Hermann Hesse's short book follows Knulp, a charming vagabond who wanders through the German countryside, visiting old friends, charming their wives and refusing to settle down or take a job. In three episodes, set in different periods of his life, Knulp appears as a young man, in middle age, and finally as a sick, aging man returning to his hometown, where he reflects on his choices in a conversation with God. Hesse writes with gentle, lyrical prose, and the story is a kind of tribute to free spirits and to the mystery of a life without possessions.
It suits readers who enjoy Hesse's early, quieter work and stories of wanderers. It is a short, wistful read.
Contemplative and thought-provoking; a moderate read.
Best for readers like The Mindful Reader. Which reader are you?
- Published
- 1988
- Publisher
- Suhrkamp Verlag
- ISBN
- 9783518380710
- Language
- DE
