And she has very interesting expository chapters on each of these. Eros is the pope right that it is a widelyheld perception that the church, with all their commandments and prohibitions, turn to bitterness the most precious thing in life. The antichrist 1888 christianity remains to this day the. In 1872, nietzsche published his first book, the birth of tragedy. We are perpetually on the way thither, being by nature winged insects and honey gatherers of the mind. These days nietzsche is even viewed as a postmodernist visionary. The incendiary tone throughout separates this book from most other wellregarded philosophical texts. One of nietzsche s most famous ideas is that of eternal recurrence, which appears in the penultimate section of his book the gay science.
His incomparable, fierce literary style and tenacious will to question all orthodox beliefs and institutions have captivated and perplexed readers for over a century. The greatest books of all time written by the author friedrich nietzsche. This was because i wanted to set up the question why read nietzsche. Nietzsche was the youngest ever to hold the chair of classical philology at the university of basel. In 1882, nietzsche published the first part of the gay science. Friedrich nietzsche stanford encyclopedia of philosophy. The best nietzsche books as selected by expert philosopher brian leiter. I think beyond good and evil is the most obvious and common answer. Friedrich nietzsche biography famous people famous people. Nietzsches famous adage that there are no facts, only interpretations is among his more debatable propositions, but it applies perfectly well to his own infuriating, invigorating body of. An 800page scholarly overview is unlikely to be best for someone looking for a short beginnerfriendly introduction. I hesitate to share a list of quotations from his work, knowing full well that without. Nietzsche stood at the beginning of his most productive period.
The case of wagner 1888 and nietzsche contro wagner 1888 are too narrow in scope. His attempts to unmask the motives that underlie traditional western religion, morality, and philosophy deeply affected generations of intellects. Friedrich nietzsche poems by the famous poet all poetry. This book established nietzsches legacy as unique, not only philosophically, but also stylistically. He shall overcome nietzsche, philosophy and madness books. There are no facts, only interpretations, was one of his famous declarations, along with god is dead. Oct 12, 2016 nietzsches thus spoke zarathustra, book one october 12, 2016 elizabeth. Nietzsches famous attack upon established christianity and religion is brought to the reader in this inexpensive and compact edition of the antichrist, introduced and translated by h. This word to nietzsche is the desire for pleasure, especially from sexual pleasure. Nietzsches thus spoke zarathustra, book one common errors. However, i was suggested by a friend to read his essay truth and lies in the extramoral sense first and i definitely think it helped with understanding bgae. Zarathustra is really difficult to understand because of its very poetic style. Jung cites this as his first introduction to nietzsche in his autobiography memories, dreams, reflections 1989, page 102, and claims to have been carried away by its enthusiasm.
Even the most unfamiliar with philosophy have it in their library, or have. Beyond good and evil, 1886 a critique of the faith in opposite values, the tendency to divide the world with simple, dualistic interpretations. Friedrich nietzsche has 940 books on goodreads with 903432 ratings. He was widely known for his ideas and concepts like death of god, perspectivism, the ubermensch, eternal recurrence, and the will to power. The gay science is not only my favorite book from nietzsche, its also in my opinion the clearest one, and its really the height of nietzsche along probably with beyong good and evil and on the genealogy of morality, although they are maybe a bit too technical.
Full of provocative ideas, nietzsche was a master of aphoristic form and use of contradictions. More than eighty years after his death, nietzsches writings and his career remain disquieting, disturbing, obscure. Nietzsche put his most famous words into the mouth of a madman in the gay science, a book published in his late 30s. Friedrich nietzsche 18441900 was a german philosopher and cultural critic who published intensively in the 1870s and 1880s. Friedrich nietzsches most popular book is thus spoke zarathustra. Just to be clear, there is no single best book on nietzsche. The gay science concludes with one of the most famous vignettes from nietzsches early. Nietzsches best 8 books by friedrich nietzsche goodreads. Start by marking nietzsches best 8 books gay science, ecce homo, zarathustra, dawn, twilight of the idols, antichrist, beyond good and evil, genealogy of.
His first was the birth of tragedy published in 1872. The standard german biography of nietzsche, by this guy curt paul janz, is a threevolume tome that is exhaustive but its also exhausting. Her account of the will to power makes a very good contrast to richardsons in my next book choice. His most famous viewsthe will to power, the eternal recurrence, the ubermensch, the master moralityoften seem incomprehensible or, worse, repugnant. A primer of the philosophy of nietzsche the art of manliness. Friedrich nietzsche, born near leipzig, germany, was one of the 19th centurys most influential philosophers, and his work continues to influence modern existential and postmodern philosophy. Nietzsches life and works stanford encyclopedia of.
