Siddhartha - Hermann Hesse BOOK REVIEW

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[@solovief]

The jackal reminds me of the deer in Dead Man.

[@BetterThanFoodBookReviews]

SO GOOD!!! Excellent comment/insight, thank you.

[@yismeilyduran9592]

Favorite scene was when he saw his reflection in the water and realized his son brought him the pain he brought his own father. Such a tragically beautiful scene.

[@BonesAnalises]

It hurts so much. He didn't even gave a single thought to his father before that, just his upbringing. It made me realize how complacent I was with my own family, and invited dad to dinner LOL

[@ilqar887]

And the fact that it had to be done .destiny cosmic will.

[@artitars]

Siddhartha is a really great book to reread a couple of times at different stages in your live. You can really get a lot of different insights from it. Really great review btw.

[@juanpablogarciamurillo6768]

This book made me cry so much. The part where siddhartha recognizes the wrinkles in kamalas face for the first time. That last time love as made was so haunting. Amazing book. Anyone should read this

[@preyasmeshram3824]

What a surprise! This book is all about the hunger for spiritual illumination. And you can easily relate this to our lives. This spiritual illumination is what we, us humans, all of us, are consciously or unconsciously running after. The Analogies that Siddhartha draws from the most mundane things are just a treat to read. It's a small book but I found it better than some of the philosophy books that I have read (I haven't read many). Recommend this masterpiece to everyone

[@BlueeeBanisters]

I love when Sidharta said in the "job interview" I just know how to meditate, fast and roam (I think it was roam ) and the merchant man was like " you are so fuckin hired"

[@ricksanchez7824]

I can think,I can wait,I can fast.

[@KingMinosxxvi]

To be very the merchant was more interested in the fact that he could read and write.

[@spreadthereading3567]

What a coincidence! I finished reading this book last Sunday. Amazing! I gave it to my father, who read it in one day. Now, my mother is reading it.

[@aliharis9293]

I just started it yesterday and finished it just now. What an amazing book

[@jessicalove7467]

I don't think Buddhists negate suffering necessarily; rather they look at suffering as an opportunity to experience life in all its richness and to clear karma. Hesse also has an amazing book called Beneath the Wheel. I highly recommend it!

[@rumit9946]

Siddhartha is about learning to love the world, despite everything

[@Karambolagemusic]

Your comparisons to Nietzsche were brilliant. Thank you so much for the quotation: "If we affirm one single moment, we thus affirm not only ourselves, but all existence. For nothing is self efficiant, neither in ourselves nor in things, and if our souls have truely trembled with happiness and sounded like a harpstring just once: all iternity was needed to produce this one event. And in this single moment of affirmation, all eternity was good. Redeemed. Justified and affirmed." Thats it, thank you a million times.

[@bernardliu8526]

The converse, alas, must also be true - one dark hour of the soul condemns all eternity, and establishes the futility of the manifold.

[@arvoart7731]

I appreciate your insightful commentary and phrasing. Maybe you could even write a book on books and life. Take care.

[@BetterThanFoodBookReviews]

Xyx Z I would like to do that, thank you for the encouragement.

[@A_Koenig]

You were spot on by recognizing the "Ying-Yang" quality to this work. Hesse himself stated that his Siddartha is closer to Lao Tse than he is to Gautama.

[@coconuciferanuts339]

Lao Tsu.Was that the tao(dao?)

[@sonyagirodon9510]

I'm just busy reading "Siddharta" and am delighted by its depth. Did not expect something so profound. Thank you for your video and thoughts about this book, and also for the recommendation on further books.

[@waterglas21]

Steppenwolf is really a raw masterpiece!

[@vicjames3256]

I came here to say this. Steppenwolf over errthang.

[@rozacielo7792]

Been binge watching your reviews for the last couple hours ... you're brilliant and weave words beautifully ... new fan here .. subscribed

[@BookishTexan]

Great to see a book review about a classic. Not that I think that's all that should be read or reviewed, not at all. Just a refreshing change to have someone read serious literary fiction, think about it, and share their thoughts.

