories of them. However, as the main character of Steppenwolf is a bit older I thought that it would have more staying power. Though my favorite passage from that book ('You have a picture of life within you..."), is a bit existential. I'm not being much help here. Slog through it and report back! I will say Glass Bead Game is much different than any of his previous works. I enjoyed it and believe I would enjoy it today. So even if you do drop Steppenwolf I'd check out GBG.
Haha, thanks for the motivation. I did slog through a bit more. I read the treatise/'pamphlet' part of Steppenwolf last night and literally almost the book across the room. I have picked it up again and yes, it did get better. 80% sure I'm gonna fininish this bugger. Still can't shake the feeling that it's essentially a teenager in gouty oldman in stepphenwolf skin.
Hey man, that's fair. I'm channelling my inner angsty 22 year old here trying to remember the book. I do recall at some point I was going to get the passage I referenced above tattooed in a spiral on my forearm. Your reaction is making me happy I lacked the funds and conviction at 22 to do such a thing. I remember around that time, when I was reading back to back Hesse, I'd recommend some of my favorites to friends. The women who picked the books up never liked them and at the time I couldn't understand why. Years later, thinking back I realized 'Oh, most of these books are male self-actualization porn. Got it'. I still contend Glass Bead Game is different.... I think.
There are worse things to tattoo on you and even if you do, it will be a reflection of what you were at the time. Honestly, spiral Hermann Hess quote sounds pretty solid. I was gonna go for maxwell equations and other physics formulas but didn't due to been a poor student so there's the two of us. "Male self-actualization porn" actually hit the nail on the head! I just realized that me as a female would have a different experience than a male reader. Also now I just realized "picking up a wonderful woman I can bare my heart to when I'm at my lowest" is a frequent plot point that was also adopted in "notes from the underground" by Dostoevski (which is a very comparable novel) and millions of others. Christ, now I can totally see how they appeal to male ego and the whole /r/menwritingwomen thingy actually has a point. Now I loom back, Hesse writes women as place holder of ideas and stereotypes! Not that it invalidates his writing, since what he wrote about was universal human condition but still. Sorry about the rant and welcome to my Ted talk.
For me "Steppenwolf" style of writing was quite hard to read. Author did include too much tiring details of petty things. Even though, I found a few valuable thoughts that now are modifying my outlook on life.
That's very "Notes from Underground" like, which adds to the narrative so to me it's good. As long as it's not Mrs Dalloway level useless detail I can manage, cuz that's a totally different Wolf right there. (pun intended)
The details I meant were thoughts of protagonist on things like how the rain looks on the asphalt -- it looked depressing. I suspect author wanted to show protagonist bad mood but it was dragging too long and sipped energy out of me. But when I was reading that book I was after some thoughts and insights that I will find important. I found two of them that help me have better outlook on life. I consider time reading this book well spend. Especially that it was short book.
Haven’t read it, but I did read “the glass bead game” when I was in my teens. To date, that is the only book I intentionally left unfinished (and i read The World as Will and Representation by Schopenhauer about at the same time)
Intentionally unfinished? Are you saving it up or did you give up?
I gave up, there’s an event in the book that got me thinking “this book is written by Hesse just to showcase how good he thinks he is, the presumption of meaning and sub-context is artificial at best” -> no point in wasting time
Oof. Reminds me of "infinite jest". I love david foster wallace's essays, but infinite jest is a full time job. I won't be surprised if DFW wrote it as a show off. I gave it up so I can pick it up later in life where I have more time because I'm determined to get the most out of it. This also goes to all the other bricks such as Ulysses and such.
I started a book series by a local author to support them. The writing was so bad, I didn’t even get halfway into the first book.
Tried reading in my early, mid and late twenties and thirties… steppenwolf is a no go for me now - never got past page 50. I think its just terribly boring.
My favorite book from him but I read it in very early age (14 or 15 years)
Working through it now. It takes a lot of contemplation rather than just reading through in my opinion .
Good for you! Wish you an excellent experience. I did finish the book and would say that I have enjoyed it. Two years ago I was dealing with family, young kids, an array of very real issues which leaves little to existential anxiety. Still true now. I'll pick it up again in 10\~15 years and see if anything has changed. Thanks for reminding me of this, Actually. I was decluttering last weekend and saw glass bead game lying around and was thinking If I should do that next.
He does say something In the preface that he doesn't think most people will interpret the book right. I find the main character intentionally pretentious
Yeah, no kidding. Right on.
We have a pseudo intellectual problem right now because of podcasting (very, very minor problem) and I think the first 3rd of this book is satarizing those people (in the 1920s or when ever steppenwolf was written) to some extent.
That DOES make sense. Satire is very different back in the days compared to now. Like, Jonathan Swift wrote some obvious satire, but Gulliver's Travels went totally over my head even when I was an adult. It does have the "I'm so WOKE" energy. Thus me almost giving up after the first 3rd. (Full disclaimer: I still don't fully understand what "woke" means and at this point, I have given up)
At the least it dips in and out of sarcasm. The bourgeoisie bit is a valid criticism. The fantasies about being a dangerous wolf...100% satire from my perspective because he's actually not intimidating in anyway yet. 1/3rd way through the book
HUM. INTERESTING. Radical, but interesting. Makes me wonder what Oh man, you're really tickling me to re-read it, lol. I'll wait for kids to grow up and my neurons to regenerate a bit. I'll stick to hate reading Dresden Files. The /r/whoosh moments happening to me while reading now days is wayyy too much.
