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Max Stirner: His Life and His Work
Max Stirner (1806-1856) was the philosopher of conscious egoism. His book Der Einzige und sein Eigenthum (published in English in 1907 as The Ego and His Own) is the fundamental work of that philosophy and the philosophical basis of individualist anarchism. The German poet and anarchist writer John Henry Mackay (1864-1933) carefully researched Stirner's life and published his biography in 1897, with a third, definitive edition in 1914. Hubert Kennedy's translation is the first in English.
246 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1898
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About the author
John Henry Mackay
168 books18 followersJohn Henry Mackay grew up in Germany with his German mother after the early death of his Scottish father. His long literary career included writings in a variety of forms, though he was best known as a lyric poet and anarchist. His biography of Max Stirner revived interest in that 19th century philosopher of egoism.
Also wrote under the pen name of "Sagitta"
Also wrote under the pen name of "Sagitta"
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
November 8, 2017
John Henry Mackay scoprì nel 1887 “L’unico” che lo colpì tanto da fargli dedicare parte della propria vita alla ricerca di fonti, documenti, notizie attendibili su Max Stirner uomo e pensatore, autore di quell’opera folgorante ch’è “L’unico”, morto a 49 anni povero, solo e rinnegato. Come afferma il poeta: “Non è un libro che si lascia leggere tutto d'un fiato. Non è neanche un libro che si può soltanto sfogliare. Deve essere continuamente ripreso e riposato, perché i pensieri che suscita si attenuino e i sentimenti di ribellione vengano filtrati. Ogni volta che ci si avvicinerà di nuovo però il suo effetto sarà più persistente e il suo fascino più intenso…” Mackay s’impegnò a ricostruire la vita di Stirner, addentrarsi nel suo pensiero e analizzarne la potenza. Lo fece con la meticolosità dello studioso e la passione del poeta. Il suo lavoro venne pubblicato in tre edizioni nel 1898, 1910 e 1914. Quest’ultima versione è stata tradotta (da Claudia Antonucci) in italiano e, per la prima volta, pubblicata dalla casa editrice Bibliosofica.
Non è solo una biografia, è anche un atto d’amore verso il padre di quell’opera, L’unico e la sua proprietà, sequestrata appena pubblicata e poi liberata perché giudicata troppo “assurda” per essere pericolosa.
Commosse e commoventi le parole di Mackay dedicate all’ultima “dimora” di Max Stirner: “Nuove tombe hanno circondato quella vecchia e deve essere faticoso cercarla per chi oggi volesse farlo. sulla targa le lettere dorate perdono il loro lustro. Ma mentre si sbiadiscono, quel nome riflette la sua luce vittoriosa attraverso la notte del nostro tempo e annuncia il domani, il domani della libertà del genere umano. Già il nuovo tende le mani per ricevere la benedizione e per utilizzarla per la felicità. Questa tomba non può e non dovrebbe essere niente di più per questa nuova generazione. Perché colui che giace lì, rivive - vive in essa: nelle sue speranze e nei suoi desideri. Nuove tombe hanno circondato quella vecchia. Verrà - dopo “altri cinquant'anni” - il giorno in cui anche quelle nuove tombe affonderanno e forse il cimitero sarà diventato un giardino pubblico nel quale i bambini del domani giocheranno noncuranti intorno alla lastra fissa. La persona che passerà, ancora legata in tetra schiavitù, camminerà vicino al nome che parla silenziosamente da lì, oppure saprà che quello che si chiamava Max Stirner ha conquistato, primo tra tutti, per loro la libertà, nei cui raggi egli cammina, a testa alta e più felice di coloro che hanno vissuto prima di lui.”
Un dono per cui sento doveroso dire grazie alla casa editrice Bibliosofica.
Non è solo una biografia, è anche un atto d’amore verso il padre di quell’opera, L’unico e la sua proprietà, sequestrata appena pubblicata e poi liberata perché giudicata troppo “assurda” per essere pericolosa.
