The Portable Nietzsche (Portable Library)

"GOD IS DEAD" These words are perhaphs the most famous and most misunderstood words uttered by any modern philosopher. Friedrich Nietzsche is one of the most overlooked and underestimated philosophers in recent memory. He embodies the great ideas of Kierkegaard and Schopenhauer who proceeded him in the founding of the school of existentialism. The difference between them and Nietzsche? Nietzsche can write, his prose and poetry are beautifully written and an excellent alternative to the drab and dull writings of other philosophers of his era. He expresses his ideas with power and emotion that is unmatched in philosophical writings. The Portable Nietzsche is a comprensive collection of not only his writings but also facts about his life. The general understanding of his background and his life that is provided in this book sheds much needed light on his strange take of his modern day world. This volume of Nietzsche gives the reader the overall esence of his thoughts which are not not given with other versions of his text. This is can't lose book for anybody who has any interest in the life and writings of Friedrich Nietzsche. If you read this book, your perception of the world and your understanding of people who inhabit it will if nothing else be expanded and introduced to a new way of thinking.

I am not a Nietzsche fan, but this was required for my philosophy class (which, in turn, was a graduation requirement). This book is really good because it presents a wide selection of Nietzsche's works from "The Antichrist", "Ecce Homo", "Twilight of the Idols", "Thus Spoke Zarathustra" as well as various notes and letters that he wrote. I took one star away from my rating simply because this is Nietzsche and he can be somewhat difficult to understand. All that aside, even though I am not crazy about Nietzsche, this is really interesting reading (if you can understand it) and worth an effort if the subject content of philosophy interests you.

Frederick Nietzsche writes with a force and passion rarely found amongst philosophers. His ability to coherently place his powerful and ranging intellect onto paper is simply amazing.

I recommend this collection for any and everyone who is not afraid to have their convictions tried and tested. Particularly if your of a Christian or liberal persuasion. Nietzsche damns, despises and condemns most of the values modern Western nations possess, including, democracy, equality, social justice, pity for the poor and unfortunate etc. I recommend starting with Twilight of the Idols as Nietzsche swiftly and passionately summarizes his values here. After reading Twilight of the Idols you will have laid a solid foundation to read the rest of the collection. This compendium may irritate, offend, or anger you, but be assured you will never be bored.

It's a great collection. It introduces the essential works of Nietz and also comes with very helpful forwards and introductions. If it seems hard to grasp, don't feel like an idiot. It's hard for the most well read philosophy students to grasp. Very interesting work of modern times.

Nietzsche is without a doubt the most important philosopher of modern times - the voice of the spirit of modern humanity, demanding freedom through self-power and courage in the face of the absurdity of the universe. Opposing humanitarianism (Man-for-Mankind) Nietzsche presents a vision of Man-for-Himself, a philosophical viewpoint that can be incorporated seamlessly into libertarian class war practice - as Georges Sorel, the French syndicalist, did.

I think this is the perfect place to start if you're going to start reading Nietzsche on your own. And please read the whole of Walter Kaufmann's introduction, front to back. It's an indispensible gateway into the work of this big, profound, tortured, hilarious, flawed, sensitive and misunderstood genius, with lots of key information you must have if you're going to say you really read Nietzsche.

Far from being difficult to read (to understand is another matter), Nietzsche is simply fun! His aphorisms sparkle and, as Kaufmann points out in the introduction, his writings are so pregnant with ideas that one wants to return to them again and again. This particular collection is an excellent introduction to Nieztsche, yet substantial in that it contains four complete works. Kaufmann's introduction is very useful, and his editorial commentary serves to orient the reader without being intrusive.
Nietztsche challenges the reader to keep up with him as his ideas crackle like lightning from peak to peak (to steal an image from Zarathustra). The enemy, says Nietzsche, is the spirit of gravitas. If you want a companion who will amuse, challenge, and thrill you, start with the Protable Nietzsche.

The book contains Nietzsche's four major works, Thus Spoke Zarathustra, The Twilight of the Idols, The Antichrist and Nietzsche Contra Wagner; as well as notes, letters and excerpts from other books. Though I found Thus Spoke Zarathustra rather boring, the rest of the contents kept me interested. It is an excellent way to get familar with his style of writing.

Yes, Kaufmann, who else? The book consists of four of Nietzsche's works: Thus Spoke Zarathustra, Twilight of the Idols, The Antichrist, and Nietzsche Contra Wagner. What else can you ask for? Four great works in one and some letters of Nietzsche during his last conscious days. I recommend this book for all intellectuals and find out why God is Dead!

