The Prodigy
by Hermann Hesse
Hans is an excpetionally talented and clever young boy, the star student of a small German town. He is driven to succeed, not just by others, but also by an inner competitive desire. When he moves to a new school he finds alternative ways to make hist spirit soar than just excelling in the class room, and he begins to question why he strived so hard to please others and fulfil over ambitious expectations.
This is the story of a wasted life, a life that just at its most curious and vital was stifled by convention, and by apathy to enquiry. It is a warning to treat the developing mind with respect and space, and to tolerate 'experiments' and erratic behaviour -- it is the sign of a healthy youth. The back cover blurb mentions that this story indicated a start in Hesse of introspection in terms of spiritual development, leading to later works such as Siddhartha.