#42: Hermann Hesse, Siddhartha
The short description of this novel would be &amp;#8220;It&amp;#8217;s about enlightenment&amp;#8221; and that description would be quite apt in many ways. Siddhartha, the son of a successful Brahmin, is expected to continue in his father&amp;#8217;s footsteps, but decides to pursue his own path towards enlightenment when he realizes that his father has nothing else to teach him. When a wandering group of Samanas passes through town, Siddhartha decides to join the group, along with his friend Govinda, against his father&amp;#8217;s wishes. What follows is a long journey through life&amp;#8217;s various positions and stations; Siddhartha goes from leading an incredibly lavish lifestyle to giving away all of his possessions and belongings. The various experiences that Siddhartha goes through finally get him to the place of enlightenment that he so sought from the beginning, driving across the final point that there is really no one way to achieve enlightenment.&nbsp;