This book offers a good introduction to Nietzsche. It is compact and easy to carry. The author's commentary, introduction and notes are helpful to place Nietzsche in context. Some of his works are rather confusing and a bit difficult to read, but this book puts together the high points from some of his first works with some of the complete later/ better known works.

A mentor in philosophy once mentioned the phrase, "Nietzschean intensity", so I had to check this guy out. The Portable Nietzsche has influenced me profoundly, and developed in me the resolve to attack my own convictions as Nietzsche remarks in one of his many startling aphorisms.

I also recommend all of Kaufmann's translations (the best in my opinion) and books about Nietzsche, such as Nietzsche: Philosopher, Psychologist, Anti-Christ.

A great translation of a great man. I would definitly recommend this book for someone getting into Nietzsche. It has his great works (The Antichrist being my favorite), as well as excerpts from other's. Best if followed by Kaufmann's Nietzsche - Philosopher, Psychologist, Antichrist.

Excellent ... containing one of the greatest books of all time: Thus Spoke Zarathustra. The Portbale Nietzsche contains an excellent overviw of his work with three can't miss books. But do NOT read Thus Spoke Zarathustra first. It is way to complex and symbolic to serve as an introduction.

The Portable Nietzsche includes the complete texts of Zarathustra, Twilight of the Idols, and The Antichrist, as well as much other material, all excellently translated by Walter Kaufmann. Fortunately, the Kindle edition is very well formatted. This is fine edition in every way.

In 1889 Nietzsche left the world in a fit of madness. In 1900 Nietzsche died. Some of the only available documents of these years are the selections of letters to be found at the end of this volume of Nietzsche's work. Although small (comprising only three pages), the letters provide perhaps the clearest glimps available to many of this period of Nietzsche's life.

Obviously brilliant, some of his theories I'm not sure I can handle. His denial of free will, for one. What I find most interesting is the number of people who say they liked Thus spoke Zarathustra the best, probably unaware that when Nietzshe was speaking of the Higher Man he was adressing them. The higher man Nietzsche refers to is obviously Democratic man, or Modern man for which Nietchze has so much abuse.

Were I the one choosing the material for this compendium (assemblage?), I would have chosen some of his funnier material, but there are still a lot of laughs in here. A good cross-section and great introduction to his work.

i don't read much. but, for the price and shipping, i got a really, 'cool', and 'thick', book that i will be 'practicing' with, for my choice of reading material. it was shipped quickly, and i got a really good deal on the price. the book i got is actually several books in one. it is over seven hundred pages... b.j. 05/19/2009.

The rating I give this book is a reflection of my overall impression after carefully skimming through most of the sections of it. Unfortunately, it is a compilation of incongruent pieces translated by Kaufmann, who regards Nietzsche with a nauseatingly scholarly piety. It is a confusing conglomeration of pompous epigrams. The reader is left with no doubt that Nietzsche was only able to compose his thoughts speciously and abstractedly. Nietzsche didn't believe in most things because he couldn't even DEFINE the things he didn't believe in....something that most other "overhumans" are in the practice of doing. He was a pathetic megalomaniac who worshipped the WORD. He loved WORDS, alright! So much so that he comes across as an overly cerebral idiot. Try making sense out of anything he writes....it's impossible even if you have an exceptional vocabulary. You must have an abstract mind which somewhat resembles a Jackson Pollack painting....random paint splatterings....how profound! Nietzsche, like all "nihilists" was only at home dealing with WORDS. Worst of all, he was a CRITIC, and a very stupid one at that. If you like meaningless riddles and have plenty of time on your hands, you'll love The Portable Nietzsche. It's great fodder for aspiring pseudo-intellectuals.

This book (or rather, books) was written by a very angry, disillusioned person whose pedantic and purposefully convoluted Siddhartha-like writing style hides the fact (none too successfully) that he has nothing worthwhile to say.
He also loathes religion with a passion and might possibly like to see all religious people burn in hell--if he believed in hell.

Not at all edifying or useful except perhaps as a paperweight. Definitely not worth your time.

Other than Karl Marx, I can not think of a more offensive nineteenth century writer. Unfortunately, like the writings of Marx, later generations bought into the sweet sound of the devil incarnate, and we ended up with the most murderess century in history. I would assert that these writings were in large part responsible for the moral degradation of Germany, transforming the free country that produced Bach, Beethoven, Mozart and Helmholtz to the nation of sheep that produced Otto von Bismark, monetary hyperinflation, and Adolf Hitler. Notice any parallels to America today? Make no mistake, Nietzsche had deep seated contempt for his fellow man. This was a very disturbed individual,a pre-nazi, and a pro new world order philosopher. You won't find inspiration, enlightenment, or the message of freedom in these toxic writings. Best to look elsewhere.