Book Description

Elisabeth F–rster-Nietzsche was two years younger than her brother, Friedrich Nietzsche, and outlived him by thirty-five years. In 1901, a year after Nietzsche's death, she published The Will to Power, a hasty compilation of writings he never intended for print. In Nietzche's Sister and the Will to Power, Carol Diethe contends that F–rster-Nietzsche's own will to power and her desire to place herself, not her brother, at the center of cultural life in Germany are responsible for Nietzsche's reputation as a belligerent and proto-fascist thinker.

During the latter part of her life, F–rster-Nietzsche propagated and presided over a Nietzsche cult in Weimar Germany. Many intellectuals believed she had abetted her brother's legacy by bringing his publications to print. But, as Diethe claims, F–rster-Nietzsche's well-known fascist and anti-Semitic ties, as well as her declaration that her brother would have supported the Germans in World War I, have marred Nietzsche's legacy and linked him to political campaigns and ideals he did not actually endorse. Offering a new look at Nietzsche's sister from a feminist perspective, this spirited and erudite biography examines why Elisabeth F–rster-Nietzsche recklessly consorted with anti-Semites, from her own husband, Bernard F–rster, to Hitler himself, out of convenience and a desire for revenge against a brother whose love for her waned after she had caused the collapse of his friendship with Lou SalomÈ in 1882. In distilling the reasons F–rster-Nietzsche betrayed and endangered the reputation of the man she loved best, the book examines the dynamics of their family, Nietzsche's dismissal of his sister's early writing career, and the effects of limited education on intelligent women. Diethe also plumbs the details of F–rster-Nietzsche's brief marriage and her subsequent colonial venture in Paraguay, maintaining that her sporadic anti-Semitism was, like most things in her life, an expedient tool for cultivating personal success and status. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Ehhh
This was the first book I read on or by Nietzsche. It did provide a good introduction to some of Nietzsche's ideas, but is very outdated and mediocre. Mencken is a racist, as evidenced by many of his comments, and tries to present himself as an expert, when he is far from it. Instead, check out Walter Kaufman's analyses of Nietzsche. ... Read more

Book Description

Nietzsche has long been recognized and acclaimed as a thinker who transcends disciplinary categories.Although much has been written of him as a forerunner of existentialism, Freudian psychology, and modern linguistics, no modern study had been devoted to one of his lifelong preoccupations: his poetry.This book--the first to bring together the poems in English--restores them to their proper central position in the Nietzsche canon.Begun in early youth and composed and revised until the onset of his insanity in 1899, the poems reflect his own imperative that "the philosopher should recognize that which is necessary and the artist should create it."

In The Poetry of Friedrich Nietzsche Grundlehner examines 30 major poems and in so doing draws allusions and references to 220 juvenilia, songs, epigrams, dithyrambs, and verse fragments found throughout Nietzsche's writing.Arranged chronologically according to the various stages of Nietzsche's life and philosophical development, these not only bear testimony to the many changes in his environment and thinking, but from a rich background to his prose writings.

Excerpt:

"Toward New Seas" (1882)

Toward that place--is my will.And I trust

Henceforth myself and my grip.

Open lies the sea, my

Genose ship heads into the blue.

Everything is shining new and newer for me.

Noon sleeps upon space and time--:

Only your eye--monstrously,

Stare at me, Infinity! ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Facts on poems and philosophy to match
If you would like to read a book about Nietzsche and Columbus, POX / GENIUS, MADNESS AND THE MYSTERIES OF SYPHILIS by Deborah Hayden is more exciting than this one. The first chapter of that book is about Christopher Columbus, chapter 8 on Beethoven, chapter 12 on Mary Todd and Abraham Lincoln, chapter 15 on Vincent van Gogh, chapter 16 on Friedrich Nietzsche, and chapter 20 on Adolf Hitler. Anyone who reads it is sure to be astounded at how close Columbus, Nietzsche, and Hitler could be considered as possessing symptoms of the same disease.

THE POETRY OF FRIEDRICH NIETZSCHE by Philip Grundlehner has a chapter on "New Lands," in which a poem about Columbus is a major topic. Nietzsche vaguely associated Columbus with sickness "In late November of 1881, for example, he wrote: `Here in Genoa I am proud and happy--quite a "Doria magnate"--Or a Columbus? . . . I need space--a great wide, unknown, unexplored world; otherwise I shall get sick of it all.' " (p. 120). Back in Germany on September 9, 1882, he wrote to Franz Overbeck, "Everything that lies before me is new, and it will not be long before I catch sight also of the terrifying face of my more distant life task." (p. 129). Two versions of the poem, "The New Columbus" from 1882 are translated on page 137, and the final three-stanza version of 1884 on page 138. Columbus sometimes had trouble walking, but it is not clear how much Nietzsche actually knew about how disabled he was when Nietzsche wrote:

Let us stand firm on our feet!
Never can we go back!
Look forward: from far away
One death, one fame, one happiness greet us! (p. 138).

