Nietzsche: The Man and his Philosophy

by R.J. Hollingdale

Hollingdale's biography remains the single best account of the life and works for the student or nonspecialist. This classic biography of Nietzsche was first published in the 1960s and was enthusiastically reviewed at the time. Long out of print, it is now reissued with its text updated in the light of recent research. The biography chronicles Nietzsche's intellectual evolution and discusses his friendship and breach with Wagner, his attitude toward Schopenhauer, and his indebtedness to Darwin and the Greeks. It follows the years of his maturity and his mental collapse in 1889. The final part of the book considers the development of the Nietzsche legend during his years of madness. R. J. Hollingdale, one of the preeminent translators of Nietzsche, allows Nietzsche to speak for himself in a translation that transmits the vividness and virtuosity of Nietzsche's many styles. This is the ideal book for anyone interested in Nietzsche's life and work who wishes to learn why he is such a significant figure for the development of modern thought. R. J. Hollingdale has translated and edited several of Nietzsche's texts, as well as other prestigious German thinkers. Mr. Hollingdale worked in the editorial department of the Guardian for over twenty years and has written book reviews for the Guardian and the Times Literary Supplement.

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

288 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1965

Reviews

[Draganf · Rating 5 out of 5]

Opsežna Ničeova biografija, možda i pretjerano opsežna za nekoga ko je čita diletantski, poput mene. Zanimljivo i korisno, ne samo za laike, već i za ljude koji se Ničeom bave ozbiljno i minuciozno. Uostalom, može li biografija ovako zanimljivog i značajnog filozofa da ne bude zanimljiva i značajna? Teško, treba biti izuzetan talenat pa je učiniti nezanimljivom.

[N Perrin · Rating 2 out of 5]

A dated biography which meanders into causational speculation on the different forces in Nietzsche's life far too often.

However Hollingdale's worst grievance is to conclude the book by claiming that Nietzsche's work needs no apology because genius ultimately justifies itself. A clumsy way to dodge the darker impacts of Nietzsche's thought, something which should be wrestled with more seriously. For Hollingdale, Nietzsche's philosophy is almost a historical artifact which we can most enjoy as the expression of a great mind of the past. If anyone feels like Nietzsche can be consigned to the dustbin of history after the fall of Nazism, they miss the whole point (both the dangers and the richness) of the philosophical struggle and the eternal return.

[Erik Graff · Rating 4 out of 5]

Unlike Walter Kaufmann's Nietzsche, Hollingdale's is more of traditional biography than a philosophical exposition and defense. Consequently, it is a very good supplement to Kaufmann's more polemical study.

I read this old Louisiana University Press paperback edition in Park Ridge, Illinois, while on break from college, mostly on the front porch of my parents' home, a favored hiding place.

[Nat Baldino · Rating 5 out of 5]

Probably the best biography on Nietzsche. Hollingdale successfully examines all of the influences of Nietzsche's life on his philosophy in an unbiased way. He steers us through the darker parts of Nietzsche's mind and life without attributing his theories and strange end to syphilis, or dismissing Nietzsche in any way. Hollingdale is respectful and insightful. A must read for any Nietzsche fan.

[Krista]

As much as I love Nietzsche I know that this book is going to be very slow going...

[Shane Hill · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great read.....in particular I was fascinated of Nietzsche's life after he went mad ....

[T · Rating 2 out of 5]

A rather antiquated and pretty boring biography of Nietzsche. Whilst Hollingdale does look at some interesting interactions with Wagner, Nietzsche's sister and Lou Andreas Salome etc, he spends too much time yammering on about Nietzsche's philosophy.
The sections which touched on 'his Philosophy' simply involved Hollingdale copy-pasting sections of Nietzsche's work and offering fairly uninteresting interpretations, yet this didn't stop Hollingdale's unapologetic adoration for the man.
Oftentimes I wonder whether the author was one of Nietzsche's lovers, or somebody trying to offer a philosophical biography.

[Fabio Cabrera · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent introduction to Nietzsche's thought with brilliant connections to his personal life. I do recommend the reader to be at least somewhat familiar with Nietzsche's work to enjoy the book entirelly.

[Michal Ong · Rating 5 out of 5]

I first encountered R.J. Hollingdale's "Nietzsche: The Man and his Philosophy" in a class on Nietzsche in college, and I'm pleased to say that it still very much holds up on a second reading.

Hollingdale not only provides a very accessible introduction to the general thrust of Nietzsche's philosophy (especially his three main ideas: the Superman, the will to power, and the eternal recurrence); he also paints a compelling picture with regard to the intellectual climate of the late nineteenth century, and situates Nietzsche's philosophy as a response to certain trends of that period, such as the rise in popularity of Darwinism and Schopenhauerean pessimism. Furthermore, the writing is crisp and easy to follow: a testament to this would be the genuine feeling that, as a reader, I felt for Nietzsche as he progressed deeper into his solitary and excruciatingly painful existence, climaxing in an eventual descent into insanity from 1889-1900.

In my opinion, this book is a masterstroke in content as well as its form. I believe that Hollingdale's biography is required reading for anyone, layperson or otherwise, who wishes to understand the German philosopher's life and thought in their proper historical context.

[Jason · Rating 4 out of 5]

An incisive, short, compassionate biography/philosophy analysis of a great, tortured mind.
I had always assumed, not knowing the life of the man only knowing the words of the philosopher, that Nietzsche was a Superman in both life and thought. This biography reveals a sad, sickly, lonely individual who hid his sorrow behind a tremendous ego.

[Denise de Almeida · Rating 5 out of 5]

i totally loved this book. one thing I love is order, organization and well-placed chapters. Hollingdale delivered all this while writing this book. first, he focuses on "the child", where he talks about the beginning of Nietzsche's life and, in the outcome, his death.

witnessing through words the rise and fall of one of my favorite philosophers is an astonishing feeling. i was completely obsessed. the book itself is not very long (about 300 pages) and mentions all the works of Nietzsche, giving a perfect vision and a "summary" of his life, basically.

i’d like to point out that it was very difficult to choose my favorite quotes of the book. I have most of the pages of the book in my gallery lmao.

[Gareth]

Accessible and sound. A nice little introduction to the man and his work, providing context and explanation of his main ideas. Recommended for students and beginners.

Gareth Southwell is a philosopher, writer and illustrator.

[Sam Thacker · Rating 5 out of 5]

This very well-written biography provides, in addition to the standard biographical fare, a great background in Nietzsche's thought. This bio will keep Nietzsche's philosophy from seeming like a mere collection of powerful, yet disembodied, statements. It provides the unifying framework that isn't necessarily otherwise glaringly obvious.