# Demian by Hermann Hesse

3 Hacker News commenters recommended Demian by Hermann Hesse and 0 criticized it, November 2025 to November 2026. It was recommended in 1 of 13 months.

**Verdict:** Readers who picked it for their 2025 reading list rank it above Hesse's Glass Bead Game and find it relatable.

## Why people recommend it

- Preferred over Glass Bead Game (1 comments): "I preferred Demian & Siddharta far over Glass Bead game" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46404325))
- Relatable to the reader (1 comments): "Something I can relate to." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46396350))

## Alternatives hackers recommend

- [Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky](https://hackerapproved.com/p/crime-and-punishment.md): 39 recommend
- [The Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoevsky](https://hackerapproved.com/p/brothers-karamazov.md): 28 recommend
- [Infinite Jest by David Foster Wallace](https://hackerapproved.com/p/infinite-jest.md): 26 recommend
- [The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald](https://hackerapproved.com/p/great-gatsby.md): 24 recommend
- [Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand](https://hackerapproved.com/p/atlas-shrugged.md): 23 recommend

## Where to get it

- [See price on Amazon](https://www.amazon.com/dp/0060931914?tag=hackerapprove-20) (affiliate link)
- [Bookshop.org](https://bookshop.org/a/130825/9780060931919) (affiliate link)

## Cite as

Hacker Approved, "Demian by Hermann Hesse", https://hackerapproved.com/p/demian/ (counts from 1,795,640 Hacker News comments, November 2025 to November 2026).