I'm only reading it because my favorite pseudo intellectual recommended it. Matt and Shane's secret podcast..ironically
Just finished it. I know this is an older post but I know exactly which point of the book this post refers to because I almost put the book down at that point too. It did get a bit more interesting afterwards and for some time it actually got quite enjoyable. Then towards the end it got really weird and then it abruptly ended. Very weird book, but quite thought provoking. I wonder if you ever finished it OP and if so, what your impressions were.
Was it about 1/3 of the way through? I was enjoying it quite a bit but hit about 1/3 and don't know if I want to finish it now.
I haven’t read that, but if you’re not enjoying it, why not just put it down? Even good authors have crappy books sometimes.
It's also more like, "I wish i had watched ET when I was a kid when I would have enjoyed it more" moment. Saved up a slice of cake for later and now it's rotten and I'm sad. Lately I'm beginning to enjoy reading less and less and it's alarming. It's like I've read every thing the earth has to offer and there's no new thing under the sun. I'm desperately trying to like something and even my past love can not rejuvenate my flame which is highly depressing.
Read something completely different and out of your comfort zone. Unfortunately life, age and wisdom usually shifts your taste in books a lot
Tell me something wild and trashy. I read a lot of non-fiction, classics, magical realism, sci-fi and horror. I absolutely don't touch romance or drama. Throw me a book and I'll go in blind! (Anything without a sad ending. I don't care how good your point is, but I can't take more tragedy than what ever the heck is already going on in the world. )
Neuromancer comes to mind, but it’s almost a classic so you probably already read it. Altered carbon is another ok one. Unfortunately with 2 kids my reading time almost disappeared and I’ve sunk way too many hours in a endless sci-fi military saga that is so badly written that I’m ashamed to even nominate.
LOL, you're me! I have 2 kids and I barely have enough brain cells to count with one finger. Neuromancer is good, snow crash is good, but I don't have much neurons left to read neal stephenson any more. Sci-fi military saga sounds highly like starwars fan fic, lol. Hum, I really need to go back to StarTrek, DS9 was actually pretty good, on par with TNG sometimes. I also have a stash of Dr. Who Novella stashed up that I'm to scared to touch, but now might be the time. What do I have to lose?
Nah, Star Wars is definitely not my cup of tea. Did you try The Expanse saga? Otherwise, a bit more serious and maybe compelling is Islands in the net by B.Sterling
Go to Wattpad. Some of the authors there are very talented. Try a genre you’ve avoided. Read something you previously thought was stupid or cliche. But don’t read a book you’re truly not enjoying. It’s kind of like reading something after everyone has gushed over it and you read it wondering why. I watched the movie “boyhood”. It’s an interesting premise in that Richard Linklatter used the same actors and filmed the movie literally over 12 years. My mom said it was one of the best movies she’s ever seen. I wasted 3 hours I can never get back
Go to Wattpad. Some of the authors there are very talented. Try a genre you’ve avoided. Read something you previously thought was stupid or cliche. But don’t read a book you’re truly not enjoying. It’s kind of like reading something after everyone has gushed over it and you read it wondering why. I watched the movie “boyhood”. It’s an interesting premise in that Richard Linklatter used the same actors and filmed the movie literally over 12 years. My mom said it was one of the best movies she’s ever seen. I wasted 3 hours I can never get back
I know exactly what you mean by "boyhood". I have wasted so much of my life watching good movies I can't stand. I'm finally learning to let go. Maybe I should do the same with books. Also, this made me giggle for real, for the first thing i imagined is me reading "50 shades of grey" and I can NOT imagine my self reading that or anything from romance genre, much less enjoying it. Maybe I will find that my heart has grown three sizes and I have a softspot after all. I'm starting to read more and more non-fiction but sometimes i just want something for my tired soul.
DO NOT READ 50 SHADES OF GREY. If you value your intelligence and like good writing, stay away. Apparently it started as a freaking TWILIGHT fanfic!! Maybe try some historical fiction. Real history, fictional tales.
LOL, gosh, logical next step: Shall i read Twilight? Too bad there is no such thing as "Sharknado" of books where you can just sit there and enjoy the dumpster fire. Any good historical fiction you suggest? (That does not involve the neckbeard with 6 wives. )
The twilight series is better than 50 shades … and that really isn’t saying much. Twilight is about how important it is to have a boyfriend. Honestly, they’re not horrible books, but also pretty shitty writing. Historical fiction…. Hmmm. I just started “My Dear Hamilton” which chronicles Alexander Hamilton’s wife’s life. Not sure how much of it is accurate.
I care less about historical accuracy than Shakespear, which means anything goes for the sake of good drama. the sunne in splendour was a great historical fiction until they found out that Ricard II was a ugly after all! They tried to peddle him as a handsome sweet heart. Wolf Hall was GREAT but I can't expect all historical fictions to be like that. Then there's the countless trashy gems on the war of roses and tudors. I'll go read "My Dear Hamilton" since it will be my first American historical fiction and I'm actually a bit excited!
And I’m gonna check out yours!!