The Glass Bead GameThe Glass Bead Game
Score Classic
What it's about
In the 25th century, in a fictional Central European state called Castalia, an austere order of intellectuals devotes itself to the Glass Bead Game, whose rules are never revealed. The novel follows the life of the Magister Ludi, the game's master.
Why it's worth reading
It's on the Guardian's list of 1,000 novels everyone must read. It's Hermann Hesse's most acclaimed book.
You'll love it if you liked
Steppenwolf
Siddhartha
FiccionesGood to know
It's a novel of ideas and slow-moving. It's a translation from German.
By the numbers
- Readers54 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics30 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Bestseller24 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #271 of the 504 fantasy books we rank
- #573 of the 924 classics we rank
- #1818 of the 3,057 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
Thought-provoking, Adventurous, Dark
More by Herman Hesse
If you like this, read next
The Lord of the Rings
Foundation
Rendezvous with Rama
The Left Hand of Darkness
The Gods Themselves
UbikExplore the best-of lists
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Quick answers
Is The Glass Bead Game worth reading?
Yes. It's on the Guardian's list of 1,000 novels everyone must read. It ranks #1,818 of the 3,057 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 66.5 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is The Glass Bead Game about?
In the 25th century, in a fictional Central European state called Castalia, an austere order of intellectuals devotes itself to the Glass Bead Game, whose rules are never revealed. The novel follows the life of the Magister Ludi, the game's master.
How long does it take to read The Glass Bead Game?
About 14 hours (580 pages), or about 4 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after The Glass Bead Game?
If you liked it, try Steppenwolf by Herman Hesse, Siddhartha by Hermann Hesse or Ficciones by Jorge Luis Borges.