I perused this book in a bookstore and found myself not being able to put the book down. I returned the next day, and read more of it, then decided that this book is well worth the ..., especially since it makes you think and begin to question things around you that you have accepted all your life. This book, in my opinion, is great for anybody interested in Nietzsche or Philosophy- not only is it entertaining, but it gives a nice overview of his life and his works- and is a great starter for anyone who doesn't know where to start with Nietzche. If you are Christian or one who associates with a religion, you may find some of Nietzche's ideas a bit offensive. But even if you are, or if you have already been questioning things like 'culture' and religion, you will smile when you read this book.

Nevertheless, it's good just to read this book- no matter what angle you're coming from, it's always good to know different views, and this is one view you don't want to miss. You will smile at how Nietzche came about gaining so much self knowledge, and by doing this, he came up with his unique and provacative ideas.

I'd highly recommend this book, as well as the others in the series. If you want to go on a journey with your mind, this is a good place to start, well worth the ... that would go towards buying some non-necessity anyways. Hopefully in the end, like Nietzche, you'll find your own philosophy and go your own way, not some way that you did not choose.

I am a fan of all the books in the Introducing series, but this was one of my favourites. Very clear and easy to understand. This is a good place to start if you are interested in Nietzsche but overwhelmed by the amount of material available. Includes an excellent concise list of further reading. The illustrations in this selection are not as helpful as in the other intro books but are still amusing and add entertainment to the text. I read this book in one sitting because I couln't bring myself to put it down.

A concise overview of Nietzsche's life and work, and his influence on later thinkers. Even though I am not familiar with the technical language of philosophy, I found it very clear and easy to read, and finished it in one sitting. It also put to rest my concern about possible connections to the Nazis. Cute illustrations.

This is a stellar editionh of HOlderlin's late poetry, much of which Heidegger focused on; however, I think his earlier stuff is of great value too. ALthough i have not read the Penguin edition, i plan to do so, and i have feeling, knowing penguin, it will be better in my eyes, in that i really enjoy his early stuff too. The notes that come along with the poems in this edition , as well as the introduction are spectacular. If you are unacquainted with HOlderlin, though, i would start out with the Penguin edition. Plus, Penguin books smell so nice.

This is my favorite book of poetry from the last 300 years. What's not to like here? Holderlin is the prince of all great modern German poetry. If you know Rilke, Trakl, Celan, George, or any of the others--come, and meet their godfather. Then there is Holderlin's relation to the past. The blazing richness of ancient Greek poetry, and especially Pindar, is burning more brightly in the poems in this book than in any other modern poetry. The introduction, notes, and facing-page German/English format of this edition are all top notch. These are the Holderlin poems you really want--the stuff that makes Holderlin one of the two or three most brilliant writers in the German language. Don't be fooled by other anthologies--this is a solid, virtually unabridged collection of the LATE poetry. If you really must spend your time with the relatively stale classicism of Klopstock and Schiller, by all means find another edition of Holderlin with more of his less mind-blowingly original work. But, if you buy this book, you will have the cream of all serious poetry since the 18th century.

There is no way to label Holderlin. Of course, you can say he's precociously modern in his response to early Greek poetry about mortality and the divine, or in his freedom from mere "romanticism," but, truly, Holderlin simply stands apart from--and above--the stream of poetry, and this book is the best way to discover that.

Siegfried Mandel's Nietzsche and the Jews is a title which either attracts instantly or detracts instantly. In my case I was a little put off by the title, for it almost sounds like a parody. When I began to read I noticed the book takes a biographical path with regard to its subject matter, tracing Nietzsche's exposure to anti-Semitism throught his years. I have read many, too many in fact, biographies of Nietzsche and was about ready to '86 this one. I'm glad I didn't, for when I got to the chapters concerning Wagner and Nietzsche, the book suddenly came alive with little known facts based on terrific research. Nietzsche's relationships with Richard and Cosima Wagner, Peter Gast, Paul Ree and Franz Overbeck are examined against the background of German anti-Semitism and Nietzsche's reaction to it.

