Hermann Hesse and His Legacy

Hermann Hesse, winner of the 1946 Nobel Prize for Literature, is now acknowledged internationally as one of the major writers of this century. His books, which have become best-sellers, appeal particularly to the younger generation who identify with the conflicts and ideals expressed in them.

This illustrated biography draws on Hesse's own work and on the recollections of his family and friends, revealing the close affinity between his personal experience and that expressed in his writing.

Hesse's Early Life and Background

Bernhard Zeller depicts Hesse's ancestry and childhood, spent in the small German town where Hesse was born in 1877, and traces his adolescence and early manhood.

Personal Relationships and Influences

He describes his relationship with his first wife, his emigration to Switzerland in protest against German militarism, his Jungian psychoanalysis, the visit to India which inspired his narrative masterpieces Siddhartha and Journey to the East, and the breakup of his marriage.

Later Years and Recognition

Hesse's growing literary reputation coincided with his brief second marriage, and with his peaceful later years in Montagnola spent in the company of his third wife, Ninon, whom he married in 1931. His stature was not fully recognized outside German-speaking countries until after his death in 1962.

Associations and Legacy

Zeller also recalls Hesse's circle of friends, including his famous contemporaries such as Thomas Mann and Andre Gide. This valuable documentary portrait is illustrated with photographs from Hermann Hesse's private collection. In addition, it includes a bibliography and chronology.