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kiran_kang's review
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
kaurra's review against another edition
5.0
I feel like the usual style of review won’t do this book justice at all, and is contradictory to everything it reminded me of and made me feel. Let’s just say that Siddhartha’s journey is something extremely intimate, vulnerable, and something that resonated deeply with me. The final path feels like the one I’ve been traveling, a message about unity and oneness, about love. I cried through the ending and for a while afterwards, and haven’t felt this free in what feels like forever.
Some of the most beautiful prose I’ve read lies in these pages, and I know it has become one of the books that I will turn to when I need to find my way again. I heavily recommend reading this with an open heart and mind- it is one of the most powerful stories about wisdom and spirituality that I’ve stumbled across.
p.s. Thank you Mr. B for introducing me to this gem in grade eleven English class, and teaching us a profound wisdom through something as simple as a donut on your desk ♡
Some of the most beautiful prose I’ve read lies in these pages, and I know it has become one of the books that I will turn to when I need to find my way again. I heavily recommend reading this with an open heart and mind- it is one of the most powerful stories about wisdom and spirituality that I’ve stumbled across.
p.s. Thank you Mr. B for introducing me to this gem in grade eleven English class, and teaching us a profound wisdom through something as simple as a donut on your desk ♡
libby_libaryon's review against another edition
3.0
it took me entirely too long to read this short book. I liked it in high school but as an adult, I found the main character to be kind of smug and insufferable.
l_koenen's review against another edition
3.0
"When someone is searching," said Siddhartha, "then it might easily happen that the only thing his eyes still see is that what he searches for, that he is unable to find anything, to let anything enter his mind, because he always thinks of nothing but the object of his search, because he has a goal, because he is obsessed by the goal. Searching means: having a goal. But finding means: being free, being open, having no goal. You, oh venerable one, are perhaps indeed a searcher, because, striving for your goal, there are many things you don't see, which are directly in front of your eyes."
internetnomads's review against another edition
1.0
I tried to get into this book and just couldn't. It's funny because the subject matter is certainly interesting enough to me. There was just something about the simple, bald style of the writing that bored me to tears.
This book is hugely popular! I use the Compare Books page quite a bit to 'mine' other people's shelves for the good stuff. Every dang person has this at five stars. I wonder what you all are smoking.
This book is hugely popular! I use the Compare Books page quite a bit to 'mine' other people's shelves for the good stuff. Every dang person has this at five stars. I wonder what you all are smoking.
codekosmo's review against another edition
2.0
How can such a beauty of a book, be so manipulative and wrong at the very end?
Short to say, the contradictions Govinda wants to mark in Siddarthas philosophy in the last chapter are totally valid.
When you go with Siddartha and his points there, you easily will go with accepting evil, even if it’s possible to stop it.
In a way the book describes that siddartha is all that mass running in circles, just because of it’s solution to not want to change anything at all and give the same amount of love to everything.
I guess the point is to give then same amount of love to the meaning of everything. But if I did not overlooked something, that is not what the book is telling at the very end.
Again, I recommend to not let go of Govindas critical thoughts in the last chapter, I would rather take the still unsatisfied mood he represents there and combine it with Siddarthas high level of calmness and acceptance. Then you really are able to internalize the holy grail.
The books literally describes Siddartha as those running in circles. So why stay with his philosophy of absolute radical acceptance?
Don‘t take me wrong. A high level of acceptance is crucial for wisdom and that is what this book can give as a very precious perspective, but you have to know the limits. Without limits everything disappears in chaos.
I wonder if this book had it‘s impact on a critical mass of germans, in these years after release in 1922, to make it even easier for the nazis to take there way into the minds. Would Siddartha sit and smile and accept not even taking his democratic vote against them? At least I guess he wouldn’t judge on those voting for the nazis and making it acceptable to run with them.
Would I recommend reading this book?
Yes, definitely. But not for dupable people.
P.S: Be aware. The devilish lies in the details.
Short to say, the contradictions Govinda wants to mark in Siddarthas philosophy in the last chapter are totally valid.
When you go with Siddartha and his points there, you easily will go with accepting evil, even if it’s possible to stop it.