Also, whereas most books center on sister Elizabeth and Lou Salome when discussing Nietzsche and women, Mandel provides a deep look at the relationship between Nietzsche and Helen Zimmern, his first translator and herself a Jew. Scattered in between are some revealing tidbits about Nietzsche and sexuality rarely revealed in other studies.

Another strong point is the chapters on Jewish scholars and disciples interested in Nietzsche, such as poet Siegfried (Solomon) Lipiner, scientist Josef Paneth, and journalist Paul Lansky. The chapter on critic Georg Brandes is an absolute gem.

Two Appendix chapters on Nietzsche's thought concerning the Jews contain an excellent analysis of Nietzsche's often confusing writings on the subject.

If you are looking for a serious book on this subject, or if you are looking for just a good book on Nietzsche, this one is definitely one to add to your collection.

On such a weird set of subjects, I should limit myself to the remarks on humor. Not listed in the index, but noted in Appendix II on page 321, Nietzsche praised American laughter, as "in the fashion of Mark Twain. I've not been able to laugh along with anything said by Germans." Mark Twain gets credit for having written "Our heavenly father invented man because he was disappointed in the monkey." (p. 321) The rest of this book is pretty serious, and it's also well written.

The relationship of Frederick Nietzsche's philosophy to Sigmund Freud's psychiatric concepts has long been an object of interest for students and practitioners of psychoanalysis. In Freud And Nietzsche, educator, historian and philosopher Paul-Laurent Assoun methodically reconstructs Freud's encounter with Nietzsche, his personal interpretations and the contribution of Nietzsche's champions. Assoun articulately examines the thematic similarities that appear on the surface to reveal close affinities between the two theorists. The analogies between the theories and writings of these two influential and original thinkers are fascinating, informative, and a vital part of critical theory which continues to be actively discussed in regard to critical theory to this very day. Ably translated into English by Richard L. Collier. Jr., Paul-Laurent Assoun's Freud And Nietzsche is a significant and highly recommended contribution to the study of Freud, Nietzsche, and psychoanalysis.

Holderlin is a German poet who is unfortunately not well in in the United States. Richard Unger, however, provides an excellent study of this major figure in European literature. Unger's own command of German is superb, and he is thoroughly familiar with both the poet's work and the period in which he wrote. While not for the casual reader, this book is essential for the serious student of German literature.

This book is complementary introduction to Hegel¡¯s ¡®Phenomenology of the Mind¡¯. It follows through Hegel¡¯s thought chapter by chapter. Primarily, this book is the commentary and recapturing of the book chapter by chapter. But it is not simple exegesis. It recaptures the nub of each chapter not in simple briefing, but in the way to place Hegel against other philosophers like Descartes, Locke, Kant, Husserl, Ayer, Wittgenstein and so forth. In that way, we can capture Hegel¡¯s line with more ease. But don¡¯t afraid. You don¡¯t have to know other philosophers. They are mobilized to bring out Hegel in contrast to other philosophers. So the author does not present them in detail, but to the point in relation to Hegel¡¯s line, in the way not requiring some knowledge on the philosopher.
For other complementary material, I recommend Werner Marx¡¯s ¡®Hegel¡¯s Phenomenology of the Mind¡¯. though it¡¯s confined to the preface and introduction, the author tactically captures the essence of the book. W. Marx¡¯s book is about some vocabulary in preface and introduction. He explains them in relation to the tradition of German idealism. If you are familiar with Kant, it must be helpful. Some recommend Jean Hyppolite¡¯s ¡®Genesis and Structure of Hegel¡¯s ¡°Phenomenology of the Mind¡±¡¯. But in my view, it¡¯s more difficult to follow than Hegel¡¯s own book.

Too often Marx and Engels are reduced to philosophical caricatures in order to serve an author's own agenda. Richard Schmitt's book is noteworth for his careful analysis of the enduring issues and insights of Marx and Engels. I enjoyed this refreshing reminder of what all the fuss was about.

