Herman Hesse - Germany

1877 - 1962 (aged 85)

A German-Swiss poet, novelist, and painter. In 1946, he received the Nobel Prize in Literature. His best known works include Steppenwolf, Siddhartha, and The Glass Bead Game (also known as Magister Ludi) which explore an individual\'s search for spirituality outside society.

His main theme deals with the struggle to break out of the established modes of civilization to find the essential spirit of existence. With his appeal for self-realization and his celebration of Eastern mysticism, Hesse posthumously became a cult figure to young people in the English-speaking world.

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