SiddharthaSiddhartha
Score Classic
What it's about
Siddhartha, a gifted young man in ancient India, leaves his family to search for enlightenment. He lives with wandering ascetics, meets the Buddha but won't follow him, then turns to the world of pleasure and money with a beautiful courtesan and a merchant. Years later, sick of it all, he finds his way to a river, where a humble ferryman teaches him to listen.
Why it's worth reading
It was voted onto PBS's Great American Read. It's a short, gentle, spiritual novel that has guided many readers' own searching.
You'll love it if you liked
The Razor's Edge
Lord of Light
Go Tell It on the MountainGood to know
It's very short and written in a simple, lyrical style. Siddhartha isn't the Buddha, though they meet.
By the numbers
- Readers61 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics0 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Bestseller53 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
Why it made the list
Reads as
Thought-provoking
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Quick answers
Is Siddhartha worth reading?
Yes. It was voted onto PBS's Great American Read. It ranks #1,191 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 71.0 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is Siddhartha about?
Siddhartha, a gifted young man in ancient India, leaves his family to search for enlightenment. He lives with wandering ascetics, meets the Buddha but won't follow him, then turns to the world of pleasure and money with a beautiful courtesan and a merchant. Years later, sick of it all, he finds his way to a river, where a humble ferryman teaches him to listen.
How long does it take to read Siddhartha?
About 4 hours (152 pages), or about 8 days at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after Siddhartha?
If you liked it, try The Razor's Edge by Somerset Maugham, Lord of Light by Roger Zelazny or Go Tell It on the Mountain by James Baldwin.