It was a slanted look at ancient greek culture, and even nietzsche had some second thoughts about it when he republished it. The last time i devoted an entire course to nietzsche, the first assignment was ecce homo. Friedrich nietzsche books list of books by author friedrich. Arguably the most systematic and coherent of nietzsche s works. Prominent elements of his philosophy include his radical critique of truth in. Nietzsches most popular book, thus spake zarathustra 18831885, went ignored at the time of its appearance. Nietzsches best 8 books gay science, ecce homo, zarathustra. Friedrich nietzsche, german classical scholar, philosopher, and critic of culture, who became one of the most influential of all modern thinkers. Hes not the most literal translator but he is the most evocative.
German philosopher and critic of culture, who influenced a number of the major writers and philosophers of the 20th century germany and france. Friedrich nietzsche was a famous 19th century german philosopher and philologist, known for his critical texts on religion, morality, contemporary culture, philosophy, and science. And even though it has remained one of his most popular books, it is. Its a very good resource for scholars but not a delightful book for beginners. The famous book, the will to power 1901 is a collection of tentative. Friedrich wilhelm nietzsche was a german philosopher, cultural critic, composer, poet, and. Full of provocative ideas, nietzsche was a master of. The books written before the dawn 1880 are not as mature as those written later. Both an introduction to nietzsches moral philosophy, and a sustained commentary on his most famous work, on the genealogy of morality, this book has become the most widely used and debated secondary source on these topics over the past dozen years. Books 5 essential texts by friedrich nietzsche you.
The gay science is not only my favorite book from nietzsche, its also in my opinion the clearest one, and its really the. May 07, 2018 german philosopher, classical scholar, poet and philologist friedrich nietzsche is one of the most influential modern thinkers, best known for his writings on religion, good and evil, and the concepts of the superman and will to power. Nietzsche used the phrase to express his idea that the enlightenment had eliminated the possibility of the existence of god. Apollo was the sun god who brought light and rational clarity to the world. The best book for you will depend on your preferred learning style and the amount of time that you want to spend reading about him. One of nietzsches most popular and oftquoted books. The will to power, eternal recurrence, the ascetic ideal, and so on. He discusses the way buddhism survived as a religion, and he states gods death and points observes the fact that god will still be followed for millenniums yet. Prominent elements of his philosophy include his radical critique of truth in favor. The best nietzsche books five books expert recommendations. The ten best books on or by nietzsche the daily idea. The nietzsche love of fate series contains the full texts of nietzsches eight best and most mature works. Friedrich nietzsche is one of the most misinterpreted philosophers the world has ever seen.
As for the right way, the correct way, and the only way, it does not exist. Nietzsches father was a lutheran minister who died in 1849 from a brain disorder. He urges his reader to abandon their attachment to divinity. Nietzsche alexander nehamas harvard university press. Theres a famous quote in beyond good and evil where nietzsche says that despite philosophers. Lets take a glimpse of his life through his famous quotes. Top 25 quotes by friedrich nietzsche of 2485 az quotes. Friedrich nietzsche s saying yes to life attitude, getting notoriously acidic with other philosophers, and a fondness for ironies and metaphors is visible in his work. Beyond good and evil by friedrich nietzsche, thus spoke zarathustra by friedrich nietzsche, on the genealogy of morals by fri. Nietzsche s best 8 books gay science, ecce homo, zarathustra, dawn, twilight of the idols, antichrist, beyond good and evil, genealogy of morals kindle edition by nietzsche, friedrich, bill chapko, bill chapko. Friedrich nietzsche biography list of works, study guides. He accomplishes the same in this book, while takingon the daunting task of centering his fictionalized account around some of the most famous names in the history of philosophy and psychology. Nietzsche s best 8 books an ebook to search the spirit of friedrich nietzsche edited by bill chapko contents editor notes introduction to nietzsche s life and writings the gay science ecce homo thus spoke zarathustra the dawn twilight of the idols the antichrist beyond good and evil genealogy of morals appendices a timeline biography.
If you have not read yalom, i would encourage you to buy this book but do so along with a purchase of one of his nonfiction works. Together, nietzsche argues, these two ethoses birthed one of the worlds most famous art forms the athenian tragedy. A decade later his work began to find readers, but by then he had himself. I get that most mathematicians modern day are not also philosophers. Nietzsche resigned in 1879 due to health problems that plagued him most of his life. Whats the best book of nietzsches to start out with. Beginning with human, all too human in 1878, nietzsche published one book or major section of a book each year until 1888, his last year of writing. He is famous for uncompromising criticisms of traditional european morality and religion, as well as of conventional philosophical ideas and social and political pieties associated with modernity. In the second part of the book clark does take up many of the famous themes from nietzsche. One of the most famous philosophical book of the last 150 years was published in 1892.
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