Steppenwolf

The soul's quest for self-discovery never ends, especially for Harry Haller--universally known as the Steppenwolf. After a life spent in self-imposed isolation, Harry meets the mysterious Hermine and becomes captivated by her intoxicating power. Through their nighttime adventures the Steppenwolf experiences the decadent excesses of the bourgeoise society he always despised. Harry becomes a man divided--lost in an underground world of pleasure and set on a collision course with his innermost desires. There has never been a translation that captures the essence of Hermann Hesse's own spiritual questioning until now. Kurt Beals restores the original meaning of this twisted German tale in a recognizably modern voice. Beals' expert introduction traces the impact of The Steppenwolf for readers seeking meaning during the upheaval of worldwide conflicts, the onslaught of new technologies, and life's uncertainties. This revolutionary translation is the only way to experience the novel as Hesse envisioned it nearly 100 years ago.

HERMANN HESSE was born in 1877 in Calw, Germany. He grew to become a celebrated author and the recipient of the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1946. As the son of missionaries, he developed a fascination with self-discovery and spiritual explorations, an interest also likely due in part to his lifelong struggle with depression, which led him to study Sigmund Freud and, later, to undergo psychoanalysis with Carl Jung. In 1912 he moved to Switzerland, where he wrote his best-known books, including the classic Siddhartha; composed poetry; and painted landscapes. He passed away in 1962 in Montagnola, Switzerland. Hesse is one of the most widely translated authors of the twentieth century; his work continues to have influence worldwide. Kurt Beals is associate professor of German at Washington University in St. Louis. His previous translations include works by Jenny Erpenbeck, Reiner Stach, Regina Ullmann, and Anja Utler.

The soul's quest for self-discovery never ends, especially for Harry Haller--universally known as the Steppenwolf. After a life spent in self-imposed isolation, Harry meets the mysterious Hermine and becomes captivated by her intoxicating power. Through their nighttime adventures the Steppenwolf experiences the decadent excesses of the bourgeoise society he always despised. Harry becomes a man divided--lost in an underground world of pleasure and set on a collision course with his innermost desires. There has never been a translation that captures the essence of Hermann Hesse's own spiritual questioning until now. Kurt Beals restores the original meaning of this twisted German tale in a recognizably modern voice. Beals' expert introduction traces the impact of The Steppenwolf for readers seeking meaning during the upheaval of worldwide conflicts, the onslaught of new technologies, and life's uncertainties. This revolutionary translation is the only way to experience the novel as Hesse envisioned it nearly 100 years ago.

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