The Journey to the East

Rating:
Summary: Another take on esoteric knowledge
Review: This is the account of a novice in an esoteric, international and timeless group (the League) of his failed journey to the East (the successful religious quest). He initially writes with hesitation, uncertain that the League still exists, unwilling to break its code of silence, and confused by the incompleteness of his own memory. As his writing stalls, he recognizes the similarity of his problem with that of a survivor of the World War - how to describe experiences outside the experience of the normal reader. He then seeks out an apparent deserter (Leo) from the quest.

Your appreciation for this novel would be enhanced if you (as opposed to myself) were a strong believer in a long esoteric tradition. Without such a belief, you will still find yourself intrigued by Hesse's grasp of human nature.