One of the early versions of "The New Columbus" was sent to Lou "as part of a dedication of a copy of THE GAY SCIENCE `to my dear Lou.' " (p. 136). Each version starts with a warning. "Since the adventurer's fidelity must be to his spirit rather than to another person, a selfishness results that forbids any sharing relationship. Nietzsche identifies this characteristic as a part of the Genoese heritage when he states in THE GAY SCIENCE that the people of this area are `overgrown with magnificent, insatiable lust for possessions and spoils.' " (p. 139). Grundlehner thinks that the use of the plural "we" and "us" in the last stanza is meant to include Lou. "A probable explanation for this paradox lies in the confidence that Nietzsche gained in Lou Salome as an intimate who could accept the insecurities and dangers of the unknown and therefore participate in his vision." (p. 139). That interpretation is more gentle than the idea that Nietzsche would be bound in chains and brought back to Spain, as Columbus was in 1499, for exceeding his authority by executing Spaniards "for insurrection against Columbus's rule," as in the book, POX. The officially available information about the health of Columbus was not available "until de Ybarra compiled it in 1894, [which] allowed later syphilologists to see a pattern of syphilis in Columbus's history." (POX, p. 11). Whatever Nietzsche knew would have been by rumor, but the history of the Pox that was widely known included an epidemic in Naples, particularly among a French army which conquered it for a week in 1495, when the Pox became known as "Morbus Gallicus." (POX, p. 18).

Chapter 8 of THE POETRY OF FRIEDRICH NIETZSCHE is called "Poetry as Pretension." (pp. 147-165). The last line of the first stanza of "To Goethe" in the Appendix to THE GAY SCIENCE, as translated by Walter Kaufmann in 1974, was:

poetic pretension.

So it is not surprising to find the poem "To Goethe" discussed on pages 150-157. The surprise is that the translation is so literal that it does not retain the poetic quality of Nietzsche's German or Kaufmann's English. Instead,

is a poetic trick . . .

Walter Kaufmann might be assuming that anyone who had proceeded that far in THE GAY SCIENCE was familiar with all the terms that philosophers, poets, and great minds on the order of Goethe and Nietzsche could use without being misunderstood. My confusion was greatest on Kaufmann's use of the word, "ineluctable," where THE POETRY OF FRIEDRICH NIETZSCHE uses "deceitful" and, in its translation of the concluding "Chorus Mysticus" of Goethe's "Faust," "inaccessible." (p. 151). The best rhyme in the final stanza, of "the ruling force" with "the eternally fooling force" in Kaufmann, lacks "force" in THE POETRY OF FRIEDRICH NIETZSCHE, and the other rhyme in that stanza disappears completely with the use of a literal "being and appearance" instead of "false and true." You might learn a lot from this book, but people who are more interested in poetry than philosophy might be able to maintain the common prejudice that philosophers do not make very good poets. But if you don't like to read much German, consider how likely it is that some of the German poetry in this book is top-notch, and can be compared to Goethe, as on pages 150-151.

First book ever on Nietzsche's poetry. A brilliant first!
His is an extradinary book, especially for an American writingabout German poetry. Mr. Grundlehner should write it (poetry andliterature)--not write about it. He writes with style and grace, and his potential is there for the reader to behold. A must read. Even Nietzsche would be proud. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

This Book is about a Genius
If there is a problem with this book, it is that its conclusion, "Redefining Genius" is still too vague to make any particular genius of much significance. Due to media influences, social thought now is largely a matter of public opinion, and I may have few companions in the belief that, of course, it was quite proper for Nietzsche to rise to an attack upon his own age, its public opinions, and all the ways in which people prefer to fool themselves. I am grateful to this book for its outlook; merely mentioning its title is often enough to convince others that I don't have to agree with them. The index doesn't have a listing for jokes, and the author seems to associate them quite closely with the scandalous life of the composer, Wagner. On page 120, we are told, "If that was not enough, there were Wagner's coarse jokes, which frequently involved Cosima." My own interest in developing the idea of a fetish involving Nietzsche's relationship with the Wagner family has relied on the information in this book, on that very page, that Isolde was born in April 1865, so she was four when Nietzsche first stepped into that family circle. Other sources indicate that Nietzsche stopped visiting the Wagners before Isolde turned twelve, when the composer began trying to teach Nietzsche something about religion. Things which may have been left out of this biography might not be helpful for understanding the nature of genius. Or maybe the worst idea of a genius would be someone who knew what all these people were thinking and wrote it down.