[@VasilijZ87]

One of the best books I have read... maybe this is strange, but I see it as very optimistic, about making a full circle... a real masterpiece... Better than food, man 😀

[@allen7631]

I love how everyone seems to appreciate the jackal part lol. I was hung up on nonduality, infinity - nothing, and simultaneity, this book helped me metabolize it all by empathizing with Siddhartha. Its easy to keep retreating into the self when you are faced with an original text or some anecdotal lecture but this book offers a complete picture of the path. Maybe not every path with every eccentricity accounted for but its close enough for everyone to be Siddhartha a few times. It can give you whatever you are looking for.

[@agrainofmalt]

Read almost everything of Hesse - one of my favourite authors. Demian and Steppenwolf are a must. The Glass Bead Game is brilliant too.

[@coconuciferanuts339]

I never understood Damien.Maybe you could enlighten me.Just remember the bus ride & some kind of paranoia.

[@jorgemariolargoguarin5805]

What a beautiful and energetic way to present a book! I laughed a lot while watching your review (the mention of the translator!).

[@asderc1]

Sounds right up my alley, I love a good poetic description of rotting carcasses.

[@myitreya5868]

I read Siddhartha way back in high school ! This was a nostalgic one. I went into it thinking it was the actual story of the Buddha , but I was not disappointed! I defiantly want to check out more of Hesse works now along with the Zarathustra book you mentioned. Once again awesome video!!!!! (Also have been going back and watching some of your older ones too)

[@JasMin-zt5hs]

myitreya k

[@TT-zi7hi]

So glad I read this and subsequenttly got into Hesse when I was a kid, when I was 14. If I would have read Siddhartha as an adult I probably would have thought it was kinda lame. The key is: when you're a kid, read everything except Glass Bead Game. Then when you're an adult you read the Glass Bead Game. Hesse quest complete.

[@AS-tx3fi]

I was re-reading Tao Lin's Taipei last evening and noticed the reference of this book, looked it up and thought I'm probably gonna read it soon... so this review is a huge coincidence and I love love love it!! Thank you Mr Sargent!

[@BetterThanFoodBookReviews]

Funny coincidence - My friend directed the adaptation of Taipei ;)

[@AS-tx3fi]

Better Than Food: Book Reviews Really? That's amazing. I'd love to watch that

[@BetterThanFoodBookReviews]

www.imdb.com/title/tt4286760/

[@AS-tx3fi]

Better Than Food: Book Reviews Thank you so much ❤️

[@erindillman]

I have the older version of Siddhartha, the plain black cover I find it suites the book a lot better. I haven't read it since 2014 and am now inspired to reread it, hopefully with clearer eyes than my 18 year old self. Siddhartha has my favourite quote which is found on the second or third page simply "Your soul is the whole world " I have two other Hesse's on my shelf at the moment, Wandering which is translated by James Wright and Narziss and Goldmund translated by Geoffrey Dunlop both seeming to deal with similar concepts as Siddhartha, although Wandering is just Hesse's thoughts while wandering along with some water colour sketches he did. Great review, I'm always impressed!

[@Karambolagemusic]

Your soul is the whole world

[@llamawizard]

There is no such thing as a soul. We have only the natural world. There is no supernatural.

[@mohamedelayan9972]

I'll say why I like you, in just finished reading the book and in my mind I thought it had missed something, but apparently I didn't, I should go out experience two side of the coin and come out with the an explanation myself, Michelle Montaigne also put it beautifully, but you explain it much easier, thank you sir

[@bettyreads222]

that point you raised about the point of suffering is super intriguing, because it can be so hard to just delve into and stay in the pain and struggle instead of working towards coming out on the other side as a stronger person. It's something I've definitely been struggling with so this sounds like a a book that's just up my alley. :]

[@Markyisamonkey]

bettyreads the western idea of suffering in Buddhism comes from a pretty extreme translation of the word Durkha. Whilst it can mean extreme suffering it should be generally taken as 'general dissatisfaction'.

[@dashbustour3647]

"Just where I'm at in my life right now." Ha. Good review, the ending of Siddhartha, it does stick with one. Demian I read later on...had some of the magic...some good observations. Hope Detroit is treating you well.

[@SesameCake]

I love the theme in Siddhartha wherein the main character struggles for so long to find a moment, however ephemeral, of enlightenment but ends up disappointed even after embarking on countless journeys and retreats. Finally, he unwittingly goes to the riverside and contemplates suicide and soon falls into a deep, transcendental meditation and finally experiences Om.

