Book Description
A comparison of the philosophies of these two great authors, in which Tolstoy's doctrine of non-resistance is set against Nietzsche's conflict philosophy, and the two presented against the background of the times.With a foreword by the philosopher and educator John Dewey. ... Read more

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Book Description
Hollingdale's biography remains the single best account of the life and works for the student or nonspecialist. This classic biography of Nietzsche was first published in the 1960s and was enthusiastically reviewed at the time. Long out of print, it is now reissued with its text updated in the light of recent research. The biography chronicles Nietzsche's intellectual evolution and discusses his friendship and breach with Wagner, his attitude toward Schopenhauer, and his indebtedness to Darwin and the Greeks. It follows the years of his maturity and his mental collapse in 1889. The final part of the book considers the development of the Nietzsche legend during his years of madness. R. J. Hollingdale, one of the preeminent translators of Nietzsche, allows Nietzsche to speak for himself in a translation that transmits the vividness and virtuosity of Nietzsche's many styles. This is the ideal book for anyone interested in Nietzsche's life and work who wishes to learn why he is such a significant figure for the development of modern thought. R. J. Hollingdale has translated and edited several of Nietzsche's texts, as well as other prestigious German thinkers.Mr. Hollingdale worked in the editorial department of the Guardian for over twenty years and has written book reviews for the Guardian and the Times Literary Supplement. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

A Man Ahead of His Time
Hollingdale's biography/analysis of Nietzsche and his philosophy was an unexpected delight.I had already read Walter Kaufmann's translations of Nietzsche's major works when I came upon Hollingdale's volume; expecting little, I was amazed at the additional insights the author offered into Nietzsche's thought and world outlook.I would recommend this book to anyone who is new to Nietzsche - who would like to learn something of his philosophy, but who has held back because they feel Nietzsche, and perhaps, philosophy in general, is too remote or difficult.
Believe me, Hollingdale's volume will usher you, gently, into Nietzsche's world, and make you hungry for more.Nietzsche, himself, in "Thus Spake Zarathustra" had his protaganist announce, "I am the railing by the rushing torrent - grasp me if you can; your crutch I am not!"Like Nietzsche, Hollingdale does not seek disciples -- he explains the basic concepts of Nietzsche's philosophy with cool detachment, and offers them to the reader as a launchpad from which the reader can, if he/she wishes, soar, exploring Nietzsche's world for themselves, drawing their own conclusions. Nietzsche, the enemy of blind adherence, would have heartily approved such an approach. This is the man who said, "if you wish to strive after peace of soul and happiness, then believe; if you wish to be a disciple of truth, then inquire!"Enjoy the Journey!

A book that does Nietzsche justice
Anyone interested in a lucid,fair,nonsense and distortion-free overview of Nietzsche's writings and life could do no better than to start here.Hollingdale avoids what the usual crowd of Nietzsche biographers and explainers and interpreters stumble over.Here you will not find the deconstructionist nonsense of Gilles Deleuze or the turning of Nietzsche into a contradictor of his own writings a la Heidegger.Perhaps no philosopher in history has had so many bad advocates and screeching and intentionally misleading and misinterpreting critics as Nietzsche.So much fetid,vapid and idiotic writing has enveloped Nietzsche that it threatens to destroy the philosopher altogheter.The future of Nietzsche scholarship needs many more individuals like R.J. Hollingdale if one of the most profound,original and critically important figures of the modern world is to be given proper justice.More importantly the public sorely needs to have the means to better understand why this philosopher is the axis on which all philosophy of the last century turns.Most of what Nietzsche wrote is still terribly misunderstood and reviled for no good reason.Hollingdale is one of the few,but hopefully the beginning of a flood of well thought out,accurate and sober scholars who will help integrate this most fascinating and courageousphilosopher into our public discourse and common knowledge.

