Siddhartha: An Indian Poem Book

My apologies if this review reeks of "GUSHness." However, it gave me that ONE-OF-A-KIND reading experience that doesn't come along often and so I think it is certainly worthy of the praise I shall heep upon it. Beautifully written and a deeply personal story, Hesse has created the ultimate expression of the journey of self-discovery.

The book details the story of Siddhartha, the young and brilliant son of a Brahmin in ancient India. The Brahmin are the uber revered caste comprised of poets, priests, teachers and scholars***.

[*** Quick Side Note : How refreshing is it that their most revered group is not made up of morally questionable athletes, morally suspect celebrities and morally bankrupt politicians...I'm just saying!!]

At the beginning of the story, despite having absorbed all of the teachings of his father and followed all of the religious rites and rituals of his caste, Siddhartha is not content. He knows deep inside that there is something missing and decides to leave his father and his future and seek enlightenment. He sets out, along with his life long friend to find life's meaning. A decision that makes Siddhartha's father less than a happy camper.


Thus begins one of the truly exceptional stories in modern literature. Siddhartha's journey takes him from the elite of his people:

1. First, to a group of ascetics who shun personal possessions and view the physical world as the source of all pain;

2. Next to a beautiful courtesan who teaches Siddhartha the mysterious of physical love, to a world;

3. Third, to a wealthy trader who teaches Siddhartha about profit, trade and worldly pleasures;

4. Then to a life of hedonistic excess in which Siddhartha eats, drinks, gambles and indulges in numerous sexual conquests in a very SinCityesque way...


5. Finally, back to an ascetic life, but one that embraces the world and everything in it as special and unique.

Throughout the various stages of his journey, Siddhartha finds something of value in everyone he interacts with and each stage brings him closer to his ultimate goal. Through elegant and deeply evocative writing, Hesse demonstrates, through Siddhartha's journey, the fundamental value of each and every person on Earth. Everyone has something special to contribute to the universe. Siddhartha's final realization of his goal of finding enlightenment is simply amazing and one that I can not recommend more strongly that everyone read.

I'm a U.S. citizen of Irish heritage living in Las Vegas. I was raised Roman Catholic and spent most of my undergraduate and graduate academic life learning about western philosophy, history and literature. I mention the only because I was completely floored that I could identify so intensely with Siddhartha's story, despite a background that was as far from embracing an "eastern" viewpoint as you could possibly get.

I think its ability to completely suck me in demonstrates not only the brilliance and beauty of Hesse's prose, but also the universal nature of the story and its ability to transcend all barriers to understanding. It is an amazing read but also a deeply personal one and I think that everyone will get something different out of reading it. Hopefully it is something very, very positive.
5.0 stars. HIGHEST POSSIBLE RECOMMENDATION!!