Siddhartha
by Hermann Hesse · first published 1922
74% recommend25% neutral1% critical
Why HN recommends it
Short, elegantly written novel about one man's spiritual search outside organized religion; recommended as an entry point to Buddhism and Eastern thought, and for anyone reflecting on life, success, and humility.
Summarised by Claude from recommending comments
Hermann Hesse wrote Siddhartha after he traveled to India in the 1910s. It tells the story of a young boy who travels the country in a quest for spiritual enlightenment in the time of Guatama Buddha. It is a compact, lyrical work, which reads like an allegory about the finding of wisdom.
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1. Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind Mostly the bits about how our society is mostly built on collective fictions. 2. Siddhartha, by Herman Hesse I remember being very moved reading this, but I can't quite remember why. Looks like it's time to re-read it.
on “Ask HN: Which books have made you introspect?” ↗Siddhartha by Hermann Hesse Never really been one to enjoy popular books on philosophy (Alchemist was overrated, Monk who sold his Ferrari cliched, The Secret just boring ...IMO) and picked this up at a used book…
on “Ask HN: What was the one book that you read and it actually changed your life?” ↗Siddhartha, by Hermann Hesse https://www.gutenberg.org/files/2500/2500-h/2500-h.htm This book resonated at a perfect time for me, opened my eyes to what peace in human mind could be, peace through acceptance,…
on “Ask HN: Great fiction books that have had a positive impact on your life?” ↗Siddhartha by Herman Hesse
on “Ask HN: Which book would you pick to re-read for the rest of your life?” ↗…sun like a lizard. Meet some strangers. Make friends. Talk to girls. Read, eat, drink. I wish you the best of luck, and please let us know how you get on. Edit: I also really, really recommend reading Siddhartha by Herman Hesse. It will definitely help shape your thoughts, and it's a very quick read.
on “Ask HN: Burned out. How can I make the most of a sabbatical leave?” ↗…more important to figure out what one wants from life than to just better one's craft. Of course if that is what you want in life, then indeed pursuing that makes sense. I'm also tempted to recommend "Siddhartha" by Herman Hesse and "The Consolations of Philosophy" by Alain de Botton.
on “Ask HN: Books you should have read when you start a career in SE / CS?” ↗Siddhartha by Hermann Hesse (http://www.amazon.com/Siddhartha-Hermann-Hesse/dp/1613823789). Not really a superpower but did help me understand lot more about life and how everything is connected. I have read it…
on “What one book could give me a new, useful superpower?” ↗Siddhartha The Alchemist Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance How to Win Friends and Influence People
on “Ask: Read a book that changed your life? Title?” ↗Siddhartha by Hermann Hesse. I recommend it to everybody that asks for a life-changing book. Truly a piece of art.
on “Ask HN: What are the books that changed the perspective of your life?” ↗Altruism - Mathieu Ricard Search Inside Yourself - Chade-Meng Tan Bible - several authors Siddhartha - Hermann Hesse Fight Club - Chuck Palahniuk Eléments de Philosophie Angélique - Denis Marquet (french) Au coeur de l'instant - Jean Bouchart d'Orval (french)
on “Ask HN: What are the books that changed the perspective of your life?” ↗…in the wallet. Here are some books I've given as gifts recently: * The Knowledge: How to Rebuild Civilization in the Aftermath of a Cataclysm, Lewis Dartnell[1] * The Black Swan, Nassim Taleb[2] * Siddhartha, Hermann Hesse[3] * The Happiness Trap, Russ Harris and Steven Hayes[4] * Code, Charles Petzold[5] [1] https://www.amazon.com/Knowledge-Rebuild-Civilization-Afterm... [2] https://www.amazon.com/Black-Swan-Improbable-Robustness-Frag...…
on “Ask HN: What book have you given as a gift?” ↗…Tennis by Timothy Gallwey - Design Sprint by Richard Banfield - The Structure of Scientific Revolutions by Thomas Kuhn - The Signal and the Noise by Nate Silver - Advanced Swift by Chris Eidoff - Siddhartha by Hermann Hesse Some of these books are older and had been on my list for awhile. Some were released this year. Most of these books are very good. I usually stop reading bad books by the end of the…
on “Ask HN: Books you read in 2016?” ↗Siddhartha by Herman Hesse for its portrayal of a spiritual journey / life that was not a ‘religious’ one. This was a book I read in my early twenties that really helped me come to terms with a religious upbringing…
on “Ask HN: What are your favorite books of all time, and why?” ↗You have probably already read it, but your post reminds me of the book, Siddhartha, by Herman Hesse, which is about the life's journey of Buddha, who also discovered that sitting alone was an experience he enjoyed greatly, an activity which gave way to Buddhism, whose ultimate goal…
on “How to be alone: the difference between loneliness and solitude” ↗Contact by Carl Sagan - A good novel that deals with the politics of Science and religion. Siddhartha by Hermann Hesse , A philosophical take on life , reality and belief system. The Code Book by Simon Singh - A book that explains the history of cryptography in a very interesting way
on “Books that have affected you and your life the most” ↗