Hermann Hesse

Born in Calw, Germany, Hermann Hesse was the son of missionary parents, so naturally, he became a pacifist and a searcher of spiritual truths outside traditional dogma. Clearly, he missed the memo on becoming an actual missionary himself, opting instead to write a lot of books about inner turmoil and self-discovery. His parents must have been thrilled.

Hesse’s work, heavily influenced by Eastern philosophies, psychoanalysis, and a general aversion to the modern world, resonated deeply with counter-culture movements decades after his prime. He was basically the original "find yourself" guru, just with more existential dread and fewer flower crowns.

He managed to flee the rising tide of Nazism by moving to Switzerland and becoming a citizen, proving that sometimes the best way to deal with societal collapse is to simply change your address and keep writing deeply introspective novels. His refusal to engage in political rhetoric during the World Wars, preferring instead to champion humanism, earned him both admiration and criticism. The guy just wanted to write about spiritual journeys, not actual journeys to the front lines.

Despite his decidedly non-Jewish background, Hesse’s exploration of alienation, identity, and the search for meaning makes him universally relatable, even to those of us who prefer our spiritual journeys with a side of lox.