Steppenwolf
by Herman Hesse · first published 2009
69% recommend31% neutral
Why HN recommends it
Surreal, semi-autobiographical novel about an isolated, depressed intellectual finding connection; valued for its take on meaninglessness, identity and the thinking-versus-feeling split, especially by alienated readers.
Summarised by Claude from recommending comments
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Steppenwolf by Herman Hesse is also a great read, dealing with feelings of meaninglessness and how they relate to one's identity.
on “Ask HN: Which books have made you introspect?” ↗Steppenwolf by Hermann Hesse It's a mind blowing book that's best read if you're a 30+ y/o individual.
on “Ask HN: What ONE book would you recommend?” ↗"Siddhartha", "Steppenwolf" - by Herman Hesse. "Atlas Shrugged" - by Ayn Rand. "Mrityunjay" - by Sivaji savant (originally in marathi/hindi language.. based on the character of Karna from Mahabharata.Not very sure how good the…
on “Ask HN: Best Philosophical Books?” ↗* The Brain by David Eagleman * Steppenwolf by Herman Hesse * A Universe From Nothing by Lawrence Krauss
on “Ask HN: Best books you read in the past decade?” ↗Steppenwolf by Herman Hesse (who also wrote Siddhartha) deals directly with a scholar who struggles with human interaction until he falls for a mysterious woman in a jazz bar. The first half of the book details internal…
on “Ask HN: Fiction about Introverts?” ↗Steppenwolf by Hermann Hesse. Foundation Series by Isaac Asimov.
on “Ask HN: Books that changed your life?” ↗Most books by Hermann Hesse, really... Narziss&Goldmund changed my perspective on life. If you have anything artistic in you, it's a must-read. Steppenwolf, Siddharta and the Glass Bead Game are other must-reads. Gabriel Garcia Marques, One hundred years of solitude. Practically all of Jorge Luis Borges' short stories. Mind-bending. Milan Kundera's Unbearable…
on “Ask HN: Good books?” ↗Siddhartha is great--if you like Hesse I would also recommend that you check out "Steppenwolf" (same author), and if that also appeals to you, then "The Stranger" by Camus
on “Ask HN: What is HN reading?” ↗Absolutely +1 to this. Although my German is terrible enough that I did have to read the English translations. I would add, in my opinion, start with Steppenwolf and then read Siddhartha. It blows my absolute mind that these books were written a hundred years ago. They're still so relevant to life. It's really, genuinely astounding.
on “Ask HN: Mind bending books to read and never be the same as before?” ↗…really asked the impossible question here. Best I can do is scan through the books on the shelves next to me: * Beyond good and evil: Nietzsche * The Temple of the Golden Pavilion: Yukio Mishima * Steppenwolf: Hermann Hese * Library of babel: Borges * The Brain: David Eagleman * The Magical Mountain: Thomas Mann * The Dark Tower: Stephen King(actually tons of King books - I am a bit of a fanboy) * Factfulness:…
on “Ask HN: What are some must read books?” ↗Herman Hesse - Steppenwolf. Actually everything by Hesse.
on “Ask HN: What are your favorite books? I'm bored” ↗…course. Dont you? Keegan (from the very depths of his nature): No. The Outsider is a gateway into existential literature which is especially illuminated by Sartre's Nausea and Hesse's Siddhartha and Steppenwolf. These are all great books to read both for pleasure and as wayposts to help us find a centre for our own minds. Colin Wilson concludes The Outsider with a recommendation on how to unify the divided soul…
on “Can a Wandering Mind Make You Neurotic?” ↗I take the bait: Herman Hesse (Steppenwolf if you have to read one book from him).
on “Is Borges the 20th Century’s most important writer?” ↗…less, not more; to shut down our internal monologue which is the biggest agent of human misery. The trope of the mad genius is true - there are three great books that touches on this subject: Hesse's Steppenwolf, Colin Wilson's The Outsider, and the amazing Logicomix. Also a recent research surfaced on HN on neuroticism and the dangers of self-generated thoughts - http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1364661315....…
on “Boredom is not a problem to be solved, it's the privilege of a free mind” ↗Calvino, Invisible Cities — human life is so rich in complexity and detail that an infinite number of projections can be constructed to study slices of it, that are each worthy of their own story Hesse, Steppenwolf — read this at an angst-filled time; the way this book builds and reconciles the conflict between two personalities that goes on within the main dude's head was extremely cathartic to my own life Adams,…
on “Ask HN: Great fiction books that have had a positive impact on your life?” ↗