Antidote to Christianity

I love Nietzsche. His unabashed narcissism, extravagant language, red herrings and mind games.

Does he give us enough to discern his meaning? Sometimes, and no doubt I have much of it wrong.

But, I suspect he's right in many, many things. That Christian morality is manifest in a self punishing conscience. That philosophy, particularly ethics based on Christian metaphysics and truths are fruit of the poisonous tree. That knowledge of science, naturalism and evolution invert our understanding of humanity, our place and role in the Universe, the our understanding of reality.

Sometimes, however, I wonder if Nietzsche misunderstood Darwin and other theories of evolution. The debate certainly was not settled in 1888. His emphasis on "the law of selection is thwarted" suggests a claim to knowledge unavailable at the time. We still struggle with the meaning and implications of Darwin's work.

Or perhaps he means our choices and selections? What we consider wise, true, strong and good; what and how we choose to believe, and the implications our choices have at all levels of life. Whom, what and how we will to power?

There's no free ride with Nietzsche. No spider web dialectic, no reading list beyond his own, highly praised and obfuscated, equivocal works. Think! is always the imperative, as are Feel! and Live!

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Nietzsche's Joie de vivre!

I love listening to this book. The narrator manages to capture much of the nuance of Nietzsche's voice, including the sarcasm, chutzpah, and just all around joie de vivre.

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Bombastic, Fantastic?

being a friedrich nietzsche fan, i have to say this is a curious book. he's always got the hammer close when he's writing, but in this book all tricks of literary veneer are gone and he's fully bombastic, and without any trace of irony as he lays out chapter and verse why he is: clever, wise, a great writer, pure blooded, virtuous, etc. you could trot out a few of these gems without context, but the reader would find it hard to believe.

this book reads like a diary of self adulation. i find not a lot of "philosophy" happening here , although, of course, he's a rich writer and can pack an axiom into half a sentence - ie. "that which does not kill you, makes you stronger" - found herein.

unlike his other books, this one is vertiginously self referential. he's settleling scores with newspaper critics from 1870, and telling you why you'll care in 2010 - the balls on this guy!

Nietzsche is the 19th century philosophical bete noire, and he bashes his way through your head with more lacerating truth in a sentence than you'll find in a volume of his contemporaries. read twilight of the idols / how to philosophize with a hammer if you're new to Nietzsche. and read it again!

this book is interesting mostly as a (not flattering) window to his inner personality... interesting but bizarre.

15 les gens ont trouvé cela utile

Great book - poor reader

This cannot be what Nietzsche sounded like! This chirpy reading captures none of the grit and anger of Nietzsche. I've tried to stick with it by pretending it's an underpaid graduate student reading N's notes, but it's painful. Will someone else please record this book?

10 les gens ont trouvé cela utile

Revolutionary

It is interesting how this is also a summary of his own works, a commentary on Nietzsche by Nietzsche. It is not only a summary of the minute daily observations and habits he has worked out for his well being (despite incredible physical suffering), but how he is, in the face of suffering, nevertheless affirmative of life. However, far from focusing on the minutia of his life, he is actually founding the value of life on a revolutionary view of life as independent of classic morality which had dominated society in the form of Christianity (the dominant force of moralism at his time), and in the form of German Idealism (rationalism and moralism as reflected in the Kantian categorical imprerative). In place of historical and religious false valuation, Nietzsche advocates the spirit of Dionysus (versus Apolo), to live creatively, energetically and courageously in the spirit of Zarathustra, his magnus opus.

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The Most Amazing Performance

I've listened to this performance countless times - always at 1.75x the speed of the original delivery. It is a breathtaking rendition of Nietzsche's final gift to posterity. Steven does a magnificent job here - as he does with Beyond Good and Evil - and I can't help but return time and again to imbibe Nietzsche's final reflections through the cipher of this unparalleled performance. Bravo!

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Narcissistic ravings are not philosophy

Was this book supposed to be a joke? If so, it’s not funny. Unless you have very specific interest in Nietzsche or in the historical context, don’t waste your time.

Avoid This Book

Great reading performance. Idiotic text. If it is meant as a joke, it doesn't work.

I suppose I wasn't ready for this read?

Honestly I've heard nothing but great things about the author and his contributions to the science of psychology. However this was the the first book I listened to because I was told that Zarathustra isn't a good book to read if I haven't read any of his other books. nevertheless I hope the next book changes my perspective.

It's okay

Not nearly as good as Thus Spoke Zarathustra. But it has some good moments.