( 0 customer ratings)
Hyperink, May 2012
Since the publication of Peter Camenzind in 1904 Hermann Hesse has been loved and hated by his own people, ignored and worshipped by the English speaking world, accused of being a Nazi sympathizer, and blacklisted by almost every newspaper in Hitler's Germany.
He accomplished all of this simply by writing some of the most honest and introspective fiction in modern literature, and by allowing the entire literate world to act as spectator to his own tumultuous internal journey. From Siddhartha to Steppenwolf, his characters faced the most complex questions of life, coming from different places and times, different backgrounds and ambitions, but all of them represented Hesse, and all of them wrestled with questions of self and soul that haunted their author throughout his life.
Hesse was a prolific author, publishing seventeen novels as well as several poems and essays, and, though mostly fiction, his works tended to follow the path of his own life, and his protagonists wrestle with the same problems he faced. He was constantly battling with the conflict of the mind and the body, the spiritual world and the sensual one.
During his life he struggled with questions of nationalism and pacifism, living through two world wars that nearly destroyed his native country. He desperately craved social acceptance, but found himself to be awkward, a natural loner, and wondered if the role of the artist was inevitably to be an outsider; an observer, but not a participant in life.
These questions and more are mirrored in his fiction, as he uses his characters to live out the different paths available to him, and the readers are reminded of similar dualities in their own lives. His novels tend to feature pairs of characters, one representing the ideal he wishes he could achieve, and one the less romantic reality he knows he must accept.
If you use one of Kobo's free reading apps you won't need to worry about download options most of the time. Your Kobo reading app can easily add Kobo Store books to your library for a seamless reading experience.
Download options matter when:
In both of these cases you will need to:
You can also use Digital Editions to transfer the book to your eReader. See here for more information on Digital Editions.
You can read this item on your computer using our free Kobo Desktop Application. This application lets you read, manage your library of eBooks, and even shop for new ones. Check out our demo for more information!
Learn More »You can read this item on your Kobo eReader (or other select electronic reading devices). The Kobo eReader lets you carry your whole library with you, so that you can read on the go.
Visit kobo.com/ereaders »You can read this item on select tablets using one of our free Kobo apps. These apps let you read, manage your library of eBooks, and even shop for new ones.
Learn More »You can read this item on your Kobo Vox eReader. The Kobo Vox eReader lets you read books with color, sound or interactive elements. Check out our demo for more information on the Kobo Vox.
Learn More »You can read this item on your Kobo Arc using the Library app. This app lets you read, manage your library of eBooks, and shop for new books.
Learn More »You can read this item on any Android device (phone, tablet) with one of our free Kobo apps. These apps let you read, manage your library of eBooks, and even shop for new ones.
Learn More »You can read this item on the free Kobo app for iPhone. This app let you read, manage your library of eBooks, and even shop for new ones.
Download the iPhone App! Learn More »
By: {2}
Available on: {3}
Coming soon
Secure TransactionSubtotal
Store Credit
Total
We'll charge your credit card {4} on {3}.
We'll charge your credit card {4} when the book is added to your Library.
Your store credit covers the cost of this purchase, so we don't charge your credit card
Use Quick Buy for all eBook purchases.{2} is now in your library. You'll receive an email confirming your purchase very soon.
{2} has been pre-ordered. You'll receive a confirmation email confirming your pre-order very soon.
You were charged:
You will be charged: on {3}
You will be charged: when the book is added to your Library
Rakuten Super Points earned: {1}
Rakuten Super Points {1} earned after the book is added to your Library