[@Kdawg270]

Isn't so nice you my brother that you are living this life so well balanced that you don't even feel the need to speak of others short comings... Because you have all the answers and are so kind as to enlighten us with them alt- tab-delete. Thank you and Blessings to you always

[@TheEeglutee]

Amazing review as always!

[@x0rn312]

My Grandmother (now deceased) gave me a copy of Siddhartha as a present for Christmas or my birthday when I was a young teenager. I never read it.... I don't think I was ready for it. Listening to you read the passage about the Heron and the Jackal I decided I'm going to finally read it...... obviously she wanted to share this with me.

[@diogoduarte4482]

Your question about the choice to eliminate suffering or accept it made me reflect. I think we should accept it and justified it to the purpose of feeling compassion and make deep connections with other people. Without suffering we would have eternal peace but thats less important than expanding our consciousness to other people and with suffering is how we empathize the most. Just the thoughts of a guy who thinks we are in a sea of shit. Thanks man for being such an honest person about how you feel about life. I recommend you to read Álvaro de Campos an heteronym from Fernando Pessoa.

[@jamesbond8540]

Siddhartha is a collection of words about the deficiency of collections of words

[@ScytheLass]

Love your review and this book.

[@henhenhen19]

Great video. I'd say the message is to transcend the self, to change the focus from ego to unity. But that's maybe just how it made me feel. Mainly from the last pages, and the scene with meeting his friend and the faces of others that flash by.

[@korbin70x75]

Tremendous explanation my friend thank you!

[@ranirathi3379]

"to be faithful to oneself and good to others". and the thing about life, mistakes and learning. in life, the biggest tug of war is this - my parents/wife/whoever wants/needs/expects me to be this but in reality IT IS NOT ME, but i cant tell them that coz then i'll be abandoned. and that, EVERYTHING WORTH LEARNING, WORTH ANYTHING IN LIFE IS SELF-TAUGHT. it is those 10,000 hours of self-taught mastery, over the hours taught at university. how does my mistakes help someone when they're coming from and going someplace i've never been, things that matter to us are different, the challenges in their life at present are different , our levels of maturity and our priorities in the results we want are different? LIFE meets us exactly where we are, exactly with what we need, we need only attunement.

[@shubhaghosh]

Thanks! I read the Rosen translation at another stage. This translation is another invitation to dive into Hesse.

[@antikotocerepa]

Very good review, thank you. Your booktube style is more to my liking than all the YA-girls.

[@lojupitermoon]

You can like something without depreciating something else

[@antikotocerepa]

@@lojupitermoon I can, but I chose not to.

[@lordmaximus5]

I've been going through a binge of your reviews and realised that all of the better than food film reviews which I thoroughly enjoyed have been deleted. Is there anywhere that I can find them?

[@Sii7455]

"When a man with his finger-tip points at something for somebody, the finger-tip may be taken wrongly for the thing pointed at; in like manner, the people belonging to the class of the ignorant and simple-minded, like those of a childish group, are unable even unto their death to abandon the idea that in the finger-tip of words there is the meaning itself, and will not grasp ultimate reality because of their intent clinging to words which are no more than the finger-tip to them." -The Buddha

[@malaghosh827]

I just loved the review..

[@khenrubwangchuk2239]

Wew what a review 🙏👏👏

[@KingMinosxxvi]

Siddharrtha is very complete and illuminating in the process and poetry by which one finds 'enlightenment". However there is far greater Hesse out there. The Glass bead game is immense and the stories by Knect at the end are particularly immersive. But, Narcissus and Goldmund is the underated Jewel. Perhaps because the main character is a bit of a rake it's lost favor these days. But, there the book encapsulated the drive to at once live and sustain the creative spirt. It is also a tender, enthralling page turner. Especially if you are a male in early adulthood or late adolescence.

[@-diogenesthecynic-]

Love it if you could review Demian, it’s a relatively short read and am curious of your thoughts on it

[@gamebros5611]

I read Siddhartha in English class. It’s my favorite book. My other favorite book is Fahrenheit 451. I believe both books people should read.

[@liamshope2838]

Everyone needs to read more Nietzsche, Cliff.

[@EWOKakaDOOM]

yee yee

[@Rowley23]

Thus Spoke Zarathustra would be great.

