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Narcissus and Goldmund

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Narcissus and Goldmund

By: Hermann Hesse
Narrated by: Simon Vance
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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.

©1957 Herman Hesse (P)2009 BBC Audio Classics Fiction Genre Fiction Literary Fiction World Literature Heartfelt Student
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Spoiler Alert: Narcissus and Goldmund is the wonderful story of two young men who join a monastery. Narzissus is the classic aesthete. Goldmund initially longs for the life of an aesthete but Narcissus awakens the sensuous in him which was always his dominant feature. Goldmund leaves the monastery and explores the world and lives a life rich in sensuality with little purpose or meaning. At one point he sees a statue and is overcome by its beauty. He tracks down the master who carved it and becomes his apprentice or workmate. Starting gifted he eventually surpasses the master. Then he becomes restless and leaves to experience more of the world. The Black Death sweeps across the land he is in, and death is all around him but it doesn't claim him. Eventually, he is captured by a lord whose mistress he has seduced not far from the monastery he left in the beginning.
Condemned to death he is saved by Narcissus who has become abbot of the monastery. He stays there except for one small adventure and dies soon after his return.
This is a masterpiece by one of the world's truly great authors. It gives an amazing contrast between the sensuous and the aesthetic life although it tells little of the latter. The names of the main characters say much. The ideas are often magical in their depth and the writing has great beauty.
I have read quite a few of the brilliant books by Herman Hesse and some were very heavy going but this has always been the one I loved best.

A masterpiece by a truly great author

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Very good audiobook, this is a well narrated and great translation of Narcissus and Goldmund.

Highly recommend

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Impressive novel written in the '30s. Compelling listening with nuanced reference to sexual denial and abuse, trust, and power in relationships. Disturbing in many dimensions, not always satisfying, but nevertheless compulsive listening especially as the naive Goldmund leaves the Cloister only to engage in compulsive sexual and other exploits, at times exploitative... These are counterposed with the introspective ascetic life of his friend Narcissus and the inward looking world he inhabits.

Compelling listening, beautiful in parts

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Clearly psycho-analytical in perspective and its savouring of symbols (or rather symbol - the goddess) gives it a timeless and poetic quality. It is a treasure really.

This was written post WW1 and there is a hunger for spiritual meaning which transcends not only orthodoxy but any kind of bookishness. Goldmund roams free, taking comfort where he may and discomfort where he must, confounding most of the ten commandments as he does so. His courageous, ignorant and arrogant rush into the unknown succeeds finally in producing wisdom in the form of a living love which is simple and real. It is neither intellectual nor religious, rather it has a magical quality.

Beautifully Written and Well Read

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Nobelist's one of the greatest writings read by Simon Vance, the audiobook is true art.

*****

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