Siddhartha is the life and spiritual journey of one man in ancient India, seemingly a simple tale told in a simple, lyrical style. But together with an uncanny empathy for his characters and often awe-inspiring human insight, Hesse displays mastery of the profoundest themes: in just 152 pages, the reader attains total immersion in a truly gripping quest for enlightenment, making Siddhartha one of the great literary experiences.