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# Demian by Herman Hesse
- URL: https://justinowings.com/demian-by-herman-hesse/
- Published: 2009-01-02T13:59:58.000Z
- Updated: 2025-03-06T16:45:57.000Z
- Author: Justin Owings
- Tags: reading

[![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/20/9f/209fd0c9-331a-4ece-b2e3-5a0a6cafb76d/content/images/2025/03/41vye210tnl-_sl160_.jpg)](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0060931914?ie=UTF8&tag=justinowings-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0060931914&ref=justinowings.com) [Demian](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0060931914?ie=UTF8&tag=justinowings-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0060931914&ref=justinowings.com) by Herman Hesse

Just read *Demian* by Herman Hesse ([buy at amazon](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0060931914?ie=UTF8&tag=autodogmatic-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0060931914&ref=justinowings.com)). The book is a fictional first-person account of a German youth named Sinclair who is going through a period of awakening/enlightenment, working through issues of good and evil, at the hands of certain mentors (Max Demian throughout, Demian's mom ultimately).

The book is about 170 pages. It has a mysterious quality to it, and I imagine there are some underlying ideas that I completely missed. The big takeaway to me was that there are those people who examine their lives, live with a self-driven purpose and exist apart from the "herd" and then there's everyone else. Demian, Sinclair, et. al. seek their own purpose, which is a higher road than the herd. As for tangible philosophical ideas, the book came up short for me. Wasn't an unpleasant read even still, but then again, if you're a pretty individualistic person, you'll find you agree with the general premise of this book -- so what's not to like?

Probably a good read for a 16 year old struggling with the idiocy of high school popularity contests.