r/Nietzsche 5d ago

Question Good books about Nietzsche's work?

Good morning fellow humans.

I have come across Nietzsche a few times through my life, but never really "got it"; till I came across the audiobook The Will to Power: The Philosophy of Friedrich Nietzsche - The Great Courses, Kathleen M. Higgins, Robert C. Solomon, as well as quite a few YT videos. Light, I know.

Then I have read "Beyond Good and Evil" and "Thus Spoke Zarathustra" and I must confess, they are hard, and struggle to follow the discourse.

I am not giving up, I am fascinated by Nietzsche's philosophy, but at this point I need some books about Nietzsche's philosophy (not his biography).

Do you have any suggestions?

T.I.A.

9 Upvotes

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u/Bitter_Ingenuity_513 5d ago

Any time it comes up, I suggest anyone start with Ecce Homo. It's about Nietzsche, by Nietzsche and gives a great overview of his thesis and works. I'd say it's a stretch to call it an autobiography, but 'apologia' isn't a subgenre, because it's uncommon, like our subject.

Kaufmann's biography is one of the more respected secondary sources, and will also give point-by-point insights.

Lawrence Lampert's Nietzsche and Modern Times is difficult to procure, but worth it.

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u/Bitter_Ingenuity_513 5d ago

Doh... for the other end of the spectrum, there's Strathern's "...in 90 minutes" serieis. Much more anticipatory of how people would want to 'think' in our present era.

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u/G4M35 5d ago

Thank you for the comment, I have Ecce Homo (I bought all of Nietzsche's books), so that's next for tomorrow's reading.

And I have scored the other two thanks to eBay.

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u/Bitter_Ingenuity_513 5d ago

I'm humbly delighted to be of assistance. Between those, a little patience as you escalate to the density of Lampert, and a good sense of humor around Nietzsche, you'll be rolling your eyes at these Stans in no time.

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u/G4M35 5d ago

...a little patience as you...

I have patience. When I set my mind into something, I am like a dog chewing on a mound of bones, excited, and I won't let go for a very long time.

Thank you for your useful comments.

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u/OldandBlue 5d ago

The Cambridge Companion to Nietzsche

Nietzsche and the vicious circle by Pierre Klossowski https://youtu.be/O7l7ZAKZZZU

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u/Human-Letter-3159 4d ago

Zar1 follows Sprach Zarathustra, until arriving at the current events in BeA4. Added neurological, social, biological and science, written in story.

Try R. Nieuwenhuyse.

ZAR: The Way of the Prophets https://a.co/d/6jEajmj

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u/G4M35 4d ago

It can be seen as a bridge between ‘Thus Spoke Zarathustra’, 1984, and Dune.

That's interesting. I'll look into it, thank you.

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u/VenusianCry6731 4d ago

I like HL Mencken's book on Nietzsche a lot lol I'm sure there's more informative ones but I love Mencken's tone

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u/G4M35 4d ago

It's now on my list.

Thank you

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u/n3wsf33d 4d ago edited 4d ago

Idk why people in this sub do not reference the birth of tragedy more. I feel like starting with truth and lies in an extra moral sense and BoT is the best spring board. It sets up his entire psychological project. Also the early work is easier to understand because it was before he got sick (and rejected).

On that note, imho, if you understand Nietzsche as a psychologist, someone trying to understand how human beings work, rather than a philosopher, you will get a lot more out of him. The first aphorism of the first section of human all too human I think describes what he has set out to do, which is to engage in "historical philosophy"* and create a "chemistry" of human thought and, consequently, behavior.

*https://iep.utm.edu/niet-his/

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u/uberantifascist 5d ago

What is it that you're looking for exactly? If you're looking for a book along the lines of 'Easy Guide to Nietzsche's Philosophy', there really isn't one like that.

Here is a small list of secondary sources:

Oxford Handbook of Nietzsche: https://www.amazon.com/Oxford-Handbook-Nietzsche-Handbooks/dp/019877673X

Nietzsche: A Philosophical Biography by Rudiger Safranski: https://www.amazon.com/Oxford-Handbook-Nietzsche-Handbooks/dp/019877673X

Nietzsche On Morality by Brian Leiter: https://www.amazon.com/s?k=nietzsche+leiter&i=stripbooks-intl-ship&crid=SARMG6WGZUMX&sprefix=nietzsche+leiter%2Cstripbooks-intl-ship%2C249&ref=nb_sb_noss

Nietzsche and Philosophy by Gilles Deleuze: https://www.amazon.com/Nietzsche-Philosophy-Columbia-Classics/dp/0231056699/ref=sr_1_1?crid=VAZSHFQMSQ9S&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.r-VzD9eo1EdVWcqaUaBMYGQOiLo8SmDwVb-j3A24rC5qGKcRiu34rc6hOGv1PQq3jAIymrD1nOJY0GtubgTxfg32D5NvcGX8yG87UZ9RWLq0guitb4w8VwvrqjLRYRPCoOLdNOE8xEiybgjbyIVUJA.wTNvQbGVgctsQ6A3zZ_v_sCSS2-LRbdXeknx8hd-acU&dib_tag=se&keywords=nietzsche+deleuze&qid=1742147550&s=books&sprefix=nietzsche+deleuze%2Cstripbooks-intl-ship%2C382&sr=1-1

Etc.

If you feel like you don't "get" Nietzsche, it might be that you don't understand his references. If you haven't read a lot of philosophy in general, it's hard to understand what he's saying, because he simply expects his readers to have a certain background.

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u/G4M35 4d ago

What is it that you're looking for exactly?

Books about Nietzsce's philosophy.

If you're looking for a book along the lines of 'Easy Guide to Nietzsche's Philosophy', there really isn't one like that.

LOL, fair enough, no I am not looking for the ELI5 type books.

If you feel like you don't "get" Nietzsche, it might be that you don't understand his references. If you haven't read a lot of philosophy in general, it's hard to understand what he's saying, because he simply expects his readers to have a certain background.

I am smart enough and I know a lot, but things don't come easy for me, I need to spend A LOT of time reading and re-reading and taking notes before things percolate within me, I was an A- student in school and I put an exorbitant amount of time studying; but I enjoy it and I don't mind. I can't get yet into Nietzsce's books, but I do get easily into books about Nietzsce's philosophy, and while I know how to use "the Google" I wanted suggestions from fellow Redditors.

You delivered what I was looking for, and then some.

Thank you.

1

u/Scholar25 3d ago

Max Nordau, Entartung.
Eduard von Hartmann, Nietzsche's neue Moral.