Hannah Arendt: Leben, Werk und Zeit. Erweiterte Ausgabe mit neuem Vorwort

by Elisabeth Young-Bruehl

Das Standardwerk ›Hannah Arendt. Leben Werk und Zeit‹ zur größten Philosophin des 20. Jahrhunderts
Hannah Arendts Leben und Werk wird hier in der definitiven Biographie von Elisabeth Young-Bruehl beschrieben. Als Schülerin Arendts konnte sie den Nachlass der großen Philosophin sowie deren Korrespondenz auswerten. Es ist ihr ein hochgelobtes und differenziertes Porträt von Hannah Arendt im Kontext ihrer Zeit gelungen.
Die vorliegende Ausgabe enthält das neue, umfangreiche Vorwort zur amerikanischen Ausgabe, in dem Young-Bruehl auf alle neuen Materialien eingeht, die seit der ersten Veröffentlichung ihrer Biographie aufgefunden worden sind, sowie auf die neuern Diskussionen von Arendts Werk.

Genres: Philosophy, Biography, Nonfiction, Politics, History, Biography Memoir, Germany

994 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 1982

Reviews

[Gerhard · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sehr detailreiche Biographie über Hannah Arendt, verfasst von ihrer einzigen weiblichen Studentin.

[Jonfaith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hans Morganthau famously asked Arendt whether she was liberal or conservative and she claimed neither, she didn't want to sit on a stool. The lovely work of Frau Arendt deserves something better. The author was apparently a student of Arendt's and I am curious if distance would have been advantageous. This isn't a hagiography, but it leans in that direction. Certainly, the mere attention afforded Arendt's essay Reflections on Little Rock could prompt quite a discussion. Such nudged Ralph Ellison - bless his heart-to connect dots between such and Eichmann in Jerusalem: A Report on the Banality of Evil. The relationship with Heidegger lacks form since their letters had yet to be published at the time of this composition. Such creates a backdraft of supposition. One sufficiently distasteful to dissuade honest readers of Arendt. Despite the bloated writing and psychoanalysis the life of the great thinker shines through. I mat explore some of the more recent efforts at biography in the near future. In the interim a return to the amazing Between Friends: The Correspondence of Hannah Arendt and Mary McCarthy, 1949-1975 is certainly an apt tonic for such indigestion.

[Caroline · Rating 5 out of 5]

She explores Arendts thinking with dignity and care. She puts lots of effort in understanding Arendts political reflections and ethics.

[Margaret · Rating 5 out of 5]

An in-depth biography of one of the world's foremost political theorists. Covers both her life and her work. A bit dense, but interesting and inspirational.

[Stuart · Rating 4 out of 5]

Though she chose philosophy, her early poems are quite good. It's interesting that Arendt was a student of the 2 greatest German philosophers of that time, Karl Jaspers and Martin Heidegger and participated in discussions that helped form their most influential work. I hadn't realized the French put foreigners in internment camps even before the Nazi's took over. Arendt was as she said the kind that "are put into concentration camps by their foes and into internment camps by their friends". Arendt was often on the correct side of any argument: making the equivalent between Stalinism and Nazism, denouncing McCarthyism and on what form the state of Israel should take. Later in life though she waded into controversy she perhaps shouldn't have. Some would say she was putting too fine a point on Jewish compliance with the holocaust in her "Eichmamn in Jerusalem". Worse I think was her lecturing black activists on what they should be doing in her "Reflections on Little Rock". Overall I enjoyed this well written biography of the most important female (as Arendt would not like pointed out) philosopher of the 20th century.

[Blaze-Pascal · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had so much fun reading about this book, and learning about "who" Hannah Arendt was rather than "what" she was. I admire her the more I read about her, and I am pretty bias to be doing a review about her.
With regards to the author, she did a great job of connecting the ideas and the person together and weaving a narrative. Written in 1980, there have been some documents published since this book was written concerning the relationship with Heidegger, so it's dated in that sense. Besides that this could be a great companion in understanding where she was coming from as she writing all her works.
I think Young-Bruehl's favorite book is On Revolution, my favorite was the Human Condition.

[Magda Michielsens · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ik las dit boek heel lang geleden, voor de Arendt rage. Het was fijn om het nu te herlezen. Het is zoveel beter dan de populaire dingen die de laatste tijd verschijnen. Zoveel beter dan Ann Heberlein.

[Griffin Postley · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked it

[Martin Los · Rating 5 out of 5]

To impressed and to touched now to write a review of this marvellous book about a person and thinker

[A YOGAM · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wenn Heiner Müller die „Landschaft der Schuld“ kartographierte, dann lieferte Hannah Arendt die Grundbuchauszüge dazu. Elisabeth Young-Bruehl, selbst Schülerin Arendts, hat sich durch den Nachlass gearbeitet wie eine Goldgräberin im intellektuellen Klondike. Herausgekommen ist kein trockenes Wer-wann-wo, sondern ein präzises, vielschichtiges Porträt einer Denkerin, deren Philosophie nicht im Elfenbeinturm entstand, sondern im Spannungsfeld von Königsberger Bildungsethos, Pariser Staatenlosigkeit und New Yorker politischer Leidenschaft.

