Demian (Perennial Classics)

Book Description

In Demian, one of the great writers of the twentieth century tells the dramatic story of young, docile Emil Sinclair's descent--led by precocious shoolmate Max Demian--into a secret and dangerous world of petty crime and revolt against convention and eventual awakening to selfhood.

"The electrifying influence exercised on a whole generation just after the First World War by Demian...is unforgettable. With uncanny accuracy this poetic work struck the nerve of the times and called forth grateful rapture from a whole youthful generation who believed that an interpreter of their innermost life had risen from their own midst."
-- From the Introduction by Thomas Mann

Customer Reviews:

A Spiritual Read.......2007-05-26

Hesse's novel is a tribute to what I will refer to as religion with a big 'R'. This novel surpasses the conventions of religion and goes to the root of what it is to be a man and have faith in something even if the something is yourself. This is a very short and quick read so there is no reason that anyone should pass this up.

Critical.......2007-02-10

A confirmation to your spirit that believing in yourself, asking questions and loving life remains worthwhile. Count yourself fortunate to be able to read this book and apply the concepts as you see fit

Hesse is a true literary master..........2007-01-16

Probably my favorite book of all time. Hesse handcrafts every line and every detail. Each is full of meaning and full of life. I am blown away every time I read one of his works. Demian is an essential novel in one's literary journey. Read it once or twice and form your own meaning of Demian. Then begin to look deeper. What could each character represent? Then go to [...] for an amazing look at the book.

A horrible edition of a great novel..........2006-05-16

While I was unpacking books after a recent move, I put aside a few oldies but goodies to add to my spring reading list. Some favorite titles had somehow "disappeared" over the past 20 or 30 years. When I realized Demian was among the missing, I picked up this paperback. What a mess-terpiece! This edition averages over one typo per page!! Skip this overpriced, carelessly produced "tome" at all costs. Don't support a publisher that handles classics so haphazardly. Personally, I will avoid HarperPerennial like dog poop in the park. Any out-of-work proofreaders out there? Appy now!

Compare to Siddhartha, the Writing was better, Ideas were worse.......2006-03-31

Herman Hesse's Demian is the first book of its kind that I have ever read. It is a coming of age tale told in retrospect by the narrator at a middle-aged time in his life. Emil Sinclair is the novel's narrator. When Demian was first published the author's name and the narrator were synonymous. Until later when Hesse admitted that he had written the novel. Many parallels between Sinclair and Hesse are apparent in the novel. Sinclair retells the tales of his childhood, adolescence, and early adulthood while adding many thoughts and perspectives to the events. Hesse's novel serves the purpose of explaining growing up from an adult's perspective. Hesse's diction fits older audiences. In Demian, words such as "pious" (92), "antiquarian" (108), and "inexorably" (115) lose their effectiveness on younger audiences. Also, since Demian's narrator is a middle-aged man it narrows Hesse's intended audience to retrospective adults, or people who are interested in his beliefs.

Demian begins with Hesse explaining how in the novel his narrator is unconventional. Hesse explains that "novelists when they write novels tend to take an almost godlike attitude toward their subject" (1) and that in Demian his story is "not a pleasant one; it is neither sweet nor harmonious" (2). After that Sinclair "begin[s] [his] story with an experience [he] had when [he] was ten and attended [his] small town's Latin school" (3). Hesse's first chapter focuses on the central theme of Demian. This idea is that there are "two realms" in the world. The idea that people can either exist as part of "the realm of day" (3) or "the realm of night" (3), meaning that people can succumb to life's conventions or strive to be different by doing socially unacceptable acts. Emil Sinclair is very aware of these separate worlds at a young age, and is bothered by the idea that he does not fit into the realm of the light with his sisters and parents.

Sinclair surrounds himself with peers that he feels will fill this dark void. One of them becomes the infamous Franz Kromer. The boys sit and share tales of the terrible crimes they have committed, and because Emil has never committed any type of crime, he creates one. He states that he stole the apples off of the tree of a local merchant. To his horror, Kromer states that he was offered money in turn for the whereabouts of the apple thief. He begins blackmailing Sinclair into stealing from his family, and people in the town. After a few weeks of being blackmailed, Sinclair meets a character that forever changes the course of his life, Max Demian.

