Der Steppenwolf
by Hermann Hesse · first published 1927
67% neutral33% critical
A story that focuses on the loneliness and suffering of the protagonist, Harry Haller, who feels that he has no place in a world filled with meaningless frivolity. Having decided to take his own life a chance encounter causes him to change his views and he begins to learn ways to enjoy life. One of the most misunderstood of his novels the book is, according to Hesse, about the possibilities of transcendence and healing.
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…was by far my favorite. Siddhartha was also a good read, but at this point it was getting repetitive with its other works, and I didn't share the author's fascination for Indian religion and philosophy. Der Steppenwolf was a disappointment. A few years later, a friend lent me Das Glasperlenspiel (The Glass Bead Game). I was deeply surprised, because it was so different from his previous works. It's a dystopia, but…
on “Ask HN: Great fiction books that have had a positive impact on your life?” ↗On the other hand censorship is getting more strict everyday on AI chat. I asked gemini to translate a sentence from Herman Hesse's Der Steppenwolf and it refused. Und Sie haben, wie ich sehe, da ein so hübsches, ein so entzückendes junges Mädchen zu nichts andrem zu brauchen gewußt, als daß Sie ihm ein Messer in den Leib gestochen und es kaputt…
on “Containment and monitoring failures are to blame for AI hacking reports: experts” ↗Hmm, how hard is Der Steppenwolf to read? I'm a (lapsed) intermediate level German speaker, but I remember reading the first bit of it in English in high school and liking it. Also, https://www.fadedpage.com/ has stuff freely available…
on “January 1, 2023 is Public Domain Day: Works from 1927 are open to all” ↗