An allegorical novel by the celebrated German writer. Sidhartha, the hero, is a type of Buddhist Everyman, who passes through many temptations and trials on his way to purification. The different stages of his spiritual development are represented by the various roles he takes on: wanderer, courtier, merchant, and hermit. Originally published in Germany in 1923, Sidhartha has been a perennial bestseller since its American publication in 1951.