Suppose for a moment that we were able to travel back in time to the latter part of 19th century Germany. If we could do this, we would find an up and coming philosopher by the name of Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche who has recently befriended an aging composer; Wilhelm Richard Wagner. Thanks to Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, we are able to make this impossible journey and breathe the crisp German air alongside this philosopher & composer.

The correspondence and friendship that developed between these two intellectual and artistic giants is examined in great detail by Fischer-Dieskau. We learn of their mutual love and admiration. We're let in on the jealousy that each of these egoists had for the other. Wagner would have liked to have been remembered as a great philosopher as well as a great composer. Nietzsche, likewise, would have liked to have been known to posterity as a great composer as well as an influential thinker.

Unfortunately, things did not work out that way. Fischer-Dieskau relays for us the letters of rejection that Hans von Bulow sent to the philosopher; the insults that ended Nietzsche's musical ambitions altogether. As a sidenote you can get some of Nietzsche's piano works @ Amazon.com...P>This is an opportunity to explore a friendship that is every bit as fascinating as that between Beethoven & Goethe. All of the intrigue of the famous splitting up & subsequent animosity, the wonderful discussions about Schopenhaur as well as Nietzsche's infatuation with Cosima Wagner - all if it is included in this biographical work. Anyone who has an interest in either of these men will benefit a great deal by reading this book.

The value of this book depends entirely on the ability of the reader to think about it. I happened to enjoy it as confirmation of many efforts I have previously made to understand Nietzsche and the world at large, and this review pays far too much attention to the world, which is as at large as ever.

Long ago, I had the opportunity to consider what Nietzsche thought about a normal appreciation for the truth, compared to the opposite which he discovered in what was most forceful. "When the Christian crusaders in the Orient encountered the invincible order of Assassins, . . . whose lowest ranks followed a rule of obedience the like of which no order of monks ever attained, they obtained in some way or other a hint concerning that symbol and watchword reserved for the highest ranks alone as their secretum: `Nothing is true, everything is permitted.' " (ON THE GENEALOGY OF MORALS, translated by Walter Kaufmann, p. 150). This collection of notebooks of private thoughts, which Nietzsche did not publish, reflect the process in which he prepared his work. Trying to find some secret doctrine, which the public could never understand, seems to be like trying to understand everything, as dangerous as any other aspect of his thought.

In 1872 or early 1873, he had written, "Conversely, we are returning to culture in a sectarian manner, we are trying once again to suppress the philosopher's immeasurable knowledge and convince him of the anthropomorphic character of all knowledge." (p. 57). This is so true, I need only mention GENIUS by Harold Bloom, in which "A Mosaic of One Hundred Exemplary Creative Minds" are explained by classifications which seek to glorify how individuals think. Otherwise, in our culture, "Groupthink is the blight of our Age of Information, and is most pernicious in our obsolete academic institutions, whose long suicide since 1967 continues. The study of mediocrity, whatever its origins, breeds mediocrity." (Bloom, p. ix).

When Nietzsche was becoming an expert in Greek civilization, learning about the Pre-Platonic philosophers, a battle was fought at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, early in July, 1863. The Confederacy lost that battle, but in 1870-1871, the newly united states of Germany, under Prussia, having organized its troops for rapid deployment, had triumphed in a war with France. Long years of division and deprivation had prepared Germany to become the economic powerhouse which it is today, third in the world, following the United States and Japan. In the monetary system of the world, the dollar, the yen, and now the euro are the leading currencies. The state of financial collapse which is now a threat to the dominance of globalization is best imagined by considering Iraq like Gettysburg, a battle dragged out for years instead of days, in which the United States, the chief invader (England was the foreign power which offered the most support for the Confederacy during the American Civil War), has managed to remain in the area, which it considers a battlefield on which it may yet triumph. In his notebook, Nietzsche sought the "Value of truthfulness. --It does indeed improve things! Its aim is decline. It sacrifices. Our art is the likeness of desperate knowledge." (p. 57)