[@michaelmcclure3383]

To affirm life as a fundamentally good process, even including death and suffering. That can only happen by knowing the transcendent.. and knowing it, is being it.

[@SirEricofAwesome]

have this one on my shelf too. I heard an interesting response to your question about the necessity of suffering from a zen master, he said "enlightenment is not about eliminating suffering, so much as changing your opinion of suffering."

[@SirEricofAwesome]

in other words; "think badly of snow, and it will burn you."

[@ilqar887]

Attitude towards life thats what it is ..pain is not bad death is not bad …its part of life ..our perception makes it bad

[@linksid92]

My name is Siddhartha. One who achieves his goals, like you said. I, however, dropped out of college. Its the irony of my life.

[@bouraysioudiallo8312]

linksid92 the quality of your life isn’t decided by college or your education status. Don’t feel shitty about leaving something that didn’t make you feel alive. Best wishes man

[@brainsareus]

I think, that we mistake reconciling duality, with a crass justification for moral relativism. that is not, what Hesse was about. btw- I see him as a German writer; since his move to Switzerland was later on in life, and his themes are related to German historical archetypes.

[@AdamMcdermott-yi6vp]

This book is so amazing i really love Buddhism meaningful books. I believe in the failing and succeeding different stages of life that we go through to get somewhere. It does capture the full image of what their life is really like im impressed. I also think enlightenment i'snt that large a concept , Therefore i agree its about personal life. Maybe even playing tennis.

[@Malik-ji3mz]

Read this as a sophomore in high school. Was life changing then, and I can only imagine it would be life changing to read again.

[@Malik-ji3mz]

I also wanted to add to this about the idea of "that moment and eternity" because in a lot of ways it's the same thing that Hemingway eventually comes to conclude after he searches and searches for a reason why life is so hard, and death is so cruel. He finally realizes that no matter what happened before and what happened after, we also have this moment, right now, and this moment is eternity, and this moment is life. It's always been the most beautiful thing about Hemingway's work for me because it's always tied to the love of another and if that one moment with someone else can be eternity, then life can be bearable.

[@sabinafrlic2207]

You need to read Peter Camenzind by him... it is wonderful. :)

[@360cooldood]

Too however reads this, which I know will be few. This was one of the most important books of my life. The story for me was simple. Stop trying to be anyone else. Now before you associate this to a Tumblr quote. It does not mean “just do you”. It means let your self be shallow, let yourself try and be that person you saw on tv. Let yourself try and be the wolf of Wall Street. And also, let yourself stop you from being them. Everything you do, let yourself do it. Challenge and play into your ego. Stretch the elastic as much as it tells you to. No answer is wrong as long as it you who does it. This isn’t a story of self emancipation. It is a story of the inability to grasp the righteous path, unless you do not allow yourself to follow the unrighteous path. It is nothing and it is everything.

[@pandaredemption]

Hey Cliff, if you want another cool book that explores the Buddhist philosophy, you should check out Dharma Punx by Noah Levine. Super fun book, and a fairly fast read, that explores a lot about the Buddha and the Punk scene.

[@UCZx48kBoTg9O]

First of all, I applaud you for saying his name mostly right

[@tinacho1833]

Ohhh gotta read this!

[@scottishbanjo]

really enjoyed that

[@Ardavan47]

The first 10 seconds was awesome

[@Malik-ji3mz]

hey man, I know a whole bunch about Nietsche (this sentiment is in a way laughable because like, to assume you 'know' Nietzsche is something he made fun of), and would love to recommend how to go about getting his stuff. Don't want to step too far if you're not interested. Anyway, love your videos.

[@CaptMang]

I think it's worth noting that buddhist philosophy is NOT about negating suffering, but rather escaping it by mean of embracing it. To stop fighting it, not necessarily do away with it.

[@ryokan9120]

That quote from The Will to Power is in my humble opinion the most profound and beautiful thing I've ever read. I find it quite astonishing that Nietzsche chose not to publish that aphorism, yet bizarrely it was left to his Nazi sister to have it published.

[@dfrew2529]

Not read 'Siddhartha' yet but I read and loved 'Steppenwolf' although with about 25 pages left I accidentally dropped it in a river. Oh well. Last year I picked up 'Narcissus and Goldmund' and it was the best novel I read in 2018.

[@saravaezi2001]

Dear God that book is sooooo good.