A book that does Nietzsche justice
Anyone interested in a lucid,fair,nonsense and distortion-free overview of Nietzsche's writings and life could do no better than to start here.Hollingdale avoids what the usual crowd of Nietzsche biographers and explainers and interpreters stumble over.Here you will not find the deconstructionist nonsense of Gilles Deleuze or the turning of Nietzsche into a contradictor of his own writings a la Heidegger.Perhaps no philosopher in history has had so many bad advocates and screeching and intentionally misleading and misinterpreting critics as Nietzsche.So much fetid,vapid and idiotic writing has enveloped Nietzsche that it threatens to destroy the philosopher altogheter.The future of Nietzsche scholarship needs many more individuals like R.J. Hollingdale if one of the most profound,original and critically important figures of the modern world is to be given proper justice.More importantly the public sorely needs to have the means to better understand why this philosopher is the axis on which all philosophy of the last century turns.Most of what Nietzsche wrote is still terribly misunderstood and reviled for no good reason.Hollingdale is one of the few,but hopefully the beginning of a flood of well thought out,accurate and sober scholars who will help integrate this most fascinating and courageousphilosopher into our public discourse and common knowledge.

perfect antedote to presumptuous thinking aboutnietzsche
this book should prove useful for readers looking for a well-written, intelligent, and accessible introduction to this often very difficult and enigmatic thinker.hollingdale tackles head on many common misconceptions of nietzsche (i.e. that he was a nihilist, an anti-semite, a fascist) through the use of extensive quotes and poignant commentary.we see the development of his thought, from his youthful admiration of wagner and schopenhauer, through to his mature explications of the idea of life as will to power, and the theme of eternal recurrence.for the disciplined student this book proves to be of great value as well, offering insights into the personality of the man himself, through numerous letters and recollections from those who knew him most intimately.this is a great biography, respectful and humane, but also willing to acknowledge nietzsche's shortcomings and possible confusions as to his own state of mind and health.

Still the definitive biography
Hollingdale worked side by side with the dean of all Nietzsche scholars, Walter Kaufmann, for many years.His biography of Nietzsche parallels Kaufmann's groundbreaking study "Nietzsche: Philosopher, Psychologist, Antichrist", a watershed in American Nietzsche scholarship.While Kaufmann's work has been eclipsed (see R. Schacht's "Nietzsche") in terms of philosophical sophistication, Holligdale's biography of Nietzsche remains the very best in detail, breadth, cogency, and intimacy.Its style is unobtrusive and flowing, making it easily accessible to both the everyday reader and the student of the history of ideas. It is indispensible to anyone with even the slightest interest in Nietzsche. ... Read more

Book Description

Customer Reviews (12)

Wonderful Self-Portrait
Nietzsche's literary addendum to his philosophical oeuvre is, at its root, a radically modern autobiography. Written weeks before his collapse into paralysis, these are the final reflections of cogency from this great thinker; the sections are indeed self-inflated and passionate, with titles like `Why I am So Wise,' and `Why I am So Clever,' etc. However, Nietzsche is finally dubious about his reputation and whether or not he will ever be truly understood. He insists that his name "will be associated with the memory of something tremendous," and indeed it would. His work sought to expose the power structures of old societies and to expose the moral systems of Christianity. Nietzsche's tone is eerily prophetic as he insists that "there will be wars the like of which no one has ever seen," his stylish prose rings of a bold yet hysterical urgency. However, at the foundation of Nietzsche's thought is one of the great and subtle tensions in philosophy, the idea that his negating and destroying are "conditions of saying Yes." This is the difficulty of Nietzsche, who is all too easily categorized as the "Will to Power" philosopher of the modern period. We are still catching up to his profound insight, and this self-analysis should be a window into his genius and original intentions.

