Narcissus and Goldmund

Hailed by The New York Times as “his greatest novel,” this is Hermann Hesse’s masterpiece of morality, freedom, love, and the struggles of being human. Narcissus and Goldmund tells the story of two medieval men with an unlikely friendship. Narcissus, a monk, is quietly content with his religion and simple life. Goldmund, a restless student, is in fervent search of more worldly salvation. Encouraged by Narcissus to reconnect with himself and his past, Goldmund sets off on a physical and spiritual journey that leads him to a dangerous love affair; a harrowing encounter with the horrors of the Black Death; and the realization that, above all else, he wants to create art. Eventually, Goldmund returns to the monastery and Narcissus—not as a monk, but as an artist. This conflict between flesh and spirit, between emotional and contemplative man, was a life study for Hermann Hesse. It is a theme that transcends all time.