Love, Life, Goethe: Lessons of the Imagination from the Great German Poet

by John Armstrong

A fresh and perceptive new biography of Germany's greatest poet, whose life and times are a mirror for our own

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe is often remembered only as a figure of literary genius, author of The Sorrows of Young Werther and Faust . Yet Goethe was driven by much more than the desire for literary he wanted (much the same as us) to live life well. In Love, Life, Goethe , John Armstrong tells the dramatic life story of this great poet—a representative man akin to Wordsworth in England or Emerson in America. In so doing, he subtly and imaginatively explores the ways that we can learn from Goethe, whether in love, suffering, friendship, or family. At the center of the project is the human yearning for In an imperfect world, how can we live well with what we have, and accept what we haven’t? From our lives at home, to our attitude toward money and the politicians we choose, Armstrong explores the main themes of our lives through the life of Goethe, and helps us learn how to live.

Genres: Philosophy, Biography, History, Poetry, Criticism, Nonfiction, Biography Memoir

504 pages, Hardcover

First published January 9, 2006

About the author

John Armstrong is a British philosopher living in Melbourne, Australia. He was born 1966 in Glasgow and worked as a research fellow at the University of London. Armstrong works currently as the Philosopher-in-Residence at the Melbourne Business School at the Melbourne University. He is author of several books on philosophical themes.

Reviews

[Jane Stevenson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is possibly my favourite book. It is beautifully written, the content is thoughtful and well researched, and it satisfies my yearning for an historical narrative within a modern context. I felt like I knew all the people that Armstrong wrote about. I have this on my bedside table and read a few random pages if I ever need to separate myself from the ordinary and become part of an uplifting and enlightening narrative.

[Anderson Rearick III · Rating 4 out of 5]

Insightful and engaging narrative of the great life. Especially interesting for those of us who wonder how an artist should live in a world run by business. Goethe certainly lived an exceptional life and was quite willing to admit that fortune along with his talent made him the celebrity he was. Although the author glosses over this I personally noted, however, that two major weaknesses in his choices. His own son had a life which was filled with extremes, extremes which he had to admit were part of his own environment. And two he could not deal with death, not even the death of his wife nor the crown prince who had made him the center of an enlightened community. His own death was agonizing, although someone who visted his body after he had died talked about the peaceful face left behind. The author said otherwise. For me, life choices have there most telling test in how one's children make their ways from the nest your lifestyle creates and how one faces death oneself.

[Wayne]

When I learned that the young Goethe on arriving at the Court at Weimar fell madly in love with a married woman and at her wishes vowed himself to celibacy and endured it for many years, I realised he was just as stupid as I was.
"Love is merely a madness", Good Old Shakespeare has Rosalind say in As You Like It. A dear old friend (not Shakespeare!!) bought me this quote as a magnet when we visited the new Globe Theatre in London Town a couple of years ago, because he knew I was "madly in love" ,( read for that "mad and in love"!!!) at the time.( Yes, I recovered!!!)
To show him I was grateful and working my way out of my madness, I bought a magnet which for me stated the cure:
"...good company, good wine, good welcome, can make good people." from Will's Henry VIII.
I bought this book because I was fascinated about how people in love work themselves out of it into some form of sanity.
I haven't completed the book, but I know MY answer.
But of course, I still am interested in what a man of experience and thought has to say about this conundrum called "Life".

[Christopherseelie · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent take on the biography organized around the popular philosopher's concerns with applicable lessons for life. I'm given to assume that John Armstrong is a friend and imitator of Alain de Botton, so if you like that philosopher's books this will be equally pleasing. It dips into lit-crit only just enough to get a sense of Goethe's interests and artistic development. I was happy to be obsessed with this book for the 2 weeks that I read it. I disagree with a lot of the conclusions nonetheless.

[Tobias]

A brilliant portrayal of one of the world's original humanists. It makes you think!

[Wonbae · Rating 4 out of 5]

Simply inspiring. A good overview of his works and his life. To understand his infamous "Sorrows of Young Werther," (1774) a must read.

[Nate H. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a wonderful biography. A well-rounded book that brings Goethe close to us.

[Abdulai Gassama · Rating 4 out of 5]

For a guy that was indifferent to politics and much of his own country's culture; Goethe's ideas sure were misinterpreted for hyper German nationalism by the later generation. In search of the divine, Goethe spent much of his life developing 'healthy people'[Bildungsbürgertum ]: cultural practices for the like minded members due to their individuality rather than the suppression of it. On a side note, he was buoyant romanticist but a self-disciplined man for the most part.

[Jill McNish · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book may be as good a place as any to begin to fathom Goethe in the context of his time. However I will need to spend considerably more time on the subject if I am to really appreciate whatever wisdom he may have to offer me. This is an introduction to his long life and thought.

[Brad · Rating 5 out of 5]

I completely savored this book.

[Rudy Seifert · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good biography of Goethe; presented as a series of Homilies related to modern life, less successfully than the biography part.

[Mark · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book could change your life, if you let it.

[Dionysius the Areopagite · Rating 5 out of 5]

Everyone recognizes the name Goethe but no one knows how to pronounce. The ones who know how to pronounce Goethe mention Faust or Werther. Like Dahlberg, I survived Werther in that its dullness propelled me to create something bettet, updating the unspoken symptom. No one talks about Elective Affinities, Roman Elegies, the Italian Journal, or Wilhelm Meister. Something about Weimar. Life is bad but not that bad. And even if it is, there are lessons in Goethe on how to go about this. As for now you'll have to take my advice first: Donate your TV to the poor, obtain a library card, rent this book, return home. Turn slowly and see.

[John · Rating 3 out of 5]

What I enjoyed about the biography earlier has faded somewhat since I read Sons of Clovis and found the reading of Goethe to assert something more for poets and poetry than ham strung and forlorn drifters. The house and garden the life of a house holder also relates to the Mike Reynolds endevours, that is just hard work, trial and error. What Armstrong is saying here brings out more focus on these aspects rather than, as I used to try to do, trying to figure what Goethe was on about regarding optics and how that relates to his poetic works.
Worth the effort

[Connie Kronlokken]

This is probably my favorite type of biography, in which the writer tells you exactly why he or she is obsessed with this person, the "intimate" biography.

Now who knew that a man who lived from 1749 to 1832 could be so relevant to now?! The way John Armstrong writes it, we are all in need of Goethe's insights.

I go into this a little more here:

http://soareyoutomythoughts.blogspot....

[Dan Weiss · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this book. I read one chapter a day and treated it sort of like a devotional by just focusing on the main point of the chapter. The massive amount of research required to create this book was transformed into an enjoyable, highly readable, contemplative book on Goethe's philosophy and works.

[Kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love the author's discussion of Goethe's search for a balance between his inner life and his outer (creative) expression. I've written more on my blog.

[Mose · Rating 5 out of 5]

Was a big fan of The Sorrows of Young Werther... Several years later, I decided to pick up this biography which was suggested to me by www.amazon.com ... I enjoyed the book from beginning to end...

[Bobby Lafong · Rating 3 out of 5]

Goethe was real! Imagine that!

[Marcus · Rating 4 out of 5]

Belongs in the Biography section, not the Philosophy section.

[Blake Nelson · Rating 5 out of 5]

reading for german class.... good so far. Goethe was a dandy, a narcissist, a ego-mainiac and then he calmed down and invented modern german literature

[Candy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book made me fall in love with Goethe all over again. It's an enthusiastic portrayal of this wonderfully talented poet...genius...and simply very decent human being.

[P! · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great Bio

[Toby · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book about a great human being.