German · 1877–1962
Hermann Hesse won the 1946 Nobel Prize in Literature for inspiring writings "which, while growing in boldness and penetration, exemplify the classical humanitarian ideals and high qualities of style." The German-Swiss author's novels—"Siddhartha," "Steppenwolf," "The Glass Bead Game"—explored spiritual seeking and artistic isolation. Hesse became a countercultural icon in the 1960s, when young readers discovered in his work validation of their own quests for meaning.