The first part of this contemporary portrait, illustrated through letters, responses, and life testimonies, depicts Hermann Hesse's childhood and his dramatic attempts at self-assertion during puberty up to his 18th year (1895). This continuation manuscript extends to December 31, 1900, and provides a more detailed picture of his years as a young bookseller in Tübingen and Basel than was possible in the first volume of the "Collected Letters" due to space constraints.