I am going to be honest from the beginning and say that I read this book nearly two months ago. And while I took notes and have some thoughts in draft form, this is probably going to be a much shorter post than usual.The fact is, I have little to say about this one. I think a huge part of that is that I read this title at the wrong time. I read this during my little weekend read-a-thon and tried to force my way through it. I knew from the beginning that I wasn't feeling it, but continued anyway. Generally, I set aside books I am not feeling for later. I strongly believe that sometimes we need to be in the right frame of mind for certain things, so those titles get set aside for a little while. Other books I have set aside since starting my little project include The Red Badge of Courage, Ulysses, Lord Jim, and Catch-22.
I didn't go with my instinct on this one and plowed through it. I blame myself for not enjoying it and not pulling enough out of it.
Siddhartha is about a young man who seeks enlightenment. He travels with a friend in search of knowledge and truth and seems to lose himself slightly along the way. By the end of the tale, he finds where he is meant to be and reaches his own kind of nirvana.
The story is told in a lot of symbols that you, as the reader, have to interpret. It isn't straight forward or simple, which is why I am kicking myself for not waiting and taking my time with it. I did enjoy some of the language and I could appreciate some of it.
But I didn't connect with the characters or the story. I felt detached from what I was reading, which didn't allow me to fully experience the story like I should have.
I know that I will eventually reread this sometime in the future, and hopefully I will appreciate it a lot more the second time around.
Have you read this one? What did you think?
I read Siddhartha about 6 months ago. I found it interesting. I agree, it is a book that really needs to be read slowly and carefully to really appreciate it. It's not on of my favorites but I am glad that I read it.
ReplyDeleteThis is one that I got for my Kindle, but I have not buckled down to read it yet. I had a friend who was obsessed with Demian, so I might read that one first.
ReplyDeleteI've been putting this one off for years. No time seemed right for it for some reason.
ReplyDeleteI've not read it but always wanted to. At least I am pre warned now to make sure I have the time to invest in it
ReplyDeleteI really liked this book. I remember I thought it was cool that the ending was very similar to the beginning ... kind of reflecting the cyclical nature of reincarnation. Cool.
ReplyDeleteIt sounds really cool, actually. I've been dreading this one for years, but I could really use some enlightenment at this point in my life. I guess I know what to look for during my next trip to the library.
ReplyDeleteI read it back in college and before I kept notes, so I only have a vague recollection of any details of the book and more so wordless impressions.
ReplyDeleteI recall that it impacted me on a large scale, for sure. Perhaps because I was on my own path of finding my place in the world? Hesse really entered my system and I remember reading Damien shortly thereafter. I still have The Glass Bead Game on my shelf and will read it....but I think Im going to re-read this one first.
Siddhartha has been sitting in my TBR pile for months now, so I really can't comment on it. I do agree, though, that we shouldn't force ourself to finish books just because we feel we "have" to. I recently decided to set aside Ian McEwan's Atonement, because I've been going through a ton of stuff and needed something lighter. :)
ReplyDeleteI've read this book twice and really enjoyed it both times. I could see that if you weren't in the mood it wouldn't be a good read, but I sincerely hope you'll give a shot later. I think there is a lot to be found.
ReplyDeleteI was underwhelmed with this one. Maybe it just went over my head?
ReplyDeleteSiddhartha is an exploration into the inner workings of human desire and pysche. Hesse's novel stands as a perfect example of human longing. If you are a casual reader or even the most experienced, I recommend this book as a great read.
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