Hermann Hesse (pronounced [ˈhɛr.man ˈhɛ.sə]) (2 July 1877 – 9 August 1962) was a German-Swiss poet, novelist, and painter. In 1946, he received the Nobel Prize in Literature. His best known works include Steppenwolf, Siddhartha, and The Glass Bead Game (also known as Magister Ludi) which explore an individual's search for spirituality outside...more »

Hermann Hesse (pronounced [ˈhɛr.man ˈhɛ.sə]) (2 July 1877 – 9 August 1962) was a German-Swiss poet, novelist, and painter. In 1946, he received the Nobel Prize in Literature. His best known works include Steppenwolf, Siddhartha, and The Glass Bead Game (also known as Magister Ludi) which explore an individual's search for spirituality outside society.

A few years after Hesse's death in 1962, his novels enjoyed a revival of popularity due to their association with some of the themes of the counterculture of the 1960s (or "hippie" movement). In particular, the quest-for-enlightenment theme of Siddhartha, Journey to the East, and Narcissus and Goldmund resonated with countercultural ideals. Also, the "magic theater" sequences in Steppenwolf were interpreted by some as a form of drug-induced psychedelia. These and other Hesse novels were republished in paperback editions and were widely read by university students and young people in the United States and elsewhere.

(source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herman_Hesse) « less