Commosse e commoventi le parole di Mackay dedicate all’ultima “dimora” di Max Stirner: “Nuove tombe hanno circondato quella vecchia e deve essere faticoso cercarla per chi oggi volesse farlo. sulla targa le lettere dorate perdono il loro lustro. Ma mentre si sbiadiscono, quel nome riflette la sua luce vittoriosa attraverso la notte del nostro tempo e annuncia il domani, il domani della libertà del genere umano. Già il nuovo tende le mani per ricevere la benedizione e per utilizzarla per la felicità. Questa tomba non può e non dovrebbe essere niente di più per questa nuova generazione. Perché colui che giace lì, rivive - vive in essa: nelle sue speranze e nei suoi desideri. Nuove tombe hanno circondato quella vecchia. Verrà - dopo “altri cinquant'anni” - il giorno in cui anche quelle nuove tombe affonderanno e forse il cimitero sarà diventato un giardino pubblico nel quale i bambini del domani giocheranno noncuranti intorno alla lastra fissa. La persona che passerà, ancora legata in tetra schiavitù, camminerà vicino al nome che parla silenziosamente da lì, oppure saprà che quello che si chiamava Max Stirner ha conquistato, primo tra tutti, per loro la libertà, nei cui raggi egli cammina, a testa alta e più felice di coloro che hanno vissuto prima di lui.”
Un dono per cui sento doveroso dire grazie alla casa editrice Bibliosofica.
December 23, 2020
Mackay's biography of Stirner is extremely thorough, but ultimately this exhaustive approach makes reading it a bit dull. Long stretches are dedicated to describing, in painstaking detail, the wanderings of Stirner through the institutions of Prussian academia in pursuit of a career as a professor, the vast cast of characters which comprise "Die Freien" and the tone of their gatherings at Hippel's, and the ambience of early 19th century Germanic culture in the wake of Hegel, among other topics. I'm not sure how much better the text would be had some of these details been omitted, as they paint a comprehensive picture of the circumstances surrounding Stirner's life and work, but I still found myself slogging through sections without much interest. Mackay's language, firmly rooted in the conventions of fin de siècle English, also tends toward the ornate and florid, which further enhances the periodic monotony. Despite all this, the sections on Der Einzige and Stirner's other works are brimming with all sorts of illuminating details and the book generally succeeds in bringing the somewhat enigmatic Stirner to life. Mackay, who played a significant role in rescuing the writer from obscurity and introducing him to a new generation of anarchists, is in many ways the ideal biographer for Stirner, as he treats his subject with a respect and admiration that is notably absent in many of the other authors who have written about this arch-iconoclast. In spite of the occasional tedium it induces, this biography gives a sufficiently thorough account of the life and work of a singularly brilliant life, and will be of interest to anyone who appreciates the heretical, destructive beauty of Stirner's thought. Given the resurgence of interest in egoism and Stirner in recent years, a new biography which conveys the facts of his life in a more consistently enthralling manner seems like a worthwhile project somebody should get started on...
May 31, 2021
Two stories in one
What you get here is not just the biography of Stirner/Schmidt but also the tragic romance between the biographer who is thoroughly enamoured by his subject yet doomed to never met him or know the full story (Stirner having died decades prior, and the person who knew him best was not interested in contributing to the biography). Despite this obvious bias, the biography nevertheless still manages to provide enough material for you to get a balanced view of his life.
As for Stirner’s life there are certainly interesting achievements (such as being the premier translator of Adam Smith’s Wealth of Nations in German) and fun anecdotes (his failed business ventures and credit wrangling).
Ultimately though his life is one that will naturally tend to disappoint readers not because of any hypocrisy or similar failing but simply because of the contrast of his uniquely radical philosophy and his life as a 2nd rate academic.
Just a quick note – even if you are the type who believes that philosophers should be avatars of their theories, theres nothing to really indicate that he didn't live a de-spooked/authentic life – you don't have to read all of crime and punishment to appreciate that egoist life =/= being anti social.
End of review bonus
If you want to make this otherwise pleasant book more complicated, search for the biographer on Wikipedia.