Demian is an astoundingly precocious youth who intrigues Emil because of his obvious knowledge. Demian has one talk with Kromer, and Kromer leaves Sinclair alone for the rest of the novel. Demian shares his ideas about the "story of Cain and Abel" (21), stating that "Cain was a fine fellow and the story was pinned on him only because people were afraid" (24). And Demian shares his idea that people in society bare similar marks to that of Cain, claiming that "Cain's mark [is] a mark of distinction" (25). However the main idea of the novel is freedom of choice.

In the beginning Sinclair just goes along with the flow of society, doing was is socially acceptable. And in the end, after his descent into the "dark realm" of boozing, stealing, stalking, and doing poorly in school, Sinclair rises and is able to be free of society. At the beginning of the novel Demian questions Sinclair about an emblem above the door to his family's manor, saying, "I know the house. There's something odd above the doorway, it interested me at once" (22). To this Sinclair states "it's a bird or something" (22). The actual depiction is that of a bird on its first winged flight escaping from some unknown force. This becomes a symbol in the novel, symbolizing Emil's desire to break free of his family and society and take flight. At first the symbol functions as a connection between Demian and Sinclair, but later in the novel, the reader understands its full meaning.

Initially the story of Emil Sinclair's ascent into adulthood is interesting, and the beginning of the novel declaring that the narrator is not infallible like most narrators will intrigue many readers. But, Demian is less of a novel about infallible narrators and more a novel about possible countercultures and acceptance of going against the norm. Since Herman Hesse wrote this novel about the time prior to World War I, it is easily seen as a parallel to the building up of tension within the world. Emil symbolizes the world and its "two realms" and Demian represents a "God" sent to advise the world in its choices. Hesse's writing in Demian is worth 145 pages of an educated minds time, but his ideas are not.

Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver 2 (Prima's Official Strategy Guide)

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A guide that guarantees success

Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver 2 (Prima's Official Strategy Guide)
Demian Linn , and David Hodgson
Manufacturer: Prima Games
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver

ASIN: 0761532374
Release Date: 2001-11-13

Book Description

Vengeance calls. Destiny awaits.

• Complete, step-by-chilling-step walkthrough
• Hauntingly detailed character histories
• Solutions to every mind-boggling puzzle
• Every blood-curdling secret unearthed
• Effective vampiric combat tactics

Customer Reviews:

A guide that guarantees success.......2003-05-02

I've always loved the Soul Reaver series, so when I heard a 2nd installment was going to be issued a couple of years back I was elated. But much like the original, your going to need some help if you want to minimize your frustration with Soul Reaver 2's complicated puzzles and obstacles. That is where this book comes in. Prima's guide was to the point and provided clear instructions on how to master Soul Reaver. Beautiful color illustrations, some background information of the games characters, and combat tips made Soul Reaver 2 a much more enjoyable game to play. Thegame by itself is a masterpiece with stunning graphics, great story line, and very realitic environments, Prima's Soul Reaver 2 guide enhances the magnificance of this epic game.

Dead or Alive 3: Prima's Official Strategy Guide

Average customer rating:

good game
Honest Review
It's worth it just for the pictures alone..!
useless and stupid...

Dead or Alive 3: Prima's Official Strategy Guide
Demian Linn , and Prima Temp Authors
Manufacturer: Prima Games
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Video Games | Games & Strategy Guides | Computers & Internet | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0761537120
Release Date: 2001-11-27

Book Description

Gorgeous, bouncy, fighting action is back this fall in DEAD OR ALIVE 3 with new characters, a new story line, and incredible fighting graphics, exclusively for the Xbox! DEAD OR ALIVE 3: PRIMA'S OFFICIAL STRATEGY GUIDE includes all the features you expect, including complete moves lists, crucial combo strategies for every fighter, blocking tactics, more countering techniques, and tips on environment destruction. You also get adversary tables, damage totals, and special tag team tips. Don't miss out on the action get Prima!

Customer Reviews:

good game.......2003-08-29

Dead or alive 3 is a very good fighting game. The graphics are realistic. Kicking fighters off clifs, through glass windows, into electric gates, and fighting in water or while it's snowing is really cool. The reason I rated it 4 instead of 5 is because the only thing I don't like about it is the amount of fighters in this game. You beat the game too fast. If it had like 20 to 25 fighters like mortal kombat 4 or tekken tag then It will probaly be known as the 3rd best fighting game ever. Right now #1 is still the tekken series and #2 is still the mortal kombat series.

