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The Glass Bead Game

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The Glass Bead Game

By: Hermann Hesse
Narrated by: David Colacci
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Summary

 Set in the 23rd century, The Glass Bead Game is the story of Joseph Knecht, who has been raised in Castalia, which has provided for the intellectual elite to grow and flourish.

Since childhood, Knecht has been consumed with mastering the Glass Bead Game, which requires a synthesis of aesthetics and scientific arts, such as mathematics, music, logic, and philosophy, which he achieves in adulthood, becoming a Magister Ludi (Master of the Game).

©1990 Hermann Hesse (P)2008 BBC Audiobooks America Classics Fiction Genre Fiction Literary Fiction Game
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Most relevant

Would you consider the audio edition of The Glass Bead Game to be better than the print version?

No, but that's mainly due to the narrator.

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Glass Bead Game?

Of course the ending, but I won't spoil it for other listeners. In fact, it's the whole setting of a future where entire provinces are set up with the express purpose of exploring the maximum capabilities of the mind. Makes you wonder what that would bring.

Did David Colacci do a good job differentiating each of the characters? How?

Unfortunately not, his characters all sounded very similar and each was as bombastic and condescending as the other. It's my main complaint about this reading of the book, actually. I believe that it was not the intention at all of Hermann Hesse that his message be delivered in such a tone.

If you made a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

Province of the Mind

An Important Book

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What a good book, listened intently while working, I never listen to something twice as i find it a waste of my time, but I’ve given this a second go and I loved it again.

My first and special

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the futuristic novel is phylosophically abstract, like Huxly or Orwell, which makes relating to the characters rather awkward. even so gems of life wisdom is to be found most everywhere throughout the novel. I found the last chapters to be profound.

they last three chapters were very rewarding!

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Lots of layers to this story. One worth re-reading/re-listening to. It’s a bit of a slow burn but worth it at the end. The capacity for world building is impressive.

Intricately layered.

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This is not a book about a 'glass bead game', nor is this a book about Joseph Knecht, the protagonist. No. This is a gently paced story about the trappings of humanity, in there multiplicity, as envisaged through the eyes of a subtle and fair philosopher that strives for all readers to see the world in a transient nature.

The general story accounts for two thirds of the book, Joseph Knecht's personal notes the rest.

I am at pains to give the 'story' a 3 but it is not Herman's best story, nor really a good story at all. But then, I don't think that it is supposed to be. It is just the telling of a life from someone who others will listen to, and in truth, many lives do not make for compelling reading. Even those, as we see, that are exceptional.

Within the book though, and the character exchanges, especially the Music Master and Knecht, are the best and clearest passages of Hesse's philosophy and are exceptionally poignant moments. Hesse somehow even manages to capture the tranquility of a settled soul through his incredible writing and language.

The narration, for me, was perfect, as with so many titles on this platform.

I recommend this novel for a mind that is willing to toil and trudge through the nature of a man's life to come to the evocative clearing of a universal moment of clarity.

A quick note

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