Not too bad
I read this book about two years ago in high school. It caught my eye because it was a completely black hardcover book with the title "Young Nietzsche" on the back (of course). Afterwards I had to skip a few classes to read the Hollingdale biography - so great was the inspiration this book provided. This was the first Nietzsche commentary/biography I read. I had struggled with the birth of tragedy and carried it around in an attempt to make myself look smart a few times but I was too lazy to do anything real, and only succeeded in impressing teachers, and I slowly realized that there was really no one to impress. Anyway, I remember the book as being fairly inspiring and very interesting from a purely biographical point of view (can I be more vague or ridiculous?). If you are perhaps a lowly high schooler living in the total darkness of American public education and would like to shine a little light onto you and your fellow prisoners, check this book out. I'm not sure I'd like it as much now that I have become less pretentious... but anyway it is worth reading and its not too long. I think the editorial above gives a good summary but is a bit harsh. The book develops what has become typical as far as hypotheses go, but it offers some sagacity for anyone who wants to learn or find out what it means to learn in that it provides the means - a step up from this is Monk's biography of Wittgenstein. The absolute worst thing about the book is that it leaves you hanging and so you had better buy the Hollingdale biography too (I don't work for amazon, BTW) and then read the real stuff. Well I hope you like the book if you buy it. I hadn't even thought of Harold Bloom until I read that editorial... You won't get a lot out of the book, but you might get a LITTLE, if you catch my meaning. It's the style the gets you out of the cave. The more scholarly person will turn a cold shoulder and avoid second hand ambition. ... Read more

Book Description

More than any other figure, Friedrich Nietzsche is cited as the philosopher who anticipates and previews the philosophical themes that have dominated French theory since structuralism.Informed by the latest developments in both contemporary French philosophy and Nietzsche scholarship, Alan Schrift's Nietzsche's French Legacy provides a detailed examination and analysis of the way the French have appropriated Nietzsche in developing their own critical projects.

Using Nietzsche's thought as a springboard, this study makes accessible the ideas of some of the most important and difficult of contemporary French poststructuralist theorists including Jacques Derrida, Gilles Deleuze, Michel Foucault and Helene Cixous.Through a careful analysis and close reading of the texts of Nietzsche and French poststructuralism, Schrift illuminates the ways in which Nietzsche's thought prefigures certain poststructuralist motifs.He demonstrates how several dominant themes in contemporary French philosophy emerge out of Nietzsche's own thinking. As one of the first books to critically examine the work of the new French anti-Nietzschean's, Schrift defends the value of poststructuralism and Nietzsche as critical resources for confronting the present. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Incomplete
There are some things worth learning in this book. However, the characters reviewed are all postmodernists.Schrift is utterly tolerant of the lunacy most of them write.In fact, Schrift is one of the postmodernizers of Nietzsche.He wants Nietzsche to worship at the feet of Derrida along with himself.Schrift does not review, for example, Alain Finkielkraut, who is more popular in France than any of the PoMo big shots, and who does not share their opinion of Nietzsche.He ignores Julien Benda as well.And he never mentions Clement Rossett -- who had the temerity to point out that the entire movement claims to be Nietzschean, when nothing could be further from the truth.The book is selective, and suspect becasue of that. ... Read more

