This is my first Goethe reading, and I was very unimpressed. I was turned on to Goethe after reading a couple insightful quotes used in articles, but found the book to be incredibly dry and uninspiring...not to mention below expectations for one of the most highly regarded German writers of all times. Puzzled, I found the quote that encouraged me to read Goethe in the first place...

"No one is more hopelessly enslaved, than the person who falsely believes he is free."

Not bad, right? Right...but this translation was from the *article* I read, not the book/translation being reviewed. In the book/translation being reviewed, the quote read as follows...

"No one is more a slave that the one who thinks he is free without being free."

Wow! Just flows off the tongue. Don't we think that a master of the German language would use stronger language? Wouldn't we expect verbage more similar to the former rather than the latter example? Wouldn't we expect one of the greatest writers of all time to paint a gripping visual rather than dribble out some wisdom?

I think so. I'm going to go out on a limb and trust centuries of readers and critics. 300 years can't be wrong.

The stark difference b/w the two examples leads me to believe that the translation we are reviewing is either very poor, or very literal. I am by no means a German authority (I have enough trouble with English) and I haven't researched this enough to draw any other conclusions, but I HAVE to give Goethe the benefit of the doubt. I think a different translation may be more moving.

I was very disappointed in the quality of this book; I guess it goes to show that genius in other fields of literature and art do not necessarilly translate into writing effective aphorisms.

Many of Goethe's reflections included here lack any punch--there is nothing unexpected in them, no new way of seeing things or flash of insight. Many of the statements that he seemed proud of seemed to be obvious or uninteresting to me. Many others concerned Goethe's peculiar (and incorrect) view of science. As an ex-scientist I found these, in general, to more exasperating than enlightening. Many of the reflections were rather long and rambling, lacking the tightness and economy that characterizes the best aphorisms. As a final complaint, many of the maxims are not really individual thoughts at all. Instead Goethe simply broke up longer arguments into individual sentences and gave them each their seperate number as if they were stand-alone maxims.

Overall, I found little that was memorable or stimulating in this book. Perhaps the lack is in me ("When a book and a head collide and a hollow sound ensues, must it always come from the book?"--Anton Kuh); maybe I simply don't have an affinity for Goethe's thought. But I wouldn't recommend this book. Instead pick up a work by one of the true masters of the form: Nietzsche, Lichtenberg, and La Rochefoucauld.

I say this is essential reading, but this is more true for someone familiar with Goethe. This is not to say that the casual reader will not find something of value, but 'Maxims and Reflections' is as much a reflection of Goethe and what he held true and interesting, as it is a collection of "wise sayings."

I think it would be helpful to a potential reader to review here some of the Maxims and Reflections, with comments.

Some are simplistic: "Behaviour is a mirror in which everyone shows his image."

Some are interesting, and one will see the truth in them upon some reflection. These may not really educate, but they are interesting in themselves: "There is something horrifying about a man of outstanding excellence of whom stupid people are proud."

Some are statements of what most of us would agree with easily, but they are important because they shed light upon the man and his concerns. For example, we often see how concerned he is with certain kinds of people being dangerous: "Fools and intelligent people are equally undamaging. Half-fools and half-sages, these are the most dangerous of all."

Some are incomprehensible: "Work makes the journeyman."

Some are enigmatic, at least to me: "Wisdom is to be found only in truth."

Some are observations that are not too profound but which will serve as food for thought: "Human nature needs to be numbed from time to time, but without being put to sleep; hence smoking, spirits, opiates."

Some are simply personal beliefs, and we need to know that Goethe beleived such-and-such a thing: "Painting and tattooing the body is a return to animality."

Some are profound truths or observations, and will serve as food for a lot of thought: "Time is itself an element." "Mysteries do not as yet amount to miracles." "Truth is contrary to our nature, not so error, and this for a very simple reason: truth demands that we should recognize ourselves as limited, error flatters us that, in one way or another, we are unlimited." In this last one, for example, we get an idea about the kind of simple, pragmatic reasoning the great man often employed.