Die frühen Kapitel lesen sich wie ein Bildungsroman unter Extrembedingungen. Das „Kind aus Königsberg“ lernt schnell, dass die Welt nicht nur aus Kant-Zitaten besteht, sondern aus sehr realen politischen Abgründen. Young-Bruehl analysiert Arendts „leidenschaftliches Denken“ mit großer Nüchternheit – inklusive der notorisch komplizierten Verbindung zu Martin Heidegger, der zwar den Seinsbegriff radikalisierte, politisch jedoch orientierungslos blieb wie ein Pinguin in der Sahara. Arendt zog daraus eine frühe, folgenreiche Konsequenz: Wer als Jüdin verfolgt wird, muss sich als Jüdin verteidigen. Das ist gelebte Agency – und eine existentielle Standortbestimmung, die sich erstaunlich gut mit Asantes Begriff der Location verschränkt.

Keine Arendt-Lektüre ohne das Eichmann-Beben. Young-Bruehl rekonstruiert minutiös, wie Arendt mit dem Begriff der „Banalität des Bösen“ einen intellektuellen Flächenbrand auslöste. Während das Böse gern als dämonische Ausnahmefigur gedacht wurde, zeigte Arendt es als Produkt von Gedankenlosigkeit, Regelbefolgung und administrativer Normalität. Das Böse erscheint hier nicht als Monster, sondern als Routine. Philosophisch übersetzt: „Ich habe nur meine Pflicht getan.“ Eine Diagnose, die im Zeitalter globaler Lieferketten, automatisierter Verantwortungslosigkeit und Zieglers „kannibalischer Weltordnung“ bedrückend aktuell bleibt.

Der eigentliche Kern von Arendts Denken, den Young-Bruehl eindrucksvoll freilegt, ist der Amor Mundi. Trotz Totalitarismus, Exil und „finsteren Zeiten“ hielt Arendt an der Möglichkeit politischen Handelns fest. Macht entsteht für sie nicht aus Gewalt oder Disziplin (hallo, Sékou Touré), sondern aus dem gemeinsamen Sprechen und Handeln freier Menschen. Dieses Buch wird damit zu einem intellektuellen Navigationssystem für alle, die – in Appiahs Welt der Fremden – nach einem Ort suchen, an dem Denken wieder öffentlich, riskant und sinnstiftend sein darf.
Wer dieses Buch liest, braucht kein Fitnessstudio mehr: Die physische Wucht der erweiterten Ausgabe trainiert den Bizeps, der Inhalt verwandelt das Gehirn in einen Hochleistungsmotor. Elisabeth Young-Bruehl liefert nicht bloß eine Biografie, sondern ein Arsenal an begrifflichen Werkzeugen, um Freiheit gegen Vereinfachung, Moralismus und Denkfaulheit zu verteidigen. Ein unverzichtbares Werk für alle, die verstanden haben, dass Denken nur dann seinen Namen verdient, wenn es unbequem bleibt.

[Fernanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dá gosto ler uma biografia assim. Mesmo a autora tendo sido orientanda da Hannah não senti que ela evitou temas espinhosos ou deixou de se posicionar. Embora contemple uma dimensão subjetiva e pessoal, ela vai no detalhe nos trabalhos acadêmicos, o que para mim foi um grande ganho. Eu, que já li um tanto da Hannah Arendt nesses últimos 10 anos, consegui sistematizar muito mais o pensamento dela, porém ainda fico com questionamentos.

Na verdade, as minhas dúvidas são antigas e permanecem até hoje. Onde situar politicamente essa mulher? Certamente ela não era de esquerda, mas incorporava certos elementos - principalmente nos primeiros anos. A admiração pela Rosa Luxemburgo e pela ideia de revolução ainda me desconsertam. A primeira porque era uma radical de esquerda não-marxista (a questão da república parece essencial) e a segunda por conta do sistema de conselhos, que não transparecem exatamente qual modelo de Estado Hannah se filia. Seu encantamento pelo 25 de Abril é a cereja do bolo. Por outro lado, passa um pano absurdo para os Estados Unidos e aplaude o seu sistema federativo e sua Constituição. É claramente elitista. Liberal quando se trata das bases do Estado. Conservadora ainda assim quando se pensa a revolução e violência. Em 1973, se volta para Israel, depois de criticar tanto a ascensão desse Estado.

É impressionante ainda como ela se dobra sobre o Heidegger. Chega a ser patético, muito gente como a gente. Não só ela relativiza sua posição enquanto literalmente nazista, mas finge ser meio burra para não mexer com o ego do seu velho mentor, que quando descobre explode. E ela ainda se culpa depois e não se distancia do homem. Foi doloroso ler essas passagens.