Book Description

In this commentary on chapter one, "Why I am So Wise," of Nietzsche's "Ecce Homo", the author dispels the long-standing impression that "Ecce Homo" is an irrational book in which the madness that claimed Nietzsche only months after he began writing it had already begun its work. "Ecce Homo", it is alleged, is not egotistical, or narcissistic, or megalomaniacal. It is not a work of madness. In his linear exposition of this first chapter, the author presents Nietzsche's revelation of the tragic fact that his very aliveness was in a state of being overwhelmed, consumed, by powerful unconscious emotion, the condition he called "decadence". Nietzsche's madness may have caused him to lose perspective on the meaning of having dwelt in "a world of exalted and delicate things," as he writes of himself in "Ecce", but the original experience of elevation that comes of an abundance of life, of a "surplus" of life, certainly was not pathological. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Too much Wit to be Crazy!
Ecce Homo was Nietzsche’s last book he ever wrote about two months before his mental collapse. This has lead some scholars to believe he was crazy when he wrote it and in light of his chapter headings: “Why I am so Wise,” “Why I am so Clever,” etc. Against the assumption that Nietzsche was not crazy when he wrote Ecce Homo Steinbuch's book serves as a critical textual analysis on Nietzsche's first chapter heading "Why I am so Wise." It is well written and researched and claims the key to understanding Nietzsche is in this first chapter heading, "Why I am so Wise" in his Ecce Homo. Steinbuch provides an excellent and detailed commentary for a better understanding of Nietzsche. He also does justice to the thesis of his book, as well as to Nietzsche himself. Nietzsche was far from being crazy when he wrote his last will and testament - Ecce Homo - that he offered to the world. ... Read more

Book Description

This volume is a popular presentation of Nietzsche's thought. Hoover's analysis comes from the viewpoint of a Christian operating within a Thomist framework. An early chapter focuses on Nietzsche's life; the following chapters weave autobiographical materials into the treatment of his philosophical system, showing the close relationship between his life and thought. Hoover's study includes an analysis of Nietzsche's perspectivism, his contribution to propaganda theory, the demonstration of a deep and fundamental contradiction in his epistemology, and an analysis of his critique of anti-body idealism. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

The 'Thinker' Behind Nihilsm
Fredrich Nietzsche challenged all ideas that had not only come before him, but also those which proliferated during his own period. He "deconstructed" society and its "noble lies" in an attempt to show us that man "is something to be overcome." In this book, he attempted to debase all of society by proving that values and ethics are errors of humanity.

From this work by Nietzsche we can begin to understand "will to power" and the nihilism which, as Nietzsche believes, powers society.

This is an excellent book for anyone trying to understand what "nihilism" and the "will to knowledge and power" are. There is no philosopher who can explain this better than Nietzsche, nor is there a book that explains this better than "Nietzsche's Genealogy: Nihilism and the Will to Knowledge." ... Read more

Reviews (3)

The Will to Brevity...
No one can reasonably expect to sum up Nietzche's views and philosophy in under 100 pages. The reader should not go into this work expecting to come out understanding Nietzsche, but maybe make him a little less obscure or receive a slight bit more context in which to read Nietzsche's books. For those who have already read some Nietzsche and are left nonplussed, this tiny book may help you out as well (it did me).

The book follows Nietzsche's publications more or less in chronological order. The longest and most difficult chapter is the one on "The Birth of Tragedy." This work gets the most attention of all of Nietzsche's works, presumably because it is easier to "sum up" or encapsulate than any of his other works. For instance, the section on "The Genealogy of Morals" will leave you wondering what the book is about (in fact, reading the book itself may also have this effect - it's a tad difficult).

"Morality and its Discontents" is one of the most illuminating chapters, and will shed some light on Nietzsche's proclamation that "God is dead" which is probably his most infamous and misunderstood concept (there's also a lot more meat to it than the eternal recurrence and the Ubermensch, which Tanner points out).

Overall I agree with Tanner's assessment of Nietzsche's "Thus Spake Zarathustra." It was the first book of his I read, and I came out of the experience energized, but I had no idea why. "Zarathustra" is a passionate but potentially misleading read. It's nothing like his other works, and introduces concepts that never come up again, though they seem to be of utmost importance in the context of the book (i.e., the eternal recurrence, Ubermensch, and the will to power - at least in his published works).

The pace of Tanner's book quickens and the delineation of Nietzsche's texts becomes more and more sparse towards the final few chapters. There is very little information about Nietzsche's insanity, or Lou Salomé or even the details of his life. The book is almost completely dedicated to Nietzsche's philosophy. In fact, the book ends as abruptly as Nietzsche's own sane life must have. There's a slight feeling of "so what's next?!?" at the end of the last and shortest chapter that discusses the works of 1888 in a flash.

Nietzsche is a huge subject, and his books are thick conceptually if not physically. He was a thinker that wanted to teach us to think differently, which makes him a valuable read no matter what your stance on the views he covers. This minute book will help you peek through the keyhole of this enormous and overwhelming subject.

Lastly, Richard Wagner figures hugely in Nietzsche's work. Knowing more about Wagner will only elucidate some of Nietzsche's works and concepts. Tanner also supports this view.