Honest Review.......2002-05-08

Lets face it a Strategy Guide for DoA3 is very lame. BUT it is insightful. Another reviewer said that it's as useful as a guide for Pong. Well they have a point, DoA3 is a fighting game whos objective is to bash the other player. Play long enough and you learn how to do just that. What this guide shows you is how to do it in style, how to take out the other guy with that rare combo, and with some practise do it everytime. If you are like this Gamer, who is NOT 14 and can NOT spend 12 hours in front of his XBOX (though I wish I could), then this guide is for you. Enjoy it.
PS Rember Pong was the #1 selling game for a long time back in the day.

It's worth it just for the pictures alone..!.......2002-04-23

I dont know why "nightmarecow1" didnt like it.. I thought it was amazing... I loved it and thats all that matters....

useless and stupid..........2002-01-02

Strategy guides are horrible. Why use one ESPECIALLY for DOA3? ITS LIKE A STRATEGY GUIDE FOR PONG!!!!!!!

Demian: A Dual-Language Book (Dover Thrift Editions)

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Demian: A Dual-Language Book (Dover Thrift Editions)
Hermann Hesse
Manufacturer: Dover Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0486420426

Book Description

First major novel by Nobel Prize-winning author explores the fundamental duality of existence through the tale of a troubled young man's confusion about life's conflicting values. Recounted in engaging prose, this brilliant psychological portrait offers a poignant statement of the terrors and torments of adolescence.

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Demian (Bantam Modern Classics)

Manufacturer: Bantam Modern Classic
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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Knowledge Management in Construction
Charles Egbu , and Patricia Carrillo
Manufacturer: Blackwell Publishing Limited
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Knowledge Management in the Construction Industry: A Socio-Technical Perspective
Management of Knowledge in Project Environments

ASIN: 1405129727

Book Description

A key problem facing the construction industry is that all work is done by transient project teams, and in the past there has been no structured approach to learning from projects once they are completed. Now, though, the industry is adapting concepts of knowledge management to improve the situation.This book brings together 13 contributors from research and industry to show how managing construction knowledge can bring real benefits to organisations and projects. It covers a wide range of issues, from basic definitions and fundamental concepts, to the role of information technology, and engendering a knowledge sharing culture. Practical examples from construction and other industry sectors are used throughout to illustrate the various dimensions of knowledge management. The challenges of implementing knowledge management are outlined and the ensuing benefits highlighted.

Pac-Man World 2 (Prima's Official Strategy Guide)

Average customer rating:

Must have book to a glorius gem of a game.

Pac-Man World 2 (Prima's Official Strategy Guide)
Demian Linn
Manufacturer: Prima Games
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0761539204
Release Date: 2002-03-19

Customer Reviews:

Must have book to a glorius gem of a game........2003-01-23

Lets you know where all the tokens are so you can finally play Ms Pac Man!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Plus it helps with the harder parts of the game even though I beat it without this guide.I got it for the token locations and boy am I impressed.Pac Man rules!!!

Average customer rating:

DEMIAN

Manufacturer: BANTAM
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: B000C11HIG

Little Yellow Pear Tomatoes [LARGE PRINT]

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Blessed Gardens LOVES Little Yellow Pear Tomatoes
What a wise girl for such a youngin.
Marvelous discovery
Beautifully illustrated. Wonderfully written.
A young girl who explores the circle of life & marvels at the collaboration & effort involved in cultivating fruits she loves

Little Yellow Pear Tomatoes [LARGE PRINT]
Demian Elaine Yumei
Manufacturer: Illumination Arts Publishing Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 097401902X
Release Date: 2005-06-01

Product Description

This exquisite offering examines the universal circle of life through the innocent eyes of a young girl, who marvels at all the energy and collaboration it takes to grow her yellow pear tomatoes. She sees that everyone and everything brings something essential to the little fruits she loves so much.

Customer Reviews:

Blessed Gardens LOVES Little Yellow Pear Tomatoes .......2007-08-08

"Little Yellow Pear Tomatoes", by Demian Elaine Yumei, captures the early wonder children find in the the garden. The book follows a little girl as she discovers all the "not-a-tomato things" that are necessary to create her very special garden treat.

The learning angle of this charming book is in how children discover how everything is connected. We all make a contribution, and her lesson is in seeing that her parents, the sun, the rain, and even the ladybugs and earthworms are all a part of the tiny yellow pear tomatoes that she loves so much.

