Review: 'Nietzsche' by Stefan Zweig, trans. Will Stone

Nietzsche holds a fascinating place for me. On the one hand he feels like one of the Ur-philosophers, equally important to Western or European thought as Plato or Aristotle. On the other hand, in the minds of many, he is linked with fascism and almost aggressive nihilism and pessimism. I went into Nietzsche with the hope that Zweig would bring this mysterious man a little closer to me. Thanks to Pushkin Press and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Pub. Date: 19/01/2021
Publisher: Pushkin Press

A scintillating biographical study of the one of the greatest philosophers of the nineteenth century, by one of the bestselling writers of the twentieth.

In this vivid biography, Zweig eschews traditional academic discussion and focuses on Nietzsche's habits, passions and obsessions. This work, concentrating on the man rather than the work, on the tragedy of his existence and his apartness from the world in which he moved in enforced isolation, is a tour de force, drawing the reader inexorably into Nietzsche's tragic trajectory.

Illustrated with numerous photographs relating to Nietzsche and his European locations, this superb translation by Will Stone is essential reading for anyone interested in Nietzsche, Zweig, first-class biographies and philosophy.

In its introduction, Nietzsche tries to give us an insight into the mind of Zweig, before he attempts the same with Nietzsche. Both haunted and tortured, it makes sense the former would be so in awe of the latter. As the book states, Zweig was filled with respect for many authors, whose heights he never thought he could reach himself. His method was to create trios of authors who, in his eyes, shared a plight, feeling or duty. Nietzsche is part of his 1925 book Der Kampf mit dem Dämon (The Fight with the Demon). He used the conceit of the 'demon' to investigate the lives of Hölderlin, Kleist and Nietzsche and to explain their almost slavish dedication to their craft. Haunted by their own ideas and always driven further, sometimes too far, Zweig sees in them a genius only possible when struggling with this demon. I quickly came to see what Zweig was trying to say with the demon, that in many ways there is no other way to think of this drive that works through people like Nietzsche.

Nietzsche does not take an academic approach to its biographical subject. There are hardly any dates, there is no true chronological cohesion. There is also no grand overview of his philosophical ideas and their development. It almost seems as if this isn't a biography of a person and their accomplishments but rather a biography of a spirit, a soul. Although Zweig pays quite a bit of attention to Nietzsche's physical ailments, this is all in an attempt to explain his curious and fascinating mind. It is his mind that matters, its loneliness, its determination, its perseverance, its hardness. There will be moments of sheer grandeur in which Nietzsche seems godlike and there will be moments in which Nietzsche is nothing but a husk of a man. Zweig, himself a rather tragic figure, would never compare himself to Nietzsche but through his writing we can see a likeness of spirit, a tragic awareness that the world they knew needed to change. Nietzsche will not make you understand the philosopher, but it will give you an insight into his time and into his mind.

Zweig's Nietzsche is a beautiful time piece, a real treasure of the early 20th century.Zweig is a highly dramatic writer and I don't mean that disparagingly. There is a high pathos to his writing, a deep empathy with an embattled soul, a strong identification with Nietzsche's torturous will. His prose soars frequently and is highly literary. Again, not an academic or even factual biography. This is almost an ode and it is beautiful when read out loud. If you're willing to entertain the purpleness of the prose, this is a beautiful read. If you really want to just get to the point, Zweig is not the author for you. Honest praise also needs to go to Will Stone, whose translation is utterly beautiful. He manages to maintain the lyricism of Zweig's writing, its rhythm and energy, perfectly. A too-heavy translation would bring the reading experience to a complete halt, but Stone allows its melodic nature to shine through. 

I give this book..

4 Universes!

Stefan Zweig's Nietzsche is a beautiful book exploring the spirit of one of the pillars of Western philosophy. Whether you agree with his ideas or not, Nietzsche will give you a new insight into this much-debated man, but only if you like lofty prose.