Ecce Homo
Nietzsche entitled his chapters brazenly: "Why I Am So Wise", "Why I Am So Clever", "Why I Write Such Good Books", followed by his discussion of his individual works, and then "Why I Am Destiny". It has been suggested that Nietzsche may have been experiencing the early symptoms of his mental (and physical) decline at the point of writing this work, and his complete mental collapse was to occur soon thereafter. The titles of the chapters in Ecce Homo seemed to be self-indulgent, pointing towards Nietzsche's impending insanity, but after reading Ecce Homo, I had to think that this portrayed arrogance and superiorityfunctioned (at least partially) as a mockery of the narcissistic nature of autobiographies, of which The Confessions by Rousseau offers a good example.
A proof of this sarcastic intention is this sentence from the Preface of Ecce Homo: ""Under these circumstances I have a duty against which my habits, even more the pride of my instincts, revolt at bottom--namely, to say: Hear me! For I am such and such a person. Above all, do not mistake me for someone else!" This sentence shows how Nietzsche acknowledged the limits and self-indulgent dangers of an autobiography. At the same time, Nietzsche did use the autobiography as a medium to strengthen and emphasize his thoughts about Christianity, Western morality, modern culture, anti-Semitism and the German people.
The chapters in Ecce Homo attempt to show Nietzsche's philosophical progression as he began his career as a philologist, the influence of Wagner on his early life, his subsequent break with Wagner, and his later writings. Nietzsche also includes commentary on his own writings, particularly his Zarathustra and shows the opposition between the Dionysian and the Apollonian.
Ecce Homo is a self-portrait in writing. When discussing his image of himself, Nietzsche states that he is a philosopher "who is not an Alexandrian academic nor an Apollonian sage, but Dionysian", meaning that Nietzsche insisted that his suffering, and the scorn he received by his critics, was not noble but tragic. In this regard, the wording of his title was not meant to draw parallels with the Christ, but suggest a contrast, that Nietzsche truly is "a man." Nietzsche's point is that to be "a man" alone is to be more than Christ.
"Ecce Homo" is Nietzsche's philosophical autobiography that attacks the unselfish ideal, metaphysical abstractions, and traditional views of morality. What I liked most about Ecce Homo was Nietzsche's unflinching conviction to his unpopular perspective on religion, morality and life. Amongst his strong points was his plea for all followers of his readings to learn from him, expand due to him and then forget him. To disconnect the connection and move on. To claim the new ideas as only your own.

Ecce Homo
Ecce Homo is a book written by a man of genius, solitude and an overwhelming insight to the times in which he lived.
In his depiction of the society that has come and past, it's striking how much the people of then are like the people of now.When he spoke of the judgement, misunderstanding and blatant disrespect based solely on an image, he spoke of the cliques of the modern day.When he spoke of the shallow, moral-filled strong arms that controlled society, he spoke of the society of today.Thus the life of a philosopher.
In this book, he reflects on his past.It is his version of an autobiography.He talks of past works, reinstates his beliefs with more clarity, and of other admired artists/philosophers and their works that have impacted him.
The book is almost like an essay, with his old beliefs coming to light and covering new grounds, new theories put on the table and a strong voice that makes for a delivery that was anything but shaky in disposition.
What I liked most about Ecce Homo was Nietzche's unflinching conviction to his unpopular perspective on religion, morality and life.Amongst his strong points were his ideas or one liners that leave you pondering after you have put the book down for the night. Also powerful was his voice that reflected his mental state at the time in which Ecce Homo was "conceived".Not to mention his plea for all followers of his readings to learn from him, expand due to him and then forget him.To disconnect the connection and move on.To claim the new ideas as only your own.
There was nothing to hate about the book as far as I am concerned.I have read several of his works, and where they showed his weaknesses as being against society, this final work has really summed up the man well.It leaves no doubt in your mind as to where he stands and who he is.And given his fate, I'd be happy to have this be my final testament if I were him.
I highly recommend this read to all with an open mind; to anyone who is bored with standard teachings or beliefs; or anyone who is lonely as hell and can't see the beauty and clarity to such circumstances.

