Harry Haller, a cultured man in his late forties, thinks of himself as a Steppenwolf, half man and half wild beast, who cannot accept either bourgeois comfort or solitary rebellion. As he considers suicide, a stranger hands him a booklet that describes him exactly. His life changes when he meets Hermine, an unconventional woman who teaches him to dance, to listen to jazz and to enjoy sensual life. Their circle includes Maria and the musician Pablo. The story concludes in the Magic Theatre, a series of surreal scenes in which Harry confronts the many selves in his personality. Hermann Hesse published it in 1927.
It is a suitable choice for readers who like psychological novels about being at odds with the world, and for those curious about Hesse beyond Siddhartha. It speaks to anyone who has felt split between duty and desire.
Deep, inward-looking, open-ended and thought-provoking; a moderate read.
Best for readers like The Wisdom Collector. Which reader are you?
- Published
- 1996
- Publisher
- Mondadori
- ISBN
- 9788804420972
- Language
- IT
