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The Prodigy (Peter Owen Modern Classic)
 
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The Prodigy (Peter Owen Modern Classic) (Paperback)

by Hermann Hesse (Author)
4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
RRP: £9.95
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Product details

  • Paperback: 188 pages
  • Publisher: Peter Owen Ltd (26 Jul 2002)
  • Language English
  • ISBN-10: 0720611741
  • ISBN-13: 978-0720611748
  • Product Dimensions: 18.4 x 12.2 x 1.4 cm
  • Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
  • Amazon.co.uk Sales Rank: 343,973 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

    Popular in this category:

    #31 in  Books > Fiction > 20th Century Classics > Hesse, Hermann

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Product Description

Synopsis

The Prodigy, originally dating from 1905, is Hermann Hesses's bitter indictment of conventional education. It is the story of Hans Giebenrath, the brilliant young son of provincial bourgeouis in southern Germany who becomes the first boy from his town to pass into a prestigious Protestant theological college. His spirit, however, is systematically broken by his parents and teachers; over anxious about his success, they forget to consider his health and happiness. Subsiding into a fatal apathy, he is taken home for medical reasons. Here he falls in love, becomes an engineer's apprentice, learns to drink alcohol and eventually dies by drowning. Out of his attitude to the treatment that he perceived was common within the German schooling system at the turn of the century, Hesse developed his own deeply personal views on the value of Eastern education in developing the self.

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Customer Reviews

4 Reviews
5 star:
 (1)
4 star:
 (3)
3 star:    (0)
2 star:    (0)
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Average Customer Review
4.2 out of 5 stars (4 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
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6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars Worthwhile Read From A Developing Genius, 23 Feb 2003
While it is not as fresh as Hesse's first novel Peter Camenzind, as rich and complex as Steppenwolf, or as enlightening as Siddhartha, The Prodigy is still a worthwhile and thought provoking read.
It is set at the beginning of the 20th century and centres on the conflict between freedom and control. By allowing us to see into the life of a talented young prodigy who is slowly being broken by society, the novel forces us to look at ourselves and reflect on how we all, to some extent, have our hopes and dreams twisted by life and other human beings.
As an aside, I prefer the original title, Beneath The Wheel, as I feel it gave a better impression of the grinding that young Hans experiences.
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars Melancholic, yet reassuring, 17 Feb 2003
Hesse's critical take on the educational system at the turn of the last century is witty, observant and at time ironic. His hero, Hans Giebenrath, suffers from the pressure piled on to him by his parents and teachers who all believe that a promising student can always - and should always - do more. The pressure leads to a nervous breakdown and eventually to suicidal thoughts.
Given today's educational system and parental pressure to always be better than the Joneses', I felt that this story was ironic in that it is almost 100 years old and yet still rather relevant. If I had read this book 10 years ago, I would have been depressed; or, to be accurate, more depressed than I was at the time.
An excellent read.
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5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Moving, 7 Mar 2001
This review is from: The Prodigy (Penguin Modern Classics) (Paperback)
It takes a nervous breakdown for Hans to escape his oppressive upbringing as a boy genius and stumble delirious into a dreamlike first taste of life's simple pleasures.

I highly recommend this simple but powerful book.

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4.0 out of 5 stars Boy Genius Hates School
A lovely romantic little novel about a boy genius who gains admission through his brains alone into the best school in Germany, then finds things don't work out for him. Read more
Published on 30 April 1999

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