First published 1962
In a 25th-century utopian society, Joseph Knecht is a gifted young man consumed by mastering the Glass Bead Game, a mysterious intellectual pursuit. As he rises to become the Magister Ludi, or Master of the Game, he grows disillusioned with the isolation and introversion of his fellow elite intellectuals. Knecht wrestles with the meaning of his life's work and the value of the Castalia community, torn between the allure of the outside world and the rigor of his rarefied existence.
Genres: dystopia, literary-fiction, historical-fiction, 20th-century, adult-fiction, academia, german-literature, academic
Vibes: atmospheric, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: fish-out-of-water, inner-conflict
Period: 25th Century
558 pages · Paperback · Holt Paperbacks