books books books

I seem to read more classics  than modern literature, going back to read
what I read as a teenager which is quite a different experience as you understand
the context better now, I hope!
I read Stendhal's Le Rouge et le Nior (The Red and Black) when I went to Korea
which was nice in a sense that I was reading it in Korean and thinking of
the French lifestyle in English. Seems odd but that was how my brain was processing the story.


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In my teens, German was the language I wanted to learn but end up learning Chinese.
No where close at all!

The influence was from the German-Swiss author Hermann Hesse.
I remember reading under the duvet with a torch when my mum thought I was sleeping!
I think the first book I read of Hesse was Demian, which was so interesting as a
teenager, looking into this complex character. After Demian, was digging for all of
Hess's books then I read, Benethe the wheel, Narcissus and Goldmund,
Journey to the East and Siddhartha which I did not finish.
The Glass Bead Game won him the Novel price in literature, which I found SO difficult to
understand then. I cannot remember anything actually.
I might try to read this again after 15 years!
I also discovered his wonderful poems. I remember quoting lots of poems in the letters
I wrote to friends. That seems so long ago! I cannot seems to read poems these days
maybe my heart is not innocent enough to appreciate it anymore.

A short talk about Hesse's books over a cooking bolognese sauce was also nice!