Siddhartha.: A Novel

The classic novel of a quest for knowledge that has delighted, inspired, and influenced generations of readers, writers, and thinkers-a perennial favorite for graduation gifts. Nominated as one of America',s best-loved novels by PBS',s The Great American Read Though set in a place and time far removed from the Germany of 1922, the year of the book',s debut, the novel is infused with the sensibilities of Hermann Hesse',s time, synthesizing disparate philosophies-Eastern religions, Jungian archetypes, Western individualism-into a unique vision of life as expressed through one man',s search for meaning. It is the story of the quest of Siddhartha, a wealthy Indian Brahmin who casts off a life of privilege and comfort to seek spiritual fulfillment and wisdom. On his journey, Siddhartha encounters wandering ascetics, Buddhist monks, and successful merchants, as well as a courtesan named Kamala and a simple ferryman who has attained enlightenment. Traveling among these people and experiencing life',s vital passages-love, work, friendship, and fatherhood-Siddhartha discovers that true knowledge is guided from within.