Hesse's novel Peter Camenzind, published in 1904, follows the protagonist's journey through adolescent angst to maturation as a writer. This novel was the first of Hesse's works to gain recognition.
Rosshalde, published in 1914, reflects Hesse's own marital tensions as it describes the struggles of an artist torn between familial responsibility and spiritual growth.
Demian, published in 1919, depicts the transformation of the protagonist from an innocent school boy to a criminal. The protagonist rebels against custom and authority on a dark journey toward self-discovery.
Siddhartha, published in 1921, focuses on the trials and obstacles of Gautama Buddha. This novel is the culmination of Hesse's studies of Eastern philosophy.
Steppenwolf, published in 1927, portrays one man's struggle to deal with a divided society and a divided self.
In 1934, Hesse joined the Swiss Club of Poets due to increasing criticism and threats from the Nazi regime. In 1935, the German government forced Hesse's publishing house, S. Fischer, to split. Hesse's work could not be published outside of Germany because the Nazis would not grant international publishing rights. Hesse's work was banned in Germany from 1939 to 1945.
The Glass Bead Game, published in 1943, describes the life of a protagonist living within a utopian society founded on synthesis and scientific arts.
In 1946, Hesse was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature, and the German ban on his works was lifted. He was awarded the Peace Prize of the German Bookdealers in 1955.