Afew questions about the autobiography of agreat disturber
The striking power , the unique individuality of Neitzsche's writing is like no other. He is close to being the greatest of all aphoristic philosophers. And his writing has a strength, an intensity that profoundly strikes the reader.
In this 'summa' of his own thought made before he went off into his last years of complete non- communicability he summarizes his major works, and discourses on and on about the subjects which most disturb and obsess him.
One would like to see in this obvious work of genius something worthy of praise alone. For Neitzsche is courageous, he is bold, he is daring and his daring is a daring to truthfulness , in irony even about himself, or what he knows about himself.
Yet there is a message which is conveyed in the work beyond the straightforward meaning of the page. It is in the tone and in the stance. It is in the hysteria and the hatred. And this is where my objection to Neitzsche comes.
For if he was an opponent of Wagner, and would have despised with all his soul the complete misinterpretation of his message made by the Nazis ( Their collective racism was far from his teaching as I understand it of what the 'overman' should be) the very tone of his hatred and hysteria, the very pose of all knowing certainty , the firmness of his tone and voice certainly transmit something that most hatefilled and evil movement absorbed.
For the rest, for the lonely individuals finding in Neitzsche some deep solace( "The thought of suicide enables me to get through many a rough night") for the critics of certain forms of Western thought, Neitzsche might provide a more excusable message.
But the style is also the man, and the man who wrote 'Ecce Homo' was not only not to be compared to the first Christian, he is in some deep human terms , less than wholly commendable.
God should give us kinder and saner geniuses.

Why I write such great reviews
Forgive me for wasting all your time because I haven't read the book yet, but just reading about it fills me with excitement because I have Nietzsche's books to keep me company, a fellow Overman/madman/AntiChrist. If I can be so immodest as to compare myself to him in any way, I know from experience that as he descended into madness he thought he was the AntiChrist as Christian bigots would accuse, a worthy title for the great philosopher who is to enlighten the masses of the ills of Christianity and lead us into at least a less hypocritical time. Who knows what great work he would have produced in his later years if he had medication to keep him balanced, walking on the fence that separates the world of the sane from the insane. From up here you see all. I love you Nietzsche! ... Read more

Product Description
Friedrich Nietzsche and the Politics of the Soul: A Study of Heroic Individualism ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Decent in parts but overall unimpressive.
During the majority of this book I found myself saying "who cares" or "so what".This is not an interesting survey of Nietzsche, it is very superficial and misses the question "why" throughout.I.e. why heroic individualism.With this said, however, it does have some interesting insights into Nietzsche perspectivism, but it bizarrely discounts this very perspectivism as an "insuperable contradiction".The middle of the book was intolerably boring, I ended up skipping a few chapters on the role of art in Nietzsche, and found myself at a survey of the eternal return and Overman.The book touched on these concepts lightly, came up with no new insights about them, and pretty much said what 50 other generic secondary materials on Nietzsche has said before.

I do not recommend buying this book, it is a waste of time.

A book about a hero's philosophy
Could Friedrich Nietzsche actually have a hero? For those familiar with his works, the answer to this question would not be an easy one, for the reason that Nietzsche's writings are so honest as to be almost obscure. It is not common in literature or philosophy to find an author so willinglyan exhibitionist. It is as though Nietzsche were himself trying to figure out who he was in his writings, and he never hesitates to reveal his thoughts. But maybe exhibitionist is not the right term to describe Nietzsche, as such a characterization would imply that he needed another's look to justify himself. But it seems as though Nietzsche was not writing for another, but for himself, feeling perhaps that his self-analysis was best done on paper.

The author addresses this book to the readers of Nietzsche's works who are "victims" and have swallowed the bait, and consequently "carried along by the flights of his thought". She makes sure immediately to caution the reader that the expression "heroic individualism" is not found in any of Nietzsche's writings. But the equation "individual = hero" holds throughout his works. The author does a fine job of extracting this mathematics of individuation from the the writings of Nietzsche. One finishing the book, one carries away a deeper appreciation of the playful seriousness of Nietzsche's philosophy and his admonition to do philosophy while always looking in the mirror, and seeing one's own reflection, not someone else's.

Nietzsche was always celebrating, according to the author, the death of gods, and his project was to inspire a passion for greatness in a world without gods. But idols are to be smashed, and the grandeur of man is not to be found in a divine origin. It is making use of the dynamism of the flux, and the achieving of fame, and not its achievement, that is true heroism. The hero is a "dragon-slayer" who must achieve in life the highest value, and it (life) is never to be squandered. Caution though must be ever present, lest one use heroism not as a stimulus to self-development but as a means of avoiding it. "Sentimental dirge" and Wagnerian romanticism must be rejected.

