Steppenwolf

By: Hermann Hesse

Narrated by: Peter Weller

Length: 7 hrs and 41 mins

Publisher's summary

Harry Haller is a sad and lonely figure, a reclusive intellectual for whom life holds no joy. He struggles to reconcile the wild, primeval wolf and the rational man within himself without surrendering to the bourgeois values he despises. His life changes dramatically when he meets a woman who is his opposite, the carefree and elusive Hermine.

With its blend of Eastern mysticism and Western culture, Steppenwolf, Hesse' best-known and most autobiographical work, originally published in English in 1929, continues to speak to our souls as a classic of modern literature.

©1927 S. Fischer Verlag A. G., Berlin. Renewal copyright 1955 Hermann Hesse. English translation copyright B 1929 Henry Holt and Company. Renewal copyright 1957 Hermann Hesse. Revised translation copyright 1963 Holt, Rinehart, and Winston, Inc. Author's note copyright 1961 Suhrkamp Verlag, Frankfurt Am Main (P)2008 BBC Audiobooks America

a brilliant story

I loved the perspective of Harry, the narrator, and the flow of the tale.

Absurd and beautiful…language at its finest it …very thought provoking

It ended… I loved the poetic exploration of existential questions and the the man/ beast duality

Best Novel on Intellectual Male's Midlife Crisis

I likely would have ridiculed this novel at 20, when I was unconquerable, infinite, the world my oyster. Thirty years on, having been through the process of disenchantment called life, and survived the tragic ends (de facto and de jure) of each chapter of my personal myth--the perfect job, a huge house, insane wealth, and adoration of both my looks and smarts--I find this novel profound.

Hermann Hesse wrote this in his late 40s and I can see parts of myself--now and in my recent past--in his fictional alter ego, Harry Haller, a self-isolated intellectual who thinks of himself as a steppenwolf (or a wolf from the steppes), experiencing an ongoing existential crisis, bouts of acute loneliness, fleeting thoughts of death, and a continuing coming to terms with a bourgeois society which he hates yet needs. I can see the wisdom of a life lived, in terms spiritual and at times--even still--animalistic.

I found fascinating the magic theatre to which Harry was invited, a place which serves as a reminder of why he should want to live, allowing him to experience encounters (not necessarily sexual) with females from his past, meetings with these unrequited loves or lusts in which he's no longer shy nor suffering the hangups and insecurities of a young man or boy.

Variations of this magical venue often pepper my dreams. Call them my subconscious yawps for immortality, or maybe, on a deeper level, my psyche's nocturnal pursuits of prurient propagation.

I highly recommend this novel to men in their 40s and 50s, and to their spouses/partners for possible enlightenment.

Masterpiece

Weller's delivery of this potent work is spot on in every way. This novel is a favorite of mine, but I will be looking into other audio books Weller narrates on the strength of this performance.

No thrill of discovery

Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?

yes, the book. Not the audio.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Steppenwolf?

When it was discovered that Steppenwolf was meeting a beautiful lady, and who she was.

How could the performance have been better?

The mysterious parts could have sounded more mysterious and intriguing.

Could you see Steppenwolf being made into a movie or a TV series? Who should the stars be?

Not for Americans. It is too heavy for the general public. Maybe on PBS< though.

"Not for Everybody"

"Not for Everybody" interesting but parts are still. worth a read or listen. ta ta.

I can't get past the narrator

The character voices are inconsistent, it sounds like everyone is drunk or apathetic and the narration feels like ear sandpaper.
I'm sure other people will love the voice for the book, but I struggled.

A Masterpiece That Transcends Time and Era

Wow. This book was an intellectual tour de force. If your love music, or philosophy, literature, language, or spirituality, or even if you’re just looking for a book that’s thoughtful in a way that causes it to transcend its own era, then you’re in for a treat. I would also note how surprised I was at the author’s prescience. He foresaw so much of the tragedy of the 20th century and put it all down right here in print as a warning way back in the 190’s. Fascinating read.

Hesse

Back in the 70's when I was in college and the army Herman Hesse had a surge of popularity that was deemed comin of age stories. Back then I read most of his books. I decided to listen to Steppenwolf to see if anything changed, if I had a diferenct perspective. I don't know that I have the answer, Hesse wrote a forward to this book 30 years or so after he wrote it mentioning how the young enjoyed his writing. But he wrote Steppenwolf when he was around 50 and he said that it was as much about finding peace of mind, your placein life than anything. He mentions that each reader gets somthing diffeerent from the story and any author wants his readers to relate to their stories in whatever way workds for them. This is a book for thinkers, I'm one, if you're one you may enjoy this tale.

If you like Nietzsche, you'll love Der Steppenwolf

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

I would recommend this to intelligent introspective friends who may have read some Nietzsche. Those would get the most out of it. I saw on the wiki page for the book that Jack Kerouac "dismissed" this book in Big Sur. While I've only read one of Kerouac's books, I can say the two aren't remotely on the same level. I think Hesse's work was just beyond him.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Der Steppenwolf of course.

What does Peter Weller bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Peter was an interesting choice. I can understand why he was offered the job, he often represents the lone wolf in movies.His pronunciation was decent but don't forget about the speed function on your audible player. I found 1.25x normal a very comfortable listening speed.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

A new life is yours to take.

Any additional comments?

Psychologic, philosophic, and existential