Grateful for Nietzsche, I appreciated this book. As a philosophy fan, I enjoyed this book and recommend to those with similar interest.

Enjoyed this book, though not as much as Kaag's AMERICAN PHILOSOPHY: A LOVE STORY, which I read immediately beforehand. The writing style and the intellectual history components were clear and often poetic, the central tension introduced early on—how to approach extremist Nietzschean ideals at the advent of middle age—was not discussed as thoroughly as I'd hoped.

Kaag does write about feelings of personal failure, about not being Nietzschean enough, about how Nietzsche himself was not Nietzschean enough to ward off decadence and decay, and of course I did not expect a tidy answer. Still, I wanted more exploration of how to reconcile the desire to self-overcome and the longing for height and depth with the realities of age and family—or whether there even is a way to reconcile all this. The introduction argues that though Nietzsche is enjoyed by the young, his messages have even more resonance for those who are older. It becomes clear that one can embrace some Nietzschean ideals (amor fati, renouncing comfort) at any age, yet it still appears that we become more and more limited and less and less able to adhere to the man's teachings as we grow up.

I loved the analysis of Nietzsche's work. This is a great book about this philosopher. It would be great for fans of Nietzsche and the outdoors.

I would like to thank Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a review copy in exchange for my honest and unbiased opinion of it.

Biographical sketches of both the author and his obsession Nietzsche. Astute analysis of many of Nietzsche's works, and the information gained by learning more about one of the more misunderstood and misrepresented philosophers in history made this a worthy read. I would recommend this to those interested in philosophy, the outdoors, and mental instability.
Thank you to the publisher for providing me with this arc available through netgalley.

A really wonderful book. A purely enjoyable read. Here are some notes lifted from the text:

"…At nineteen, on the summit of Corvatsch, I had no idea how dull the world could sometimes be. How easy it would be to remain in the valleys, to be satisfied with mediocrity. Or how difficult it would be to stay alert to life…

… The project of the Übermensch—is not to arrive at any fixed destination or to fund some permanent room with a view.

…Nietzsche insists, “if thou gaze long into the abyss, the abyss will also gaze into thee.”

…Life goes only one way, into ever-steeper decline…

…According to Nietszche, there are two forms of health: the futile type that tries to keep death at bay as long as possible, and the affirming type that embraces life, even its deficiencies and excesses.

To be well-adjusted, for Nietzsche, is to choose, wholeheartedly, what we think and where we find and create meaning…

…In a post-theological world, self over-overcoming remains one of the few remaining goals. It is an exciting, terrifying possibility that can place unsustainable weight on budding relationships.

…As Nietzsche coursed these trails, he was in search of a philosophy that could have traction in life: “Our first question about the value of a book, of a human being, or a musical composition is: Can they walk.” Can they stand up and straight, carry their own weight, cover ground, and make progress? According to Nietzsche, most philosophers, most philosophies couldn’t…

…we are, at base, suffering creatures, and when this insight comes home to roost at last, the ascetic ideal is there to greet us at the doorway of our misery…

…Quiet: the one thing the herd cannot abide. Silence, the sound of oneself, enables—even necessitates—thinking…

…His late study of decadence taught him to be patient in investigating decline and self-destruction. It often takes longer than one thinks, and one is to remain especially clear-eyed as something fully vanishes…

…beneath the reasonable habits of our lives hides a little inexplicable something that has the ability to opt out, even against our better judgment…

…life does not change, but the attitude you bring to it might. And this is not a trivial adjustment. In fact, it may be the only meaningful adjustment that is possible…

…Becoming is the ongoing process of losing and finding yourself…

…Things must suffer, go dark, perish before they live again…"