The great man does not seek the admiration of the many, as the author again characterizes Nietzschean heroism: "go silently through the world and out of the world". The temptation for recognition must be avoided; one must not succoumb to the illusion of fame. The golden calf is not to replace the true self as the object of worship. Glory is always self-administered.

So how rare or common today is the hero of the Nietzschean type? Well, quite common...thousands...maybe hundreds of thousands. They are to be found in dance, in science, in literature, on the battlefield, behind the counter, sitting in the classroom and also standing in front of it, in the laboratory....indeed everywhere....the 21st century has no paucity of heroism.

A well-written guide to what makes Nietzsche important.
This short book from Princeton University Press (only about 200 pages) is popular scholarship at its best. Thiele cuts through the many difficulties of Nietzsche's work to present, in prose accessible to any bright undergraduate, the essence of Nietzsche's project: the creation of a self that gives a noble and passionate answer to the question what it means to be fully conscious, fully human, fully engaged in creating one's values and one's life. I've been reading Nietzsche for some ten years now, and had lately begun writing about what makes him so fascinating--when Thiele's book made my own effort unnecessary. If you want to know (1) why Nietzsche looms large in the modern mind and (2) whether you want to read him yourself, this is the place to start ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

One of the best biographies of the philosophers
This is a great, however brief, look into the life of one of the world's greatest minds. Hayman opens with a fleeting glance at Nietzsche's genealogy before diving into the seemingly bright life of the future philosopher. He cites Nietzsche's pendulum-esque nationalistic devotion prior to his near-death collapse from a horse. He then charts Nietzsche's intellectual progress from the life-altering secondhand bookstore find of Schopenhauer to the later critique of previous idols Wagner, Kant, and Renee. Hayman, however repetitiously (though nonetheless factually), outlines Nietzsche's incessant battle with illness throughout his life. The key to this text is that is does not attempt a definitive stance at the perpetual enigma as to the cause of Nietzsche's demise, but rather outlines possibilities starting from birth until his death. For those unfamiliar with the German titles of Nietzsche's works, it will require a bit of page flipping to the appendix until one grows accustomed to Hayman's methodology. Also, all passages from the philosopher's works are translated by Hayman that, in some cases, are clearer and more concise than the renounced Kaufmann readings. My only complaint is that Hayman didn't spend more pages in his great explication of the philosopher's life. I rate this alongside Monk's biography of Wittgenstein.

One of the best biographies of Nietzsche I've read.
This biography is the most accurate and indeed, critical. It dealves into the life and thought of one of the greatest thinkers in Western Europe. Anyone who wishes to have a good introduction into Friedrich Nietzsche should read this book...by all means, read it!! ... Read more

Book Description
It is difficult to imagine a world without common sense, the distinction between truth and falsehood, the belief in some form of morality or an agreement that we are all human. But Friedrich Nietzsche did imagine such a world, and his work has become a crucial point of departure for contemporary critical theory and debate. This volume introduces this key thinker to students of literary and cultural studies, offering a lucid account of Nietzsche's thought on:
* anti-humanism
* good and evil
* the Overman
* nihilism
* the Will to Power.
Lee Spinks prepares readers for their first encounter with Nietzsche's most influential texts, enabling them to begin to apply his thought in studies of literature, art and contemporary culture. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

The Will to Nietzsche
Lee Spinks' text on Friedrich Nietzsche is part of a recent series put out by the Routledge Press, designed under the general editorial direction of Robert Eaglestone (Royal Holloway, University of London), to explore the most recent and exciting ideas in intellectual development during the past century or so. To this end, figures such as Martin Heidegger, Sigmund Freud, Michel Foucault, Jacques Derrida, Paul Ricouer and other influential thinkers in critical thought are highlighted in the series, planned to include more than 21 volumes in all.

Spinks' text, following the pattern of the others, includes background information on Nietzsche and his significance, the key ideas and sources, and Nietzsche's continuing impact on other thinkers. As the series preface indicates, no critical thinker arises in a vacuum, so the context, influences and broader cultural environment are all important as a part of the study, something with which Nietzsche might have some argument.

