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Darwin8u's Reviews > Steppenwolf
Steppenwolf
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“There are always a few such people who demand the utmost of life and yet cannot come to terms with its stupidity and crudeness.”
― Hermann Hesse, Steppenwolf
There is this bourgeoisie period in every man's life. A midpoint between birth and death where man is trapped alone. Unable to exist in the hot or cold of the absolutes he tries to find his way between the extremes in the comfortable center. Fearing life and death, he just |exists| ... barely. This is not a novel for the young. Just like it is better to save King Lear for late(r) in one's life, it is better to save Steppenwolf for those crisis years of the midlife.
Hesse's novels seem to flirt between the edge of memoir, scripture, prose poem and Eastern philosophy tract. This isn't a book you want to read in a hot bath with scotch in one hand and a razor blade in the other. You will either spill your drink or spill your blood or lose every printed word; the hot water erasing pages and pickling your fingers, toes and time.
― Hermann Hesse, Steppenwolf
There is this bourgeoisie period in every man's life. A midpoint between birth and death where man is trapped alone. Unable to exist in the hot or cold of the absolutes he tries to find his way between the extremes in the comfortable center. Fearing life and death, he just |exists| ... barely. This is not a novel for the young. Just like it is better to save King Lear for late(r) in one's life, it is better to save Steppenwolf for those crisis years of the midlife.
Hesse's novels seem to flirt between the edge of memoir, scripture, prose poem and Eastern philosophy tract. This isn't a book you want to read in a hot bath with scotch in one hand and a razor blade in the other. You will either spill your drink or spill your blood or lose every printed word; the hot water erasing pages and pickling your fingers, toes and time.
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Reading Progress
September 16, 2011
– Shelved
February 28, 2014
–
Started Reading
March 1, 2014
– Shelved as:
2014
March 1, 2014
–
Finished Reading
March 2, 2014
– Shelved as:
1001-ante-mortem
Comments Showing 1-27 of 27 (27 new)
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Riku
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rated it 4 stars
Mar 01, 2014 09:49PM
Hey, I think it is a very young-man's novel! When I look back on Hesse, this book throws up the most memorable images. Visceral, was it not?
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Absolutely. Not my favorite of his novels, and it funhouse flipped a couple times on me, but I think a lot of people ran with wrong ideas of this book. IMHO, they took the wrong message because they hadn't hit the point in life where this novel was aiming. Even Hesse said that it was often "violently misunderstood" by his affirmative and enthusiastic readers. It was written for the bloom and not the bud. The wolf of the steppe isn't a pup.
Darwin8u wrote: "Absolutely. Not my favorite of his novels, and it funhouse flipped a couple times on me, but I think a lot of people ran with wrong ideas of this book. IMHO, they took the wrong message because the..."Hmm... I need to think about my impressions to see if I count among them. Very possible. Disadvantages of not having a review to refer back to.
There are parts of me that get super irritated by Hesse and parts of me that absolutely love him. It depends, I guess, on what part of me is dominating at the time, which of my selves is dislocated and which is demanding the most.
Hesse is a young man's game. The older and "wiser" he gets the younger his audience. I gave my future wife Narcissus and Goldmund on our second date. I loved Siddhartha in HS. My college roommate worshiped Demian. I still haven't done the Glass Bead Game. When I read Steppenwolf, I wished I was younger and hadn't heard Born To Be Wild and Magic Carpet Ride.
Riku wrote: "Hey, I think it is a very young-man's novel! When I look back on Hesse, this book throws up the most memorable images. Visceral, was it not?"I agree. I read this as a young man and have been transfixed by it ever since. I can't wait to read it again as an old man. One reason being that it contains one of the few genuine examples of an unreliable narrator that I've come across.
D8u, there must be poetry in your fingers today: "fingers, toes and time" and "It was written for the bloom and not the bud". Amazing.
Ian wrote: "Riku wrote: "Hey, I think it is a very young-man's novel! When I look back on Hesse, this book throws up the most memorable images. Visceral, was it not?"I agree. I read this as a young man and h..."
Ian, I agree, sometimes I think Darwin8u is squandering his poetry here, on goodreads. The bitch is a poet!
Larry wrote: "Ian, I agree, sometimes I think Darwin8u is squandering his poetry here, on goodreads. The bitch is a poet!"Haha, do you think it's not squandered if two of us love it!
Ian wrote: "Larry wrote: "Ian, I agree, sometimes I think Darwin8u is squandering his poetry here, on goodreads. The bitch is a poet!"Haha, do you think it's not squandered if two of us love it!"
three!
Larry wrote: "The bitch is a poet! "I tell my clients that if I had my druthers I'd be a shepherd and write poetry on rocks. Unfortunately, I am a bourgeoisie bitch cloaking myself in cashmere and not a mangy wolf from the steppes. I'm a socialist stockbroker who cares little for money, except for the game, power and freedom it gives. But anyway, thank you three (Ian, Riku, Larry) for waking me with a smile.
A gift back?
A steppensweater:
You fellas are sprayin' it early (nearly spewin' my coffee here) - thanks for some sweet and cracklin' verse to offset the sleet and ice outside.I will simply note that if young men love Hesse, then he must be a young man's writer. I've said before that I read this at 35- it occurs I should read next year when I'm 55 to see how it ages. I loved the beginning/middle and hated the sci-fi ending, but that's just me.
Ned wrote: "You fellas are sprayin' it early"Goodreads is always such a pissing contest.
Riku wrote: "Ian wrote: "Larry wrote: "Ian, I agree, sometimes I think Darwin8u is squandering his poetry here, on goodreads. The bitch is a poet!"Haha, do you think it's not squandered if two of us love it!"..."
You play the game well my friend.
Darwin8u wrote: "Larry wrote: "The bitch is a poet! "I tell my clients that if I had my druthers I'd be a shepherd and write poetry on rocks. Unfortunately, I am a bourgeoisie bitch cloaking myself in cashmere an..."
I think I saw that guy at brunch today. "clients"
In my next life I want to be a client.
Ian wrote: "In my next life I want to be a client."In the next life, there will hopefully be no need for masters or servants or clients or whatever I am.
I don't think reading and bathing are compatible. The more I get immersed in the one, the less I am in the other.
Matthias wrote: "I don't think reading and bathing are compatible. The more I get immersed in the one, the less I am in the other."Good point. And certainly drinking/drugs + bathing + reading is always a disaster.
Most enjoyable review! Thanks.
Glenn wrote: "Most enjoyable review! Thanks."
Thanks Glenn. Hesse kinda begs to be reviewed. Literally begs.
This review is what I call nutritious. Good for the soul to read.
T. wrote: "This review is what I call nutritious. Good for the soul to read."I think this is one of the reviews where the comments trump the review. :) Thanks T.
I loved GBG and Siddhartha but have yet to read Demian. I need to fix that.
Damn! "You will either spill your drink or spill your blood or lose every printed word; the hot water erasing pages and pickling your fingers, toes and time." What a passage. I'd opine that you are at the top of your game, but I rather think you are just hinting at your blossoming talents. Just remember when we *met* that I told you you were a writer.
Mel wrote: "Damn! "You will either spill your drink or spill your blood or lose every printed word; the hot water erasing pages and pickling your fingers, toes and time." What a passage. I'd opine that you are..."Just over-caffeinated Mel.
I read all of Hesse in my 20’s. I could not get enough of him. My memories of reading him are vague now, I just remember... Wow! After reading your fantastic review I now know I should have reread him during my mid-life crisis. Is it too late to go back in my 70’s? I wonder... thanks for your insight. I do love reading all of your reviews.
