Demian and Siddhartha by Hermann Hesse and The Immoralist by Andre Gide

I’ve been neglecting my entries of the books I have been reading. Partly because I’m too busy reading the next book to sit down and write. Partly because I’ve returned the books I read and forgot about writing. In any case, I want to keep a record of what I read, if not for the sake of checking them off of my endless list of books to read, then for the sake of remembering the books I read.

I finished 2 books by Hermann Hesse -- Demian and Siddhartha -- and a book by Andre Gide – The Immoralist. All of three books are similar in that the authors explore, question, and/or challenge moral values held by society. I am using the term “moral” loosely because Hesse explores religious beliefs, not just moral values.

Hesse’s books follow inner, spiritual journeys taken by the main characters. In the case of Demian, Hesse questions Biblical meanings, perceptions held by Christians, and what really is right and wrong. Siddhartha, on the other hand, is an exploration of Buddhism. Main characters in both books take physical journeys, and those physical journeys mirrors their search for spiritual search. Along the way, Hesse masterfully incorporates his thoughtful inquiries that probe a reader to also think deeper about the spiritual search.

In The Immoralist, the search for moral right and wrong is taken by a man who battles for his health. To be honest, this book hasn’t left as deep an impression as Hesse’s books. Thus, I cannot cogently articulate beyond the first sentence.

So, in my rating of buy, borrow, or don’t read, I would rate Hesse’s books as a “buy.” They are both rather dense – not physically (both short novels). Denseness comes from the concentration of issues raised by the author. But they are well written and probably will last beyond my lifetime. Since I can’t really recall The Immoralist, I would sadly have to say it gets “a borrow from the library.” If a book hasn’t left me with a big impression, it’s probably not worth buying.