The wonder and discovery in this book brought back the first time I tasted a wild strawberry that my grandmother inisisted we stop and pick. This serves as a spiritual reminder that even the most simple tasks of our daily life are connected to a farmer's harvest a hundred miles away, and the importance of teaching our children this. Deliciously illustrated, "Little Yellow Pear Tomatoes" makes a great gift and encourages children to share in the vital connection between all living things.

For more garden friendly book reviews, visit us at www.blessedgardens.com

What a wise girl for such a youngin........2007-01-21

Kids will get a lot out of this book. The text is excellent and the illustrations are great. They fit together very well. There were 13 scenes (2-pages each) included. I was able to get a good idea of the story just by turning the pages and looking at the pictures.

The story was about a little girl who lived on a farm where her father grew little yellow pear tomatoes for her. The little girl explained during the story how her little yellow tomatoes were able to grow on the farm. Very educational! I think little kids will enjoy having this book read to them over and over. The high quality of the text and illustrations should ensure that.

I would have liked the book better if I'd been told who the little girl was (what was her name?). Also, I did not see the need to include the concept of heaven. 5 stars!

Marvelous discovery.......2006-09-13

Reviewed by Debra Gaynor for Reader Views (8/06)

A young girl loves little yellow pear tomatoes. She delights in discovering what goes into growing them. "Little Yellow Pear Tomatoes" is a marvelous book for children.
The illustrations are beautifully done.

My grandchildren love to help us garden. They help us plant the seeds. They each have their own basket to collect the fruit and vegetables when it's time to harvest them. They have often asked "Why does this grow?" "Why does it take so long for the plant to bear fruit?" This wonderful book explains some of what goes into raising one of their favorite fruits. Daddy plants the seed and tills the soil. Mommy pulls the weeds. The bugs and worms do there part to keep the plant breathing. The clouds water the garden. The sun feeds the plants. All these things are part of the tomato. For if you take away one thing there would not be little yellow pear tomatoes.

I highly recommend this book for young children. It is beautifully written and illustrated.

Beautifully illustrated. Wonderfully written........2006-03-06

What a thought provoking book! As I read this story, I soon realized that my thinking about growing plants had been very wrong. I have always thought about seeds as containing everything needed to grow a plant - any plant. Isn't that what children everywhere are told? Some well meaning person holds up a tiny seed for a child's eyes to behold and patiently explains that the seed, no matter how diminutive it may seem, does indeed hold everything it needs to grow into its own type of vegetation. Of course, these are well meaning instructors who are simply trying to help children understand the miracle that is held inside even the tiniest seed, and what they say is true - but there is so much more!

Now, inside the pages of this beautifully illustrated book, we find a thoughtful child who not only looks at seeds as miraculous, but also understands that many other things are necessary for those seeds to produce fruit. That means there must be many things inside the little yellow pear tomatoes that helped them become the unique fruit that they are.

As we turn the pages of this book, we enter the mind of a little girl as she sits in her garden thinking about those little yellow pear tomatoes that she loves so well. She notes the difference between these tomatoes and other tomatoes - and there are many differences. Then she thinks about how her daddy and mommy help them to grow, how the sun and rain help them to grow, and even how the bugs and worms help them to grow. Are all these things now inside the little yellow pear tomatoes? Could the tomatoes grow without them?

***** As the story continues, children will learn to think about all the people, things, and situations that must be present in order for a little yellow pear tomato to mature. I enjoyed this story tremendously, and highly recommend it for all children. I think I can also guarantee that they will never again look at a seed (or a tomato) in the same way. *****

Reviewed by Ruth Wilson.

A young girl who explores the circle of life & marvels at the collaboration & effort involved in cultivating fruits she loves.......2005-10-04

Inspired by Zen teachings, Little Yellow Pear Tomatoes is a children's picturebook about a young girl who explores the circle of life and marvels at the collaboration and effort involved in cultivating fruits she loves so much. Written in singsong rhyming verse, and beautifully illustrated in full color, Little Yellow Pear Tomatoes explores the fundamental connections between all people, labors, and things big and small. "I am in these little yellow pear tomatoes, too, / because if I didn't love eating them / so much, my daddy wouldn't plant them! // Each little yellow pear tomato / has the entire earth and all of heaven / in it... just like me. // I love little yellow pear tomatoes!"

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Demian
Herman Hesse
Manufacturer: Bantam
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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ASIN: B000FBAVFI

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