Siddhartha
Hermann Hesse
97 people recommended it in 43 threads, 2007–2025.
3 commenters pushed back on it — worth reading the threads.
What people on Hacker News said
You start reading it and you don't want to stop reading it because you're now part of Siddharta's journey. You’re no expecting the punch line that has the lesson, you simply live the story and therefore live the lesson.
This was a book I read in my early twenties that really helped me come to terms with a religious upbringing that no longer resonated with me, as well as a spiritual void in my life that needed to be filled.
This book resonated at a perfect time for me, opened my eyes to what peace in human mind could be, peace through acceptance, and above all the rejection of strict god-judging religions.
Siddhartha is a great meditation on life in its entirety. For startup-focused professionals it can be hard to imagine satisfaction with a life lacking "accomplishment" but Hesse paints a thoughtful picture.
Sometimes when I feel a bit sad I remind myself to read a few chapters. It reminds me what I find important in life. What I can ask from myself and from other. It gives me joy in a good way.
Every couple of years I reread Siddhartha by Herman Hesse. It is a short read, but it really grounds me and I always interpret it slightly differently based on what is going on in my life.
Where it comes up
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