What you get here is not just the biography of Stirner/Schmidt but also the tragic romance between the biographer who is thoroughly enamoured by his subject yet doomed to never met him or know the full story (Stirner having died decades prior, and the person who knew him best was not interested in contributing to the biography). Despite this obvious bias, the biography nevertheless still manages to provide enough material for you to get a balanced view of his life.
As for Stirner’s life there are certainly interesting achievements (such as being the premier translator of Adam Smith’s Wealth of Nations in German) and fun anecdotes (his failed business ventures and credit wrangling).
Ultimately though his life is one that will naturally tend to disappoint readers not because of any hypocrisy or similar failing but simply because of the contrast of his uniquely radical philosophy and his life as a 2nd rate academic.
Just a quick note – even if you are the type who believes that philosophers should be avatars of their theories, theres nothing to really indicate that he didn't live a de-spooked/authentic life – you don't have to read all of crime and punishment to appreciate that egoist life =/= being anti social.
End of review bonus
If you want to make this otherwise pleasant book more complicated, search for the biographer on Wikipedia.
December 5, 2019
A marvelous thinker, Max Stirner, had lived unconspicously, found nothing exciting in life except for work, got forgotten soon after what he achieved let alone being venerated, and never been able to completely free himself from poverty... It seems to me that he was never truly understood by his contemporaries, yet he did not give up, as the author indicates:
"He did not direct his words to those around or close to him, who were unable to understand him, but rather beyond them to those whom he did not know and whom he perhaps saw as his best friends."
In this biography, we witness a 'passive' battle of a man, a brave man who was not afraid to cross the line, yet a man who was forced to feel alienated. Again with the author's words:
"His indifference to so many small things that excite other men was often interpreted as weakness, his passivity as lack of energy and strength to resist. That he was too unsuited to come out the victor in the noisy and stressful struggle for existence, that he often let things go, just as they were, and took refuge from their coarse demands in his inner calmness--is beyond question; he just followed his nature. But that he would have been happier if he had fought 'against himself', that is an assumption that, in the case of a man who, like no other, penetrated into the basis of what drives human beings, thoroughly requires a proof."
Also we naturally have the opportunity to grasp his ideas, for instance:
"To listen to a free man, yes, a 'sinner', is more uplifting than these righteous men. We are serious and conscientious people too, but we by no means believe that the fear of God is the highest and most sacred thing. Egotism may increase without it, and deep respect for 'the authorities appointed by God' and obedience may die." says Stirner.
I'm finishing my review on this book with the sentence which its author says about Stirner:
"In the way he lived and died, he was completely true to himself.
The great work of his life was done."
"He did not direct his words to those around or close to him, who were unable to understand him, but rather beyond them to those whom he did not know and whom he perhaps saw as his best friends."
In this biography, we witness a 'passive' battle of a man, a brave man who was not afraid to cross the line, yet a man who was forced to feel alienated. Again with the author's words:
"His indifference to so many small things that excite other men was often interpreted as weakness, his passivity as lack of energy and strength to resist. That he was too unsuited to come out the victor in the noisy and stressful struggle for existence, that he often let things go, just as they were, and took refuge from their coarse demands in his inner calmness--is beyond question; he just followed his nature. But that he would have been happier if he had fought 'against himself', that is an assumption that, in the case of a man who, like no other, penetrated into the basis of what drives human beings, thoroughly requires a proof."
Also we naturally have the opportunity to grasp his ideas, for instance:
"To listen to a free man, yes, a 'sinner', is more uplifting than these righteous men. We are serious and conscientious people too, but we by no means believe that the fear of God is the highest and most sacred thing. Egotism may increase without it, and deep respect for 'the authorities appointed by God' and obedience may die." says Stirner.
I'm finishing my review on this book with the sentence which its author says about Stirner:
"In the way he lived and died, he was completely true to himself.
The great work of his life was done."
June 5, 2019
It almost pains me to say this, but Stirners Life is not as interesting as his work. While there surely are philosophers whose lifestyle was just as impressive as their body of work, Stirner is not one of them. At painful length and detail this book goes on and on about tons of irrelevant names and events in Stirners life, and then ultimately only manages to engage on occasion when it quotes or paraphrases his work, or drops the occasional highly romanticist platitude.
