April 3rd, 2010 
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Product Description
Nietzsche was one of the most revolutionary and subversive thinkers in Western philosophy, and “Thus Spoke Zarathustra” remains his most famous and influential work. It describes how the ancient Persian prophet Zarathustra descends from his solitude in the mountains to tell the world that God is dead and that the Superman, the human embodiment of divinity, is his successor. With blazing intensity and poetic brilliance, Nietzsche argues that the meaning of existence … More >>
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think,a men go crazy,and he write all his feelings about you and me!
Rating: 5 / 5
Thus Spoke Zarathustra (R.J. Hollingdale’s translation) is quite simply one of the least enjoyable classics I’ve ever read. It was a chore to get through the 330+ pages and what I was constantly hoping would get better, never did. TSZ attempts to espouse many aspects of Nietzsche’s philosophy through, for the most part, meaningless riddles and analogies. You won’t understand even half of what Nietzsche’s trying to tell you. When I read a book I expect to be able to at least understand the plot or message. TSZ was overall a waste of time.
There are a couple of redeeming points to consider. Nietzsche’s “Superman” philosophy is interesting and he goes into some detail on the inadequacies of man today and what the future Superman will be like. According to Nietzsche, God created everything but then died sometime in the past out of pity for humanity’s imperfections. The Superman race will one day come out of man and be perfection in mind and body. Also, Nietsche has unique viewpoints on many aspects of life: work, family, friendships, etc. The fraction of a time that Zarathustra speaks coherently, he’s interesting.
The problem is, Zarathustra spends the vast majority of his time preaching in gibberish and poor poetry. 80% of the dozens of topics in TSZ are practically unreadable. I understand that the original work is German and many of Nietzsche’s plays on words cannot be translated properly. However, I can’t imagine even the original German prose making much sense to a fluent German speaker.
Here’s an excerpt typical of the prose found throughout the novel, from the section “On the Blissful Islands”: “Truly, I have gone my way through a hundred souls and through a hundred cradles and birth-pangs. I have taken many departures, I know the heart-breaking last hours. But my creative will, my destiny, wants it so. Or, to speak more honestly: my will wants precisely such a destiny. All feeling suffers in me and is in prison: but my willing always comes to me as my liberator and bringer of joy. Willing liberates: that is the true doctrine of will and freedom – thus Zarathustra teaches you. No more to will and no more to evaluate and no more to create! ah, that this great lassitude may ever stay far from me!”
Hmm, so he wants to will and create, but doesn’t want to feel? What’s his point? He’s not making sense here. Now imagine 80% of the book written in mediocre prose like that and you have an idea of what you’re getting into. It would have been far better if Nietzsche had simply written a clear one-paragraph summary of Zarathustra’s point at the end of each section. Then you could go back and interpret better what Z was talking about. I’ve read a whole bunch of classics and have a large library of them. I consider my reading comprehension skills to be above-average. Yet this book ranks at or very near the bottom of my list. NOT recommended!
Rating: 2 / 5
I find Nietzsche’s character extremely intersting and admit that his influence on philosophers and culture of this century is hardly negligible. However, I find his works, particularly Zarathustra, lacking in ‘philosophy’ and more as evidence of a man who led a very sad life.
There are certainly elements from the work deserving to be preserved, if not simply for their historical significance. Among other things, the almost Kantian criticism of belief in the supernatural in Part One still bears relevence.
A chief complaint, however, is that the exact character of the Superman is vaguely defined. He is a man who must assign his own meaning to life and define his whole existence by his own ‘virtue’, and thus grow beyond good and evil. However, how is one to choose his own virtue, and what is to happen when virtues conflict? Zarathustra speaks of going to war for one’s virtue, but what exactly are we to interpret from this?
More than anything, though, I find this book lacking in style. It is very hard to comprehend because of the tedious metaphors, allegories and symbolisms. Every point is also expounded in excess. Once I finally dragged myself through this text, though, I found myself disappointed at what was to be found in the writings of this ‘great philosopher’.
Rating: 2 / 5
Nietzsche has been said to be one of the greatest influances on modern philosophy, especially the existentialist movement and Zarathustra shows the reader just why he was a large influance. Nietzsche’s works are truly like no ohter writer’s, however, his philosophy seemed to be ignorant and sexist at times to myself, but none the less I do feel that everyone should read some of Nietzsche’s works (or any philosopher’s works for that matter). I do enjoy Nietzsche’s argument against modern Christianity and the herd mentaility of the masses, but I think those two things would have to be my favorite philosophical views of Nietzsche. I give this book and Nietzsche in general, three stars because, while he will be an influance and is a good read, his philosophy is not the greatest at many points and is often misunderstood by people.
Rating: 3 / 5
Nietzsche espouses a desire to create Supermen, who will be superior to modern humans. He vilifies pity, charity and sympathy as being weak and glorifies the warrior and those who would be cruel to create strength in themselves and others. His character Zarathustra speaks in a stilted, medieval way which, I suppose, is supposed to call to mind biblical passages.
While I accept the importance of this work as philosophy and classic literature, I have to mark it as 3 stars because I felt this was, to a great extent, the philosophy espoused by Nazi Germany – at any rate, I could see where this formed part of the backbone of their society. I did not really enjoy reading it, although I feel it is important to read as many and as varied works as possible in order that I might learn something new all the time. Read it as a classical work, and as a philosophical masterpiece, but if you are troubled by the history of the Nazis, you will likely find the ideals espoused in this text to be uncomfortable.
Rating: 3 / 5