Some are statements by others, in other languages, and it is an interesting exercise to try and see why the great man included these in the Maxims and Reflections: " L'amour est un vrai recommenceur. [Love is truly a new beginning.] "

Some are classic maxims, which are oft-quoted, even today: "There is nothing more dreadful than active ignorance." This example also serves to show that the translation is really bad in places: that phrase *really* deserves to be translated "ignorance in action".

And some are difficult to comprehend - but when makes the effort, they turn out to be absolute gems: "The first and last thing demanded of genius is love of truth."

On pain of death, I beg you not to save a few bucks by buying this translation of Goethe's masterpiece. This dusty, Victorian--era translation is opaque, humorless, and turgid. I can think of no greater disservice to a great writer. Obviously Dover picked this translation because it is in the public domain, and they did not have to pay for it. This is a great stratagem for holding down consumer costs, but it comes at a high price in terms of enjoyment. The absence of critical apparatus also detracts. There are much better translations available, especially the one from Princeton University Press. That one costs more but is well worth it in the long run. In short, though, you should buy anything BUT this boring miscarriage.

I once read that many people prefer this version of Faust over Christopher Marlowe's. I can not really understand why. To be sure, there are powerful moments in this version. There are also dramatic passages and memorable moments. Perhaps I would have rated this better if I had not read Marlowe's version. The problem is that this lacks Marlowe's superb orginization, harsh realities, dramatic irony, and chilling terror. Don't get me wrong. This book is certainly worth looking at, but I suggest you read this version before you read Marlowe's.

This is the definitive book from which all Faust or books relating to the Faust storyline are based. Much is lost in the translation from its original German form, however, the story is timeless no matter what language it is in. Goethe writes a gripping tale from which many lessons can be learned. Anyone who loves great classic literature should make this a must read.

I cannot understand the praise for this book.Pelikan's comments on Faust are facile and often wrongheaded and his theological commentary is superficial and pseudo intellectual.Even worse he writes in a turgid style that can serve as a potent sedative for those who have trouble sleeping. A major disappointment and a disaster from a scholr whose works I usually admire.

This book is a beautifully written masterpiece, detailing the theological implications of Goethe's Faust. The book offers reflections on Goethe's statement that he was a pantheist when it came to science, a polytheist in art and a monotheist in ethics. For the first time, the author uses this statement in the analysis of Faust's development as a theologian, showing this masterpiece in a surprising and totally original way. The analysis begins with a discussion on Faust's role as a natural scientist or pantheist. Faust's mistrust of traditional knowledge is examined and his interests in geology, oceanography and optics are considered. The analysis also includes his perception of nature as a realm inspirited throughout by a single, unifying Power. After the analysis in concluded, the author follows Faust on his journeys to the two Walpurgis Nights. It is here that Faust delights in the polytheistic extravaganzas of Germanic and most especially Greek mythology. In conclusion, the author describes the operatic finale of the book, when Faust's spirit in drawn upward to salvation by the Eternal Feminine. This event marks Faust's evolution into moral philosopher and monotheist. This analysis reveals thematic unities and a dialectical development of Faust's characters that has gone unnoticed until now.

I really enjoyed the Comic and I think that is quite amusing. But I think a lot of great parts are missing and it isn't even nearly as fabulous as the originals. But I think you may read it in addition.

I read this book, and half way through, discovered that it was edited, with large segments missing from the original text.

The translation is excellent... although a smack too modern to be Goethe. But the editorial work done on the masterpiece is a shame. Significant parts were cut out from both parts I and II, for effect (this version was to be broadcasted over the radio).

However, for an introduction to Goethe's Faust, this is a great read. One could read this in one sitting. But for real scholarship, and those who would like an ampler fill... take a full unabridged translation.