Why is Nietzsche included in this series? Nietzsche is a foundational thinker for the modern times - every philosopher and intellectual of the past few generations has had to contend with his ideas or ideas generated in response or reaction to his, and his impact has gone far beyond narrow intellectual confines to influence psychology, politics, literature, sociology, philosophy, linguistics, history and anthropology. Spinks indicates that Nietzsche's primary focus is on issues of power, not just blunt political power of a sort that has often been misused using Nietzschean concepts as a justification, but the kind of intellectual power that recaptures something ancient and upsets the standard status quo of modern intellectual development on all levels.

It is fitting that Nietzsche should be included in this series, given that, while he is often considered more in the area of political, ethical, metaphysical and epistemological philosophies, his first book was in fact 'The Birth of Tragedy out of the Spirit of Music', which sets the stage for much of Nietsche's later works, not the least of which being Nietzsche's general tendency to be unsystematic and strewn across different pieces of writing over time.It takes a careful analyst and researcher such as Spinks to put things together in a coherent and orderly form for study unless one is to devote a great deal of time (something worthwhile, but not the kind of thing the average student of literary theory is likely to do).

Key ideas that Spinks highlights include the methods of genealogy and history for Nietzsche, how these work to develop the sense of working toward a system that goes beyond good and evil (Spinks has a chapter, and Nietzsche has a book of the same title), and the concepts Nietzsche is perhaps best noted for, the Uberman (Overman or Superman) and the Will to Power.It is this last pair of concepts that was most distorted in the Third Reich mentality of a Master Race; in fact, nothing could be further from Nietzsche's idea of a will to power that goes beyond the kinds of political and philosophical boundaries that fascism required (Heidegger was to experience a disenchantment with the Nazi party for similar ideological reasons).

Early in his career, Nietzsche set up a battle, between Dionysus and Apollo, representing the more pure primal forces on the one hand, and a degenerated, always-in-search-of-justification system of 'slave mentality' that he associated with the kind of intellectual rationalising of most moral systems - however, later in his career, Nietzsche came to see the primary opponent of his pure Dionysian system not that of Apollo, but of Christendom.One might wonder, actually, why he didn't see this earlier.

One of the useful features of the text is the side-bar boxes inserted at various points. For example, during the discussion on Nietzsche's development of Metaphor, there are brief discussions, set apart from the primary strand of the text, on the issue of Platonic Ideas as well as on the Stoics, developing further this idea should the reader not be familiar with it, or at least not in the way with which Nietzsche would be working with ideas derived from it. Each section on a key idea spans approximately twenty pages, with a brief summary concluding each, which gives a recap of the ideas (and provides a handy reference). Some of the concluding sections in this volume (unlike other volumes in the series) are not as handy as a recap, but do connect the primary ideas with the next chapter.

The concluding chapter, After Nietzsche, highlights some key areas of development in relation to other thinkers, as well as points of possible exploration for the reader. Spinks traces the influence of two primary texts (by Salome and by his sister Forster-Nietzsche) on shaping the image of Nietzsche for modern times, given his own inability to craft his image beyond his earliest years.Spinks also looks at Jaspers and Heidegger and their readings of Nietzsche, before exploring more precisely the work in literature (D.H. Lawrence, Thomas Mann, W.B. Yeats), philosophy (Derrida, Deluze, Sartre and other existentialists), history and feminism.

As do the other volumes in this series, Spinks concludes with an annotated bibliography of works by Nietzsche (primarily those available in authoritative English translation), and works on Nietzsche by principle scholars.

While this series focuses intentionally upon critical literary theory and cultural studies, in fact this is only the starting point. For Nietzsche (as for others in this series) the expanse is far too broad to be drawn into such narrow guidelines, and the important and impact of the ideas extends out into the whole range of intellectual development. As intellectual endeavours of every sort depend upon language, understanding, and interpretation, the thorough comprehension of how and why we know what we know is crucial. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

A Must for Thinking the Political Nietzsche
When this book first came out a couple of decades ago, it represented an early effort at recontextualizing an oeuvre that had always been seen as inapplicable to political considerations.Today, that apolitical version of Nietzsche is almost unthinkable, and Tracy Strong deserves a lion's share of the credit for that shift.If you're interested in any facet of Nietzsche's potential as a political thinker, this book is a must.