Though Nietzsche has been dead for over a hundred years, the range of his thought is accessible to people who are willing to search within themselves for whatever is the matter with their situations. Trouble? I could show you trouble. Compared to the twentieth century, thinking about America in Iraq seems to be the most hopeful way to go for anyone who has hoped for money, or oil, or power, or the opportunity to be right in a way that the world can't deny. But Nietzsche went looking into the big question, and found:

"When among the tumult at the outbreak of the last great war an embittered French scholar called the Germans barbarians and accused them of lacking culture, people in Germany still listened closely enough to take deep offense at this; and it gave many journalists the opportunity to polish brightly the armor of their culture, . . . and venerable Carlyle publicly praised precisely those qualities in the Germans and, for the sake of these qualities, gave their victory his blessing, then everyone was clear about German culture; and after the experience of success, it was certainly quite innocuous to speak of the victory of German culture. Today, when the Germans have enough time to examine in retrospect many of the words flung at us then, there are probably a few who recognize that the Frenchman was right: the Germans are barbarians, despite all those human qualities." (p. 93). The distinction Nietzsche would like to draw is regarding the future: "the hope for an emerging culture vindicates the Germans: whereas one gives no deference to a degenerate and exhausted culture." (p. 93). It is necessary to look in another book to find the phrase of Goethe which Nietzsche was to include in his published work. "But another couple of centuries may have to pass before our countrymen will have absorbed sufficient spirit and higher culture for one to be able to say of them: it has been a long time since they were barbarians." (UNFASHIONABLE OBSERVATIONS, p. 10). Since the United States bombed bridges and buildings in Europe in 1999 to react to a civil war in which a ruling party there seemed uncivilized to us, perhaps the stance of the German and French people today tries to seem more cultured than the Americans as their last, best hope to avoid the terrorists that can do far more to hasten the decline of civilization than America would acting alone.

I don't like the idea that people have to study books like this. I think they should just be left lying around in the living room, next to the most comfortable chair, and anybody who is curious can just pick it up and open it to see what it says. This book has a great page 6. It helps if you can be listening to music that says the same thing, like Jewel's "Spirit," which has a song called "What's Simple is True." At the top of page 6, Nietzsche is trying to write about a philosopher who "does not stand so completely apart from the people." Nietzsche wants a philosophy that is like "art--its own transfiguration and redemption. The will strives for purity and ennoblement." People who read this without listening to Jewel might not know what Nietzsche is trying to say, but Jewel actually sings it.

There is a section on "the thirst to know it all," which doesn't seem all that great to anybody anymore, but then the last sentence on page 6 says, "The philosopher is a means for coming to rest in the rushing current, for becoming conscious of the enduring types by disdaining infinite multiplicity." If anything, Jewel ends up being too right for this book, she's so much better than the number of ways that Nietzsche might still get it wrong by his own standards. Wrong, wrong, wrong.

Nietzsche has gained much fame and notoriety over the 100 years since his death. This has, unfortunately, led many people to believe that they have some idea what he wrote, why and when. The other "reviews" here are a case in point.

The writings here are from the period just after The Birth of Tragedy. Specifically, these are notes and fragments from the period of the Untimely Meditations, here called Unfashionable Observations, basically 1872-74.

I was struck by the richness of these jottings, and by the breadth of topic and subject. You can find insights concerning semiology and linguistics, politics and sociology, etc., written with refreshing originality and boldness. What surprised me most of all is how readable this volume is. In some ways, it is more engaging than the published texts of the same period.

One more thing, Nietzsche's cerebral breakdown occurred many years after this period, and even so, it is quite dubious to call his writings into question even from that later period. His problem was organic, not psychological. And secondly, anyone who thinks that the value of reading Nietzsche is for "a couple of clever quotes to throw around at dinner-parties", has really missed something.

Anyone who has studied Nietzsche's philosophy will be thrilled by this collection of notes. Not only do they throw light on the Unfashionable Observations; they show how wide reaching Nietzsche's interests were at such an early period.

