This first post for the second book club is available to everyone, to let people see what they might be missing by not participating. The rest of the book club will be restricted to subscribers, and commenting privileges always are. The first book club was a ton of fun so please consider subscribing, reading along, and taking part in the conversation.
My dopey story about preparing to read this book is that I managed to get the wrong book twice over. I ordered both an English and a German copy off biblio dot com. The English copy turned out to be from some shoddy self-published press on Amazon (Slogan on the back cover: "IMPROVING PEOPLE'S LIFES") that lists under its collected titles two Hesse books and five badly-spelled self-improvement titles for businesspeople. A common theme of transcendence, I guess. The text looked fine, though they didn't even bother re-printing the cover page indicating who the translator was from whatever edition they stole it from, but I didn't trust it.
...And my German copy turned out to be an English copy. But an official English copy, at least, so in the end I only had to replace one book.
I'm excited that book club is starting again!! Please lmk if anyone finds an ebook version of this specific translation. I ordered the paperback, but I prefer ebooks so I can read on my phone.
While I wait for the book to come, I will listen to the BTS album Wings (which was inspired by Demian) to get in the mood.
I recently read The Glass Bead Game and loved it, so I'm excited for this. Bring on the sermons by mystical Germans! I might even comment on the discussions if I can think of anything intelligent to say (I didn't for The Cement Garden, though I enjoyed the book, if enjoy is the right word).
I read Siddhartha as a middle schooler and that amazing book informs my philosophy to this very day. It reminds us that it's impossible to live in the world in all ways at all times.
Man ... we are a long way from The Cement Garden! I got the newer Harper Perennial edition, which is the Roloff / Lebeck translation. I noticed the Penguin Classics edition in the bookstore as well, which was a different newer translation. I tried the first page and found I preferred the Roloff / Lebeck one. But that Penguin edition did have a good introduction from this writer Ralph Freedman, who looks interesting in his own right. He wrote a biography of Hesse and a book of criticism that's partially about Hesse -- https://ralphfreedman.net/about-ralph-freedman/ . (The Penguin edition also had a foreword from James Franco ... :) ... who was straightforward in his appreciation of the book).
And then the Harper edition has a 1947 introduction from Thomas Mann -- "The outer events, in particular inevitable ruin of unhappy Germany, both of us foresaw and both lived to witness--far removed from each other in space, so far that at times no communication was possible, yet always together, always in each other's thoughts. Our paths in general take clearly separate courses through the land of the spirit, at a formal distance one from the other. And yet in some sense the course is the same, in some sense we are indeed fellow pilgrims and brothers ..."
I've read Demian at least once, and maybe twice. (I forget which translation.) My initial impression was similar to Freddie's, or at least similar to what he's written in this introduction post.
But I changed my mind when I read an interpretation from some journal that offers a dramatically different take. It convinced me and has led me to reinterpret Hesse's overall work, or at least those works I've had a chance to read. To give you the title is to give away the main interpretation, and the article itself would spoil the plot. Maybe during the later discussions, I can share the article. It's freely available online. I'll email Freddie directly and he can decide whether to share it and if so, when.
As a more general comment, I like what I've read of Hesse's work, for the most part. I didn't quite get Siddhartha. I mean, I got the plot, but I wasn't impressed. It didn't really "hit me," if that makes sense. Maybe if I reread it, I'll have a better shot at interpreting is.
I really, really liked Steppenwolf and Journey to the East. Both of them I've read and reread several times. I liked Glass Bead Game, but like Freddie, I think Hesse may be working at a level I'm not completely understanding. That said, when I read it the second time, I think I "got it" a little more.
He wrote a short story, Beneath the Wheel, which didn't impress me at all. And I haven't read Peter Camenzind, Rosshalde, or anything else, including any of his poetry or nonfiction.
Sorry if this may have been covered previously, but is there a particular translation you recommend?