Strong's greatest strength is his ability and willingness to read both the befores and afters that have produced the Nietzsche we thought we knew.He returns to Nietzsche's prized works, from the Greeks onward (with specific attention to Nietzsche's fave pre-Socratic thinkers) and re-evaluates Nietzsche's appropriations of them.Simultaneously, Strong always keeps in mind the various ways in which those who came AFTER Nietzsche have read and mis-read these moments.Such insights go a long way toward making a re-reading of Nietzsche as much about our changing reading agendas as they are about Nietzsche's.

Strong also treats our past penchant for linking Nietzsche with darker politics, when we linked him with politics at all; the long-perceived relationship with fascism is given its airing here, but Strong convincingly prods the reader into regarding such strict alliances dubiously.

The thoroughness of this book is also impressive.Strong covers everything, and covers it well.While he often carefully sets the context every time he cites Nietzsche, though, "Friedrich Nietzsche and the Politics of Transfiguration" is still guilty of falling into a trap that endangers every book I've read on him: the tendency to regard his thought as one organic whole, always present, rather than as progressive or even disjointed moments.Because of this, Strong often adduces comments from the much later Nietzsche in order to illuminate statements made earlier in Nietzsche's career.It is disingenuous, because it implies--in a way that can't be right--that what Nietzsche thought in the 1870s was also what he thought in the 1890s.

The only other problem I have with Strong concerns some of the readings of more expressly literary texts.A background of political philosophy, with all of its emphases on explicit arguments and whether they bear scrutiny, reveals itself sometimes as a poor substitute for a more literary interest in what a text conceals as it reveals.As Strong revisits some of the more literary texts to which Nietzsche refers in "The Birth of Tragedy," for example--namely Homer, Greek tragedians, etc.--he reads every passage as a lesson-conveying declaration; this is problematic for Nietzsche, who invested far more at that stage of his thought in anti-coherence than in rational argumentation and presentation.

That aside, though, anyone interested in thinking about Nietzsche politically and in how Nietzsche can be thought of as political would do well to pick up a copy of Strong's book.It is clearly argued, well-written, and still provocative today. ... Read more

Book Description

Few philosophers are as widely read or as widely misunderstood as Friedrich Nietzsche. When Danto's classic study was first published in 1965, many regarded Nietzsche as a brilliant but somewhat erratic thinker. Danto, however, presented a radically different picture, arguing that Nietzsche offered a systematic and coherent philosophy that anticipated many of the questions that define contemporary philosophy. Danto's clear and insightful commentaries helped canonize Nietzsche as a philosopher and continue to illuminate subtleties in Nietzsche's work as well as his immense contributions to the philosophies of science, language, and logic.

This new edition, which includes five additional essays, not only further enhances our understanding of Nietzsche's philosophy; it responds to the misunderstandings that continue to muddy his intellectual reputation. Even today, Nietzsche is seen as everything from a precursor of feminism and deconstruction to a prophetic writer and spokesperson for disgruntled teenage boys. As Danto points out in his preface, Nietzsche's writings have purportedly inspired recent acts of violence and school shootings. Danto counters these misreadings by elaborating an anti-Nietzschian philosophy from within Nietzsche's own philosophy "in the hope of disarming the rabid Nietzsche and neutralizing the vivid frightening images that have inspired sociopaths for over a century."

The essays also consider specific works by Nietzsche, includingHuman, All Too Human andThe Genealogy of Morals, as well as the philosopher's artistic metaphysics and semantical nihilism.

