When I read "Siddhartha" I was going through one of the most carefree periods of my life. I started it in the morning on the train to Athens. After three hours I had reached the end of it.
"Siddhartha" is an Indian fairy tale where the hero wanders in search of the meaning of his own life and spreads optimism. Not for the world, but for himself.
It is set in ancient India around the 6th century B.C. It is a record of the journey of a man searching for himself and the truth of life. I think there is no other book in modern literature so revealing, so valuable for young people. In the 1960s it was a great success, especially in America. It was made into a film in America and Spain, was adapted into a musical and influenced musicals such as Radiohead, whose album Amnesiac inspired lyrics from the novel. It really is worth reading for all people regardless of age.