The Philosophy of Friedrich Nietzsche

"The Philosophy of Friedrich Nietzsche" is a book by H. L. Mencken, the first edition in 1907, about the philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche. The book covers both wider and lesser known areas of Nietzsche's life and philosophy, notable both for its suggestion of Mencken's still-developing literary talents at the age of 27 and for its impressive detail as a book written in the United States (on only the seventh year of Nietzsche's death) considering the lack of reliable interpretations of Nietzsche in the American sphere of letters at the time; Mencken prepared for writing this book by reading all of Nietzsche's published philosophy, including several works in the original German. [" [http://www.seesharppress.com/nietzscheintro.html Introduction to The Philosophy of Friedrich Nietzsche] ", See Sharp Press, 12-14-2005. Retrieved 04-27-2008.] [" [http://www.ipgbook.com/showbook.cfm?bookid=1884365310&userid=3BC2DED5-803F-2B7A-709CF839AD96C1AA The Philosophy of Friedrich Nietzsche] ", Independent Publishers Group. Retrieved 04-27-2008.]

Contents

Part 1: Nietzsche the Man

#Boyhood And Youth

#The Beginnings Of The Philosopher

#Blazing A New Path

#The Prophet Of The Superman

#The Philosopher And The Man

Part 2: Nietzsche the Philosopher

#Dionysus vs. Apollo

#The Origin Of Morality

#Beyond Good and Evil

#The Superman

#Eternal Recurrence

#Christianity

#Truth

#Civilization

#Women and Marriage

#Government

#Crime and Punishment

#Education

#Sundry Ideas

#Nietzsche vs. Wagner

Part 3: Nietzsche the Prophet

#Nietzsche's Origins

#Nietzsche and His Critics

Literary Reception

Some of the book's biographical details, despite the best available information at the time, are now known to be false, yet Mencken's examination is accurate, as indeed are his personal translations of Nietzsche (for which one may see his translation of "The Antichrist" as a salient example); while his own feelings at times — and it would seem quite innocently and unintentionally — "muddy the water" of trying to interpret Nietzsche "through" Mencken (due to, for example, Mencken's own social Darwinism), his study of Nietzsche is objective on the whole, even allowing for his enthusiasm for Nietzsche.

Due to this broad and close style of examination, "The Philosophy of Friedrich Nietzsche" may very well be where "Nietzsche Studies" earnestly began in America.

References