"A subtle distillation of wisdom, stylistic grace and symmetry of form" Sunday Times

"It's hard to think of a more recent novel that has sung so eloquently the joys of being alone" Guardian

An inspirational classic from Nobel Prize-winner Hermann Hesse, Siddhartha is a beautiful tale of self-discovery

Dissatisfied with the ways of life he has experienced, Siddhartha, the handsome son of a Brahmin, leaves his family and his friend, Govinda, in search of a higher state of being. Having experienced the myriad forms of existence, from immense wealth and luxury to the pleasures of sensual and paternal love, Siddhartha finally settles down beside a river, where a humble ferryman teaches him his most valuable lesson yet.

Hermann Hesse's short, elegant novel, echoing the life of the Buddha, has been cherished by audiences for decades as an unforgettable spiritual primer. A tender and unforgettable moral allegory, it is an undeniable classic of modern literature.

Part of the Pushkin Press Classics series: timeless storytelling by icons of literature, hand-picked from around the globe

This audio edition also includes the 1932 short novel Journey to the East, a classic meditation on artistic creation and the quest for spiritual transcendence.

Original text © Suhrkamp Verlag Frankfurt am Main 1969, Translation copyright © Peter Owen Ltd, 1954, Foreword © Pico Iyer 2012, Recorded by arrangement with Pushkin Press, First published in Germany in 1922.

Original text © Hermann Hesse 1932, Revised English translation © Peter Owen 1964, Foreword © Tony Wheeler 2007, Recorded by arrangement with Pushkin Press.