Episode · Lex Fridman Podcast · 2025-03-16
Books mentioned on #460 – Narendra Modi: Prime Minister of India – Power, Democracy, War & Peace
Narendra Modi is the Prime Minister of India. On YouTube this episode is available in English, Hindi, Russian (and soon other languages).
Books mentioned, in the order they came up
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Siddhartha
Siddhartha by Hermann Hesse is a philosophical novel that explores the spiritual journey of self-discovery.
Recommended“"Siddhartha" throughout your life, especially in moments of crisis,”
Where to get it
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The Bhagavad Gita
The Bhagavad Gita is an ancient religious and philosophical text offering profound guidance on duty, action, and the nature of existence.
Discussed“Let me leave you with a few words from the "Bhagavad Gita."”
Where to get it
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The Upanishads
The Upanishads by Swami Paramananda is a collection of ancient Hindu philosophical and spiritual texts that explore the nature of reality, consciousness, and the self.
Discussed“Hesse immersed himself in translations of ancient Hindu and Buddhist texts, studying the "Upanishads" and the "Bhagavad Gita."”
Where to get it
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Demian
Demian by Hermann Hesse is a classic coming-of-age psychological novel that explores a young protagonist's painful awakening from the illusions of conventional childhood into a deeper, more authentic understanding of the dualities inherent in human nature and morality.
Recommended“I would recommend to read "Demian" when you are younger,”
Where to get it
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Steppenwolf
Steppenwolf by Hermann Hesse is a classic philosophical novel that delves deeply into the profound alienation of a man torn between his humanity and his inner wolfish nature, struggling intensely with bourgeois society and spiritual despair.
Recommended“"Steppenwolf" when you are older,”
Where to get it
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The Glass Bead Game
The Glass Bead Game by Hermann Hesse is a philosophical novel that explores an intellectual elite engaged in a complex, meditative game uniting all branches of knowledge and art.
Recommended“and "The Glass Bead Game" if you want to take on Hesse's magnum opus, that rigorously explores the ways the human mind and human civilization can engage in the pursuit of knowledge, wisdom, and meaning.”
Where to get it
