Hermann Hesse

Hermann Hesse (1877–1962) was a German-Swiss novelist, poet, and painter. Born in Calw, Württemberg, he became one of the most widely read German-language writers of the 20th century. His fiction often explores spiritual searching, self-knowledge, and the tension between individuality and society. Among his best-known books are *Siddhartha* (1922), *Steppenwolf* (1927), and *The Glass Bead Game* (1943). Hesse was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1946. He spent much of his later life in Switzerland, where he continued writing and producing watercolors alongside his literary work.