Hermann Lauscher, published in 1901 under a pseudonym, is one of Hermann Hesse’s earliest prose works and a formative step toward the confessional, lyrical fiction that would make him world-famous. Written in German, it is a semi-autobiographical collection of sketches, diary entries, and fairy tales narrated by the poet-dreamer Hermann Lauscher — an early avatar of the sensitive outsider figure who reappears throughout Hesse’s career.
Reading Hermann Lauscher reveals Hesse in the process of finding his distinctive voice — melancholic, introspective, and saturated with longing for beauty. Download this free public-domain EPUB for a fascinating early chapter in the development of one of the twentieth century’s most beloved writers.