Narcissus and Goldmund is the story of a passionate yet uneasy friendship between two men of opposite character. Narcissus, an ascetic instructor at a cloister school, has devoted himself solely to scholarly and spiritual pursuits. One of his students is the sensual, restless Goldmund, who is immediately drawn to his teacher's fierce intellect and sense of discipline. When Narcissus persuades the young student that he is not meant for a life of self-denial, Goldmund sets off in pursuit of aesthetic and physical pleasures, a path that leads him to a final, unexpected reunion with Narcissus.
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"Great novel about two young men who have nothing in common (one is an intellectual who deals in the abstract and the other is a sensuous & sensitive charmer who deals in pleasure) except a strong friendship after living in a monastery. Story follows the sensuous character, naturally, the more interesting and fun one as he encounters trials and tribulations as a wander. However, it seems less about the duality of man, which I was looking forwards to, and more of a coming of age story. Well done nonetheless, but I would rank it behind Hesse's other books (Siddhartha & Steppenwolf)"
— Awet (4 out of 5 stars)
" This is one of my all time favorite novels. The major theme presented by Hesse is the duality of man and the constant struggle for self realization that man undergoes. The plot is engaging and moves swiftly through the lives of its two protagonists, the names of whom I am forgetting. An artist roaming wildly through the world, loves passionately, makes mistakes and abscond's only to find his faithful friends from youth, who had chosen a quiet cloister life which was not free from its own hazards. "
— Akash, 1/30/2014" Fantastic and important for me to read. I hope to return to this book again and again in the future and gain new insights on each visit. "
— Josh, 1/29/2014" i'm not afraid to admit that i hated the first two-thirds of this book. the ending had me tearing up on the beach. and yes, i was reading hesse on the beach. "
— Katherine, 1/28/2014" One of the more rarified comparisons I've ever heard between myself and a fictional character was when a friend compared me to Narcissus. Usually, I hear Walter from The Big Lebowski. "
— Peter, 1/26/2014" I would give so much to have one conversation with Hermann Hesse. "
— Scott, 1/20/2014" Ugh. A repulsively boring novel. A lot of sturm und drang over nothing. "
— Tia, 1/3/2014" i got this book from a table on the streets partly because of the inscription. it wished the compatriot a journey on which they find their own balance between naricssus and goldmund. may everyone else find the same. "
— Alison, 1/2/2014" While it is no 'Steppenwolf' filled with magical breaks, this books is a good story of self-realization and enlightenment without being too overdone. "
— Kristen, 12/8/2013" it just goes to show that two sides of the coin are not opposite at all, simply complimentary. you like that? i just came up with it this afternoon. you can borrow it if you like, no credit necessary. "
— Siobhan, 12/7/2013" Hesse's magic woven into this wonderful book.. "
— Augustine, 12/1/2013" Quite simply one of the best novels ever written. "
— Yznn, 10/8/2013" epitome of Hesse-ian obviousness. 3 stars "
— Darren, 9/23/2013" This book touched me, two men so different, sharing a platonic love that hurts and heals them both. I re-read it every few years. "
— Cathy, 8/20/2013" A simple book about two very different men who are friends - that's all it's about - and it's great. "
— Aleem, 6/11/2013" Hesse chose to portrait two characters at the extreme poles of philosophical characteristics......Only in chapter 18 does he redeem himself in his dissertation. There are also some very misogynistic undertones throughout the book. "
— Jocelyne, 6/11/2013" I loved this. Some seriously profound commentary on art and living. Lots of discussion of classic dichotomies (thinking/feeling in particular, one I've always been fascinated with). "
— -=zachary=-, 6/3/2013" Loved every moment of this novel, classic Hesse! "
— Earl, 2/24/2013" My favorite of all of Hesse's book. If you haven't read it, please do! "
— Nicolas, 10/15/2012" I learned the importance of the journey. "
— Andy, 6/1/2012" I read this book in my first grade of high school. I felt a little bit hard. However, Hermann Hesse, his writing just came to me. This two type of people made me think about many things....I want to read it again! "
— Aram, 5/5/2012" Probably my all time favorite book, probably because of Goldmund's hedonistic ways- which were fun to read about. It's not 'til recently that I realize he truly found peace at the end and didn't "give up". "
— Tania, 2/8/2012" The storyline doesn't turn the pages, but Hesse once again philosophies as a poet, even in translation. This is an excellent read for anyone caught in debate between the humanities and sciences, physical and spiritual. "
— Kurt, 8/4/2011" Mr. Mims introduced me to this as a junior in high school. It's very sensual. I reread it a couple of times in my 20's and 30's. "
— Debbie, 5/16/2011" Hesse is just not my cup of tea. "
— Heleni, 5/8/2011" Hermann Hesse, as always, speaks directly to the soul with minimal effort. He understands the characters in depth and he is not afraid to share his findings with the readers. Once you start this book, you won't be able to put it down, so make sure you have enough free time. "
— Maria, 4/21/2011" God, it's the best one! Also probably his most accessible. It actually reminded me of something Paulo Coelho might have written. Do it up people, do it up. "
— Kara, 4/18/2011" Koncala po tistem, ko je ubil Viktorja. Res všec mi je bil samo odnos Narcis-Zlatoust, obrobne zgodbe zelo odvecne.<br/>Bored my brains out with this book. "
— Diana, 4/4/2011" Provavelmente o melhor romance de H. Hess "
— Joao, 3/8/2011" Letto al liceo, nel periodo dell'esaltazione hessiana.<br/>Mi era piaciuto da matti, ma probabilmente se lo rileggessi oggi non avrei la stessa reazione. "
— Hollygolightly, 2/25/2011Hermann Hesse (1877–1962) was born in Germany and later became a citizen of Switzerland. As a Western man profoundly affected by the mysticism of Eastern thought, he wrote many novels, stories, and essays that bear a vital spiritual force that has captured many generations of readers. In 1946 he won the Nobel Prize for Literature.
Simon Vance (a.k.a. Robert Whitfield) is an award-winning actor and narrator. He has earned more than fifty Earphones Awards and won the prestigious Audie Award for best narration thirteen times. He was named Booklist’s very first Voice of Choice in 2008 and has been named an AudioFile Golden Voice as well as an AudioFile Best Voice of 2009. He has narrated more than eight hundred audiobooks over almost thirty years, beginning when he was a radio newsreader for the BBC in London. He is also an actor who has appeared on both stage and television.