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

I was the Steppenwolf

I believed from the prologue that I was probably the sort of person that Hesse had intended for an audience to this book. When you enter a writer's world... that is to say, the world of a good writer, you are taken away from your own world to experience joys and sorrows of the author's creation. Hesse's world quickly became my own, but Hesse took me a step further. When I was reading the Steppenwolf, I believed that I was the Steppenwolf. Harry Haller was me and I was him.

Haller begins as a sick and sorrowful man, a brilliant man and I became him as I found myself trudging through his life. When Holler, and thus myself, came out the other side of the story, we were healed, healthier and a better people for having made the journey. For me, reading this was less of an accomplishment and more of an apotheosis... a transcendence. I wish I could thank Hesse myself for creating this wonderful little masterpiece.

the spell is never broken...

...not to say that the spell mightn't push its luck once or twice (like the infrequent flirtations with silliness don't provide much needed relief). As it is with Finnegan's Wake, this would be a good one to save up for a while, seeing as how it leaves a lot of other very worthwhile novels reading like so much fan fiction. Also as it is with Finnegan's Wake, you're more or less guaranteed at least one moment where some long-forgotten-dream memory will burst its banks.

Resonates w/ My Soul

I’ve never had a book speak so profoundly and clearly my inchoate and scattered thoughts. A great criticism of mediocrity, and the challenges of being different in a world of similarity. This is Hesse’s second best book, only beaten by The Glass Bead Game. Also, Peter Weller’s voice is a bit sad and haunting, which fits Steppenwolf perfectly. Overall, a mesmerizing audiobook, not soon to be forgotten.

Interesante pero algo agobiante

Me resultaron interesantes las reflexiones sobre la tecnología del momento ven que fue escrito, tan parecidas a las que nos hacemos en 2019.
Me encantó y me sorprendió lo avanzado y abiertamente expresado acerca de las conductas sexuales. Dicho esto, agrego que es un libro agobiante.

Need to listen to this book one more time

Since english is not my mother-language I found it difficult to follow the story 100%. The story itself is also difficult, so I will listen to the book one more time.

Wow

Just...holy sh*t. First time reading and listening to this story. Going to do it again. So much to unpack and learn. Great story.

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

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