My dopey story about preparing to read this book is that I managed to get the wrong book twice over. I ordered both an English and a German copy off biblio dot com. The English copy turned out to be from some shoddy self-published press on Amazon (Slogan on the back cover: "IMPROVING PEOPLE'S LIFES") that lists under its collected titles two Hesse books and five badly-spelled self-improvement titles for businesspeople. A common theme of transcendence, I guess. The text looked fine, though they didn't even bother re-printing the cover page indicating who the translator was from whatever edition they stole it from, but I didn't trust it.
...And my German copy turned out to be an English copy. But an official English copy, at least, so in the end I only had to replace one book.
Anyway! I'm excited to start reading!
Must resist urge to defend glass bead game ... I know it's not under attack ... But still feel defensive
Is this what it's like being in Twitter constantly?
I found the Perennial Classics edition in a used book store in Seattle during the weekend trip I took there two weeks ago, and I took this as a sign.
The translation by Strachan appears to be in the public domain and pdf downloads are available from several sites.
I'm excited that book club is starting again!! Please lmk if anyone finds an ebook version of this specific translation. I ordered the paperback, but I prefer ebooks so I can read on my phone.
While I wait for the book to come, I will listen to the BTS album Wings (which was inspired by Demian) to get in the mood.
I recently read The Glass Bead Game and loved it, so I'm excited for this. Bring on the sermons by mystical Germans! I might even comment on the discussions if I can think of anything intelligent to say (I didn't for The Cement Garden, though I enjoyed the book, if enjoy is the right word).
I read Siddhartha as a middle schooler and that amazing book informs my philosophy to this very day. It reminds us that it's impossible to live in the world in all ways at all times.
Man ... we are a long way from The Cement Garden! I got the newer Harper Perennial edition, which is the Roloff / Lebeck translation. I noticed the Penguin Classics edition in the bookstore as well, which was a different newer translation. I tried the first page and found I preferred the Roloff / Lebeck one. But that Penguin edition did have a good introduction from this writer Ralph Freedman, who looks interesting in his own right. He wrote a biography of Hesse and a book of criticism that's partially about Hesse -- https://ralphfreedman.net/about-ralph-freedman/ . (The Penguin edition also had a foreword from James Franco ... :) ... who was straightforward in his appreciation of the book).
And then the Harper edition has a 1947 introduction from Thomas Mann -- "The outer events, in particular inevitable ruin of unhappy Germany, both of us foresaw and both lived to witness--far removed from each other in space, so far that at times no communication was possible, yet always together, always in each other's thoughts. Our paths in general take clearly separate courses through the land of the spirit, at a formal distance one from the other. And yet in some sense the course is the same, in some sense we are indeed fellow pilgrims and brothers ..."
I've read Demian at least once, and maybe twice. (I forget which translation.) My initial impression was similar to Freddie's, or at least similar to what he's written in this introduction post.
But I changed my mind when I read an interpretation from some journal that offers a dramatically different take. It convinced me and has led me to reinterpret Hesse's overall work, or at least those works I've had a chance to read. To give you the title is to give away the main interpretation, and the article itself would spoil the plot. Maybe during the later discussions, I can share the article. It's freely available online. I'll email Freddie directly and he can decide whether to share it and if so, when.
As a more general comment, I like what I've read of Hesse's work, for the most part. I didn't quite get Siddhartha. I mean, I got the plot, but I wasn't impressed. It didn't really "hit me," if that makes sense. Maybe if I reread it, I'll have a better shot at interpreting is.
I really, really liked Steppenwolf and Journey to the East. Both of them I've read and reread several times. I liked Glass Bead Game, but like Freddie, I think Hesse may be working at a level I'm not completely understanding. That said, when I read it the second time, I think I "got it" a little more.
He wrote a short story, Beneath the Wheel, which didn't impress me at all. And I haven't read Peter Camenzind, Rosshalde, or anything else, including any of his poetry or nonfiction.
By the way, I've heard they're making a movie about Demian. I forget who "they" are, but it's probably Googleable.
Hesse is probably my favorite author. Great choice.
Will be great to dive in again, looking forward to a good discussion.
Just purchased this on a drunken whim, haven't read Hesse since I read Siddhartha in HS - looking forward to it.
Alright, alright. You have successfully hooked me with the book club. Subscribed.😉