In a way the book describes that siddartha is all that mass running in circles, just because of it’s solution to not want to change anything at all and give the same amount of love to everything.
I guess the point is to give then same amount of love to the meaning of everything. But if I did not overlooked something, that is not what the book is telling at the very end.
Again, I recommend to not let go of Govindas critical thoughts in the last chapter, I would rather take the still unsatisfied mood he represents there and combine it with Siddarthas high level of calmness and acceptance. Then you really are able to internalize the holy grail.
The books literally describes Siddartha as those running in circles. So why stay with his philosophy of absolute radical acceptance?
Don‘t take me wrong. A high level of acceptance is crucial for wisdom and that is what this book can give as a very precious perspective, but you have to know the limits. Without limits everything disappears in chaos.
I wonder if this book had it‘s impact on a critical mass of germans, in these years after release in 1922, to make it even easier for the nazis to take there way into the minds. Would Siddartha sit and smile and accept not even taking his democratic vote against them? At least I guess he wouldn’t judge on those voting for the nazis and making it acceptable to run with them.
Would I recommend reading this book?
Yes, definitely. But not for dupable people.
P.S: Be aware. The devilish lies in the details.
vicsthl's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
2.75
donnachadh's review against another edition
SUMMARY:
In the novel, Siddhartha, a young man, leaves his family for a contemplative life, then, restless, discards it for one of the flesh. He conceives a son, but bored and sickened by lust and greed, moves on again. Near despair, Siddhartha comes to a river where he hears a unique sound. This sound signals the true beginning of his life -- the beginning of suffering, rejection, peace, and, finally, wisdom.
In the novel, Siddhartha, a young man, leaves his family for a contemplative life, then, restless, discards it for one of the flesh. He conceives a son, but bored and sickened by lust and greed, moves on again. Near despair, Siddhartha comes to a river where he hears a unique sound. This sound signals the true beginning of his life -- the beginning of suffering, rejection, peace, and, finally, wisdom.
mackmamareads's review against another edition
5.0
I first read this book for an Integrative Studies course during my 9th grade in school.
The course gave us credit in English/History, but it focused on Culture & Religion.
I am sure our teacher must've out n out said "hey this is Buddha", but I guess I'll attribute my forgetting that main thing to youth & restlessness.
Its the amazing story of Siddhartha.
(here is my recap, from reading it almost a decade ago!)
He is raised inside a palace - his parents secluded him from the outside world, which was ravaged with poverty & illness --- Suffering.
He grows older, I think in his teens he goes outside the palace and sees his first view of the "real world". (just by my reading his Astrological Chart, it explains volumes on his sensitivity & actions in this world). He is Forever changed.
Siddhartha eventually gives up his life in entirety: material property and leaves behind his family, his wife and child, to go out into the world on his spiritual journey to help all those suffering.
If I remember right he gives away most of his belongings. but somehow the universe provides for him to continue on living.
He surrendered. he gave up his Self to be of service to others.
He said many wise things.
http://www.datsplat.com/quotes-and-passages-siddhartha-gautama-buddha/
The course gave us credit in English/History, but it focused on Culture & Religion.
I am sure our teacher must've out n out said "hey this is Buddha", but I guess I'll attribute my forgetting that main thing to youth & restlessness.
Its the amazing story of Siddhartha.
(here is my recap, from reading it almost a decade ago!)
He is raised inside a palace - his parents secluded him from the outside world, which was ravaged with poverty & illness --- Suffering.
He grows older, I think in his teens he goes outside the palace and sees his first view of the "real world". (just by my reading his Astrological Chart, it explains volumes on his sensitivity & actions in this world). He is Forever changed.
Siddhartha eventually gives up his life in entirety: material property and leaves behind his family, his wife and child, to go out into the world on his spiritual journey to help all those suffering.
If I remember right he gives away most of his belongings. but somehow the universe provides for him to continue on living.
He surrendered. he gave up his Self to be of service to others.
He said many wise things.
http://www.datsplat.com/quotes-and-passages-siddhartha-gautama-buddha/