But I respect the effort that went into this books research, this is very clearly someone's life project to grasp any details they can about such a forgotten person like Stirner.
But I respect the effort that went into this books research, this is very clearly someone's life project to grasp any details they can about such a forgotten person like Stirner.
September 5, 2021
Given my recent reading, Mackay's approach was at times a breathe of fresh air. He works through chronological segments of Max Stirner's life, but each segment is presented in a very narativistic sense - in that he focuses a lot on the characters involved. These often include Stirner, but only in the section on Stirner's heights of accomplishment and subsequent retreat into insignificance did Stirner feel like the protagonist. This form of the work I think presents Mackay's points quite well, though at times the description borders on sycophancy (e.g. the end of his initial remarks about Marie Dahnhardt).
I felt portions of this work were 5 stars, and portions delt of irrelevance to me. It’s not that those portions are poorly written or not related to the project of the book, but rather supplementary information about ‘The Free’, while perhaps invaluable cultural context, extracted far less enjoyment or purpose per word than the portion of the book dedicated to Stirner’s heights and subsequent retreat into obscurity.
I felt portions of this work were 5 stars, and portions delt of irrelevance to me. It’s not that those portions are poorly written or not related to the project of the book, but rather supplementary information about ‘The Free’, while perhaps invaluable cultural context, extracted far less enjoyment or purpose per word than the portion of the book dedicated to Stirner’s heights and subsequent retreat into obscurity.
April 20, 2024
No sources???
November 27, 2020
Surprisingly easy read and Mackay clearly did everything he possibly could to find as much information as possible of Stirner. A shame he couldn't do more. Rich with information about the people and society of the time. Surprisingly lacking in actual information about Stirner himself, though not the author's fault by any means. Mackay's commentary on Stirner's texts are good, if anything could serve as decent introductions to egoist thought.
What most surprised me was that Stirner was blonde.
What most surprised me was that Stirner was blonde.
May 4, 2014
La figura di Max Stirner, uno dei precursori dell'anarchismo ottocentesco, è pressocché sconosciuta ai non addetti ai lavori, e in questo, nel renderla cioè in qualche modo familiare e disponibile al di fuori degli specialisti, consiste il merito di Bibliosofica, che ha pubblicato la traduzione italiana della sua biografia, scritta in tedesco alcuni decenni dopo la sua morte, da un fervente ammiratore della sua opera, tanto da rasentare quasi l'agiografia.
Stirner è uno degli intellettuali radicali attivi nella vita berlinese dei decenni centrali dell'800, quelli in cui lo Stato prussiano si esprimeva nelle vesti autoritarie che avrebbero portato all'unificazione della Germania e alla nascita del II Reich. Nelle turbolenze filosofiche legate all'hegelismo, da cui sorgerà anche uno spettro destinato ad aggirarsi nell'Europa della Reazione, quello del Marxismo, si sviluppano dibattiti sulla condizione dell'uomo e dei suoi rapporti con la società e lo Stato, ad esempio nel gruppo dei Liberi, da cui emerge un altro spettro, dinamitardo e combattivo, pronto a scontrarsi con le arcigne forze dell'Ordine costituito del vecchio continente, quello dell'Anarchismo, nelle varie forme che ha assunto storicamente.
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Stirner è uno degli intellettuali radicali attivi nella vita berlinese dei decenni centrali dell'800, quelli in cui lo Stato prussiano si esprimeva nelle vesti autoritarie che avrebbero portato all'unificazione della Germania e alla nascita del II Reich. Nelle turbolenze filosofiche legate all'hegelismo, da cui sorgerà anche uno spettro destinato ad aggirarsi nell'Europa della Reazione, quello del Marxismo, si sviluppano dibattiti sulla condizione dell'uomo e dei suoi rapporti con la società e lo Stato, ad esempio nel gruppo dei Liberi, da cui emerge un altro spettro, dinamitardo e combattivo, pronto a scontrarsi con le arcigne forze dell'Ordine costituito del vecchio continente, quello dell'Anarchismo, nelle varie forme che ha assunto storicamente.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews