The Glass Bead Game

Author: Hesse, Hermann

Classic fiction (pre c 1945)

Published on 1 July 2000 by Vintage Publishing (Vintage Classics) in the United Kingdom.

In the remote Kingdom of Castalia, the scholars of the Twenty Third century play the Glass Bead Game. The elaborately coded game is a fusion of all human knowledge - of maths, music, philosophy, science, and art. Intrigued as a school boy, Joseph Knecht becomes consumed with mastering the game as an adult. As Knecht fulfils his life-long quest he must contend with unexpected dilemmas and the longing for a life beyond the ivory tower.