Mas é uma biografia divertida de ler também. Mais uma vez Hannah mete o pau no Sartre e chama o Sholem de embusteiro culto. Camus escapa ileso e Heidegger é, claro, reabilitado. O fora que ela leva do rabino quando contesta a existência de deus é ótimo também.

Gostei muito.

4.5/5

[Michael Neal · Rating 3 out of 5]

It’s just . . . Incredibly long and dense. I love Arendt and am glad I read this book, but about 3/5ths of the way through I realized I wanted to gleam insights into her works through the biography rather than learn about the details of her life. I wanted a front row seat into the controversies which surrounded her work, the critiques, the clarifications, and the common criticisms, more so than I did about her marriage and her family and friends.

There is something worth while in pulling out the last few sections, as well as some of the earlier sections for An Arendt Reader, but with how long it takes to find those juicy bits I just felt worn down while reading. Not due to fault on the author or subject’s part, as much due to my own purpose for reading this text and what I wanted out of it.

[Mohammed Said · Rating 5 out of 5]

Un apasionante recorrido en el pensamiento de Arendt, la narración biográfica es agradable y la documentación de la evolución de la filosofía de Arendt y el proceso de creación de sus obras maestras es muy Interesante.
El trabajo teórico de Arendt tiene muchas vetas de idealismo liberal. Esto ofende los fundamentos filosóficos y políticos de los marxistas. Las soluciones políticas que propone también preservan la jerarquía, lo que ofende el proyecto político de los anarquistas. Su trabajo tiene fuertes elementos de racismo y pensamiento colonial eurocéntrico. Esto molesta a las personas con orientaciones políticas antirracistas y/o perspectivas anticoloniales.

[Esma Ertürk · Rating 5 out of 5]

hannah arendt'in yaşam öyküsünü anlatmasının yanı sıra, bütün kitaplarındaki görüşlerini de içeren, yorumlayan çok ayrıntılı bir biyografi. arendt'i tanımak, anlamak için çok derli toplu, özenli yazılmış bir kitap.

[Stephen Rhodes · Rating 4 out of 5]

A definitive biography of one of the 20th century’s greatest political philosophers. Arendt’s work and thought are even more important to understanding autocratic politics and totalitarian government now than when she first wrote about them.

[Daisy · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is not easy to read Hannah’s books. Then after i finished “Eichmann in Jerusalem: A Report on the Banality of Evil”, i begin this one.

It helps to understand Hannah and her books well. Thanks to those great philosophers, then we can understand this world and ourselves well.

[Jérôme · Rating 5 out of 5]

Remarquable introduction à la vie et à la pensée d'Arendt

[Sanjana Rajagopal · Rating 5 out of 5]

Only took me a whole YEAR to finish this book

[Aster An-Sofie · Rating 5 out of 5]

The best biography you'll find on Arendt. Very detailed and written so accessably thin yet it is a massive book. I read it with great pleasue and awe.

[Micebyliz]

I am rereading this tome.

[Ally Yang · Rating 4 out of 5]

[2022.05.15_64]

裝訂上沒有必要的厚重，以及繞口又經常語焉不詳的翻譯，讓這本傳記的閱讀過程，無止盡的漫長。

[Zhongwei Chen · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's such a pity that Young Bruehl passed away in 2011 at her 65! AS a psychotherapist and one of few phd students under Hannah Arendt's tutoring, she may have more ideas on the relations between Hannah and Israel which was not fully answered in For Love of the world, Hannah's biography by her. It's no doubt that Israelophobia misinterpret Hannah's idea for their sake. I suspect that the survivor's guilt and the special understanding and reflection on nationalism as a secularized Jew led to her criticism on Israel. By the way I'm not surprise the Hebrew version of For Love of the world wasn't published till 2010, 28 years after the publication of its original English version.

[Mark Valentine · Rating 5 out of 5]

I finished reading about Arendt's life with profound respect and admiration. Young-Bruehl has published the definitive biography and it's length reflects the enormous energy and spirit that Arendt had in writing and teaching, in thinking and acting.

When asked by Hans Morganthau if she [Arendt] was conservative or liberal, she replied that she was neither--didn't want to sit on a stool, "I am a radical."

I've gained more enthusiasm to continue reading her works.

[R.J. Gilmour · Rating 3 out of 5]

All sorrows can be borne if you put them into a story or tell a story about them.
Hannah Arendt quoting Isak Dinesen. 19.

The past is never dead, it is not even past.
Faulkner cited by Hannah Arendt. 385.

[Sue Lyle · Rating 5 out of 5]

I haven't read any of Arendt's writing but that did not detract from this excellent biography of one of the most interesting and important women philosophers of the 20thC.

[Leon Perlman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Goodreads rating 84

[Steve Cucharo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Probably as good as an intellectual biography can get.

[Anton Matejička · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.9

[Jorge · Rating 5 out of 5]

Otra joya del género.