Nietzsche demystified (well, sort of)
Tanner's NIETZSCHE provides as plain-spoken an account as can be managed of what the philosopher was all about, taking the reader through Nietzsche's life and work step by step. There are a few things about the book I do not like -- for instance, insufficient discussion of the abuses of Nietzsche by others, too short shrift to THUS SPOKE ZARATHUSTRA, and an unhelpful final chapter of assessment -- but its merits outweigh these several flaws. I would definitely recommend that others read this book before tackling Nietzsche's works directly.

A Helpful Overview
Tanner here provides a wonderful overview of Nietzsche's philosophy--not an easy task, since Nietzsche had no "philosophy" in the usual sense. He is an anti-philosopher philosopher. Tanner concentrates on what Nietzsche said in his published works, considering the "Will to Power" fragments suspect. He distrusts the French poststructuralist interpretations of Nietzsche, which emphasize his perspectivism. To get a good idea of this side of Nietzsche, read Alex Nehamas's "Nietzsche: Life as Literature." There is no better introduction to Nietzsche than Nietzsche himself, perhaps in "Beyond Good and Evil," but he is among the most complex of modern "philosphers," and Tanner's book is quite helpful for the novice. ... Read more

Book Description

This study of Nietzsche's ideas interweaves the relevant actions in his life to present a philosophical biography. The major premise of the work is that only such an historical presentation can lead to an understanding of the person Nietzsche who was a philosopher. Nietzsche's published works are analyzed chronologically and his unpublished notes, letters, and secondary materials are used to shed light on his life and works. Nietzsche's philosophic quest is the center of focus. Contents: The Path to Maturity; The Transition; Philosopher in Development; Joy and Love; The Creation of Free Spirit; Explaining His Gospel; The Final Rush; Conclusions; Epilogue; Appendix; Biography; Index. ... Read more

Book Description

In this unique exploration of Nietzsche's life and behavior, Dr. Richard Schain challenges the widely held view that this important philosopher's actions and erratic writings were due to general paresis, or syphilis of the brain. The author offers a detailed biography of Nietzsche's life, at each major turning point offering his own thoughts regarding why the diagnosis of syphilis is unsatisfactory to explain Nietszche's behavioral and thought patterns. With an accessible writing style and close attention to detail, Schain offers important reasons for one to reevaluate the claims made regarding Nietzsche's mental illness and deterioration. ... Read more

Book Description

Reviews (2)

Travel with Nietzsche
Although at first glance this book might appear to be simply a "coffee table" book, it actually presents a totally engaging, very personal view of Nietzsche by Krell and Bates. After I recently read various works by Nietzsche, and was somewhat astonished by the heart-on-the-sleeve baring of the soul that characterizes so much of Nietzsche's writing (e.g. Thus Spoke Zarathustra), I found it very interesting to read Mr. Krell's splendid prose as he shares with us highlights of the many journals, notes, and letters that document the inner life of Nietzsche. In particular, the wonderful way that Krell matches up Nietzsche's physical surroundings with the various images and metaphors of his published work provide a tremendous insight into both the meaning and the poetic beauty of Nietzsche's writings. I especially appreciated learning about the internal tension and ambivalence that Nietzsche experienced regarding whether his work would be interpreted as genuine philosophy or merely poetry. This is an excellent book to read from cover to cover as well as to browse.

Take a Hike with Fritz!
just got the expensive book 'The Good European' last night at berkeley's Black Oak bookstore, 55$, phew. great idea for a book, kind of book where you envy the writer all the travelling they got to do in the process of writing it. Ressentiment, get thee behind me! this book is the first time i have seen a picture of the famous 'Zarathustra rock' the pyramid rock where N. was struck with the realization of the eternal return. Just wish it was in color and full-page. The photos are a little awkwardly placed sometimes. Lots of photos of doors. Was this an obsession of N. or the photographer? funny that author Krell does not mention Nietzsche's encounter with the flogged horse as the precipitator of his god-realized-madness though, Krell seems to buy in totally to the syphilis hypothesis. Truly, the west is still so naive re the vagaries and risks of metanoia/spiritual transformation. It really amazes me sometimes how these academic Nietzscheans like Krell and Yalom can completely disregard the insights of Bataille into the epic significance of N.'s 'madness' and its implications for our own illusory collective consensual sanity. oh well. not even a picture of the Piazza Carlo-(something) in Turin, as far as I could see, but might be there, havent read it closely. lots of good stuff in the book though. have always wanted to go on a hike along some of N.'s favorite paths, and this book is the next best thing. ... Read more