The book by Miller comprises a collection of Goethe's scientific writings over his entire life selecting the major works and leaving more detailed renderings to other texts such as Berta Mueller's "Goethe's Botanical Writings", or Amrine's "Goethe in the History of Science". The book ranges over physics, botanical investigations, animal structure, human intermaxiallary bone, meteorology, geology and also some essays on the process of scientific investigation itself.

Goethe's writings are subtle, especially his essays and I feel that the translation may have been better from the original German which I mean to obtain (being able to read German has its advantages). Of course this judgement could well be premature since I have not read the original as yet. This does not take away from the book which is a good reference text for a broad outline.

Well worth getting when looking at Goethe's works and approach to science.

The 3 stars are for the lousy editing and organizing of the book, not its actual contents, which is a collection of the more important works of I understand one of the world's greatest writer.

Books like this should be judged by the way they are edited -- the stature over the past 200 years of the author and of his works contained in the book are beyond dispute anymore. You can always say all the superlative words about, say, Shakespeare or James Joyce, but it will only show that you are just catching up with what the rest of the world knows already. Same here.

Usually, books like this, specially those published by supposedly respectable publishers, would be a bit more well organized. A well known critic would introduce the book at the level of an average reader, would tell you how the works that comprise the collection were selected, would tell you the merits and demerits of the available translations and why a particular translation was chosen for the collection, etc.

It would have maps and chronologies and a bit more background information so you will appreciate better the historical and geographical and cultural context of the author's works.

Aside from the chronology and a terribly irrelevant and unreadable and useless and boring exercise in conceited academic hoo-hah, otherwise known as the book's Introduction, you get none of those goodies and you must just fend for yourself while wading in 1,248 pages of 200 year-old literature.

The specialists -- those who are engaged in the cottage industry that surrounds a major writer -- will probably like this book, if indeed this book collects all of Goethe's books that matter in the English translation.

However for the dilettante like you and me who just knows that Goethe is supposed to be a good writer and specially those who are looking for a good English translation of any of his major work, this book is no help at all. You just don't know whether the translations are the best ones available in English.

Almost all the paraphernalia in the book are useless, and you will be like reading an unknown 200 year-old 1,248-page book of an unknown writer.

(P.S. but I did enjoy reading the Sorrows of Young Werther and the poems, for all they are worth.)

Independiente de la obra de Goethe que es un clasico las 2 estrellas son para la editorial. La edicion es en español y contiene varias erratas. El libro no lo dice por ningun lado: esta es solo la primera parte de la obra.

This is quite possibly the poorest exposition of these people ever written- and the rest of the series is the same. His translations of Nietzche are excellent and beautiful but as a philosopher Kaufmann is trying to speak with the mouth of Nietzche, but a rather poor Nietzche at best. The angry style is sad for an academician unless he or she is a genius of Nietzche's calibre.

I read this book in its early years, and the subjects of the book hardly excited me, but it was the first volume of a trilogy, and I was ready to try to prove that figures in a modern America rich with electronic soundtracking of music for every form of public activity (and for more private activities than were written about in his philosophy) was a much richer form of emotional communication than any that Goethe was able to write down on a page. On the topic of sex alone, I could hum more tunes than he knew, maybe. But the funny thing was that he considered "Kant's immense influence has proved catastrophic." Among the recently departed, Isaiah Berlin is quoted on the back of this book praising Kaufmann for making people see that Hegel "was a most audacious, profound and devastating, at times wildly turbulent, thinker." I wish I could ask everybody, aren't we all? Page 288 raised the question "how I would feel if someone sent me an essay of such length in which he tried to show how Nietzsche had been 'a disaster.'" I think he would feel even worse, or possibly more joyous in another's misfortune, if he could read all the web pages that show what people, now, are saying about Martin Heidegger, who is merely accused of "Dogmatic Anthropology" in the Trilogy outline which appeared in this volume.