Customer Reviews (1)

A sober reading of Nietzsche
There are some wild readings of Nietzsche out there (nothing wrong with that), but in this book Danto works out of the British/American more conservative school of philosophy and tries to discover if there is alogical system to Nietzsche's works.Danto is one of the most readablephilosophers out there, and is sensitive to the problems of systemizingNietzsche.Overall a nice antidote to give to overzealous intellectualswho read a little Nietzsche and then feel qualified to start callingthemselves one of the ubermensch. ... Read more

Book Description
The unorthodox life and ideas of Friedrich Nietzsche come alive in this documentary history.Here is a clear picture of the time in which this revolutionary philosopher lived and worked. We meet the luminaries of the age: Richard Wagner, Bismark, Freud and Darwin.We learn of Nietzsche’s famous love affairs, his theories of the Superman, the Antichrist and nihilism, as well as his impact on Twentieth Century thinking.And we see how the Nazi’s annexed and deformed Nietzsche’s thought to serve their purposes. Nietzsche For Beginners is an important introduction to modern philosophy.Plato, Kant, Hegel and Schopenhaur are all evaluated in light of their influence on Nietzsche’s work.Discover why this great thinker defiantly declared, “God is Dead.” ... Read more

Customer Reviews (13)

very bad; completly at a loss as to what Nietzche thought
I love this series but this particular one really was incredibly obtuse and completly useless to me. Unlike some of the other books in this series that I have read (i.e. Marx, Sartre) I came into this one has an actual beginner. I have never really read much about Nietzche although I have always wanted to do so. And I have to say that after reading this book, I don't feel like I understand Nietzche any better than when I first began the book. And I am still at a loss as to why Wagner figured so prominently in this work. The author seems to hate Nietzche and I had a hard time following what the hell he was talking about most of the time. I did notice that it was translated so maybe that has something to do with it but overall I found this to be a horrible horrible book and a complete waste of time.

Bad translation, editing.
One thing that continually goes through my mind while reading the "Beginners" Series is that these books must have been originally written in another language (French? Spanish) and translated to English.A translator is listed in the credits.Anyway, the translation is HORRIBLE.The sentence structure is all messed up -- and I continually find myself re-reading the same sentences over and over just trying to get the gist of it.The book is horribly disorganized.Just got the book two nights ago -- and gave up on it.I'll buy another Nietzsche book and toss this one.ALSO: Philosphy for Beginners sucks just as bad -- with the added bonus that it is riddled with misspellings and typos.

ok to start with
I guess this is an okay book to start your Nietzsche education with. It does tend to gloss over or mock his philosophy at times, and there are quite a few illustrations that don't emphasize the point and that won't help you remember, that just seem to be there to fill space. But it does give the basics of his philosophy and the time he lived in. I wouldn't try to substitute this for reading the actual works written by him, but it can't hurt you. Nietzsche is tough reading, and this can only help.

What a waste of a book!
The Beginners series is overall a good thing, with many excellent introductory level editions on thinkers.Most, like the ones on Satre, Kierkegaard and Heidegger are excellent (especially since reading those authors primary works is difficult if not impossible).Thats why I am so saddened by this terrible introduction on old Fred.First of all, the art is pretty bad.Second of all, it makes no real attempt to explain what Nietzche said and wrote.Instead it is full of out of context qoutes with little or no analysis and/or explanation.Very poorly done.

Don't waste your time with this book
"Nietzsche for Beginners" is a petty, mendacious, disrespectful and philosophically dubious little book.

Love him or hate him, agree or disagree with him, Nietzsche is almost without argument the most important philosopher of the last century. He deserves far better than Saudet's treatment. This book does not even come close to treating Nietzsche's philosophy in an informed, critical or educational manner. Rather, it succumbs to the old, and I thought long refuted, Anglo-American portrayal of Nietzsche as some kind of tortured, nearly psychotic, cryto-fascist pseudo-philosopher -- without ever seriously addressing his philosophy which has had such a deep influence on Western thought in this century (Sartre, Freud, Mann, Foucault, Derrida, Deleuze to name just a few in Nietzsche's debt...)

Frankly, I am disgusted that this book was even published! It contributes nothing to a greater understanding of Nietzsche's thought; it does, instead, exactly the opposite. Do not bother with this book... there are so many better introductions out there... ... Read more