[@christianjames3284]

Can you do demien or more Herman hesse?

[@TheDummbob]

This Video: Beautiful. :)

[@Libbeeee]

Before I watch this video , are there spoilers ?

[@coconuciferanuts339]

Great analysis mate. It's always confused me that Siddharta met the Buddha but turned out to be the Buddha.When he met the ferryman who told him that like the river everything returns.Did he meet himself.

[@BlackHoleBrew42]

Wanna go back down the dark rabbit hole? Please review Sadegh Hedayat's 'The Blind Owl'.

[@solovief]

Beneath The Wheel?

[@briancollins1296]

This book didn't click with me. Part of it might be because I had to read it for a college course, but I think the main problem is that it's a novel that's almost a self-help book, in the same vein as The Alchemist and Jonathan Livingston Seagull, which are books that I kind of hate. :/

[@halfwaytothehill2164]

You need to read arundati Roy or Salman Rushdie

[@slightlyallthetime]

Who is Foodman? And why are you always saying things are better than him at the start of your videos? Poor guy.

[@justcallhoward]

Solomon said, "The beginning of wisdom is ... the fear of the Lord. If the wrong foundation is chosen, then what shall be the fate of the house built upon it?

[@eaudorangeverte5745]

Read The Steppenwolf...

[@ricksanchez7824]

Wait,there are two volumes of this book?

[@skallepar2163]

The circle is closing when he get to be a ferrymen. The Life is not the thriving its the Peace of Life.

[@edward3190]

I don't understand the part that time doesn't exist. How did he come to this conclusion?

[@roydunn2865]

Destruction completes the man.

[@TheInnerBeautyGuru]

I am a poet, a deep thinker, and a spiritual being...but I’m also the person that wants the unnecessary and entirely inappropriate fanfic where he and govinda fall in sweet sweet homosexual love

[@user-wl4sr4tl7f]

8:47 "Giant" . . . I might have some bad news for you buddy . . .

[@kumaridesilva3992]

if the poetry bothered you - the original 1951 translation is a little bit less of that

[@ilqar887]

Masteepiece litrelary we will all remember that book when we finally experience the real truth the totality of life we will remember sidhartha

[@ArtanisOwns]

have you read Berserk?

[@kadirizaid3006]

swagalina lmao but berserk isn't a book ???

[@jamess123]

Kadiri Zaid in a sense, it is

[@Snowboarder54688]

Check out The Wisdom of Insecurity by Alan Watts

[@oliverfarkas545]

love u cliff

[@olmmusic2.0]

Fuck yeah!

[@wetfart1387able]

Alrighty! Let's see if Ol' Jeffy won...

[@wetfart1387able]

Woo!!! Another loss!!!!! As much as I love seeing Matthew Modine review books, I need to win soon or I can't afford to do this.

[@nikolaidante3571]

Probably no go territory for you but have you read the culture of critique?

[@mohamedelayan9972]

I like you

[@lcr1313]

wait i love you

[@kjlkjlkjlkjlkj]

The last 'e' in 'Hesse' is silent. I think.

[@et4800]

Matthew Lewiston as a native german speaker I can assure the e is not silent :)

[@kjlkjlkjlkjlkj]

Thank you (-:

[@gsamsa]

Better then*** food reviews.

[@brendongreene]

...what

[@IxBxCAMP]

"turns into the most black metal shit you've ever read" lol....nice

[@ericperry8094]

Pronounced, See-DAR-tha. Sorry, but I was compelled to share that with you and not trying to be rude.

[@bobdobbs7000]

Yr like the esoteric Robert Ebert. Just stick to Nietzsche, Genet and Bataille.

[@sidclark1953]

Vacuous nonsense, like most of Hesse's books.

[@thomasfranche6770]

Demian was the first one I read. I don't care for Hesse. But when I was 20, I liked Demian. Didn't like Siddhartha at all. I think it is an error for "us" to put Eastern mysticism (and it's offspring in the West like yoga and meditation) on a piedestal. I am not a "citizen of the world". The fact that it gained popularity among hippies should make anyone suspicious of Hesse's world view. (btw, the movie has the worst sex scene ever put on film)

[@RolledLs]

Superb take and insights - I was really reluctant to even open this book for fear of fluffy nonsense .. oh how wrong. Everyone must read this.