A lovely succinct account from four towers in a tradition of economics that is widely represented in the financial markets. Roger Garrison - himself a leading light in modern times - leads off with a brief overview. The nice thing is that Garrison manages to get it all across without resorting to waffle - another Austrian tradition.

In fact, in my view, Garrison is the star of this review since his ability to keep it simple is a tremendous asset. Anyone familiar with the dark mutterings of academics in Austrian academic journals will know exactly what I'm talking about.

Aside from Garrison, the pieces by Rothbard and Harberler are the best since they tackle the central issue of Trade Cycle theory - that any system run by central bankers is inherently unstable since their tinkering with interest rates leads directly to the business cycle. Much better to have a competitive banking system without a central bank and a curency tied to gold. That way credit expansions will never be explosive. Of course, what they don't tell you is that their proposals are inherently deflationary and force deficit countries to do all adjustment when they experience balance of payments problems.

Rothbard's piece sets out the mechanics of the Trade Cycle especially well and everyone should be able to understand what he's getting at without too much difficulty. It's no more difficult than the average economics course on an MBA programme. That's hardly difficult, is it?

Readers wishing to understand the micro-economics of the Austrian school should also check out some of the recent publications of one Israel Kirzner.

At last! An anthology from one of the most important schools of libertarian economics in a portable form! This book can be easily incorporated into a course on economics or banking.
And yet, "The Austrian Theory of the Trade Cycle" is a narrowly useful tool. It's like a tire gauge, that means everything when there's a problem with the tire, but tells nothing about gas or oil levels. I see few times when the average production supervisor, Sunday-school teacher or working mom would have occasion to read it.
In the introduction, Roger Garrison spells out the differences between the Austrian School and other movements in free-market economics. The Austrian School emphasizes the role of time in decision making. To think of an example, Joe wants to buy a car now that the interest rates are low. But if the interest rates are high, he'll put his money in the bank and wait a year until he replaces the family car.
Ludwig von Mises' essay, which lends its name to the book, reveals the international character of the Austrian School. The essay was translated out of the French, points back to the British Currency School, and alludes to the contribution of Knut Wicksell from Sweden. This theory was, nevertheless, developed by Austrians, beginning with Carl Menger. References to the University of Chicago and to the Ludwig von Mises Institute in Auburn, Alabama, bring the movement to a home in America.
The key point is that a boom produced and prolonged by easy bank money with government support will sooner or later contract into a bust when the easy money turns hard. Just ask any farmer who bought machinery on credit years ago, when inflation was rampant.
Gottfried Haberler demonstrates that economics is, in fact, difficult to reduce to mathematics. He points to how money is needed at different times as a product moves out of the ground through its production phases to the end user.
In contrast, Murray Rothbard tells us with sparkling satire why we no longer have "panics" and "depressions." He also gives insight on how a change in time preference changes interest rates; interest rates fall if enough buyers become savers.
Friedrich Hayek points to an insidious effect of inflation. Not is it more fun to be a debtor on a fixed-rate loan when inflation is high, but taxable profits are much higher than the profits are worth in reality. Easy money gives rise to inflation.
Roger Garrison finally draws a couple of price/quantity graphs in his summary, savings/investment graphs to be specific. Money created by the government has the same short-term effect as a genuine increase in savings, but genuine savings are lower because savers are coolly greeted by lower interest rates for their hard-earned money. The bust after the boom is a real let-down.
With my MBA from Campbell, this material is clearer and livelier to me than it would be to the man on the street.

I ordered this book as a part of a course I am designing for myself on economics. It is a good introduction to the Austrian school but provides information that even those familiar with the subject will find useful. Rothbard addresses many fallacies regarding the free market and provides a clear explanation of the Austrian theory of the trade cycle and other theories, relating them to history and comparing them with classical and Keynesian theories. This is a helpful comparison, as it reveals some inherent flaws in the latter and outlines the eventual results of the acceptance of those theories. This book does not give an in-depth analysis of its subject, but provides a cohesive picture and points for further examination. It is also a helpful text for understanding capitalist theory and the history of the Austrian school.