The Twilight of the Idols and the Anti-Christ: Or How to Philosophize with a Hammer

Ours is a time not that very different from that of Nietzsche's. We too live in a kind of Victorian hell, a genteel time of right thinking professors who would make Nietzsche feel as unwelcome as did his "betters," who recognized he was a genius but didn't want him around. "Twilight of the Idols" is a lot of fun to read. It is exhilarating to read such frankness, without the American way of combining honestly with profanity. It is straight talk on the decline of German culture. I will leave it to the reader to decide if this may be applied to our once great country. Nietzsche's great insight in his time was to return to the Greeks, but to cast Plato aside, in favor of the great historian Thucydides, who immortalized the rhetoricians, such as Pericles, and sang the praises of the speaker and doer of deeds in contrast to the "armchair" thinkers such as Socrates. Nietzsche seems to be the ultimate heavy, but he is a hoot to read and seems to have had as much fun writing this work as I have had reading it.

Two excellent works. However, it might now be the best idea to deliver them in one package, as twilight is an awesome introduction to, and synopsis of, Nietzsche's philosophy and hence a good read for a first encounter with Nietzsche (and a parallel lecture to Zarathustra!), whereas Anthchrist is best understood with the background of Nietzsches other major works, hence more of a last or later read. Nonetheless 5 stars for the quality of the content: Twilight: It is extremely rare that a philosopher manages to write such a precise, witty, deep and to-the-point synopsis of his own ideas as Nietzsche did in Twilight - some of the best aphorisms and metaphors in modern philosophy! Antichrist: Don't be fooled by the polemic style of the book: This is a brilliant psychological and historical analysis AND criticism of christianity. Under the skillful but fierce rhethoric it stays grounded in historic research and observations and substantiates its points with sound arguments. Christians who feel brave enough to think for themselves and test their faith must read this book, as it is a mindblowing exposition of the religion's underlying mechanisms and thoroughly challenges the belief with arguments that Christianity has yet to find answers to.

"Twilight" is the book i always recommend to first-time readers of Nietzsche: It is the most concise statement of his most important ideas. If you read only one book by Nietzsche, make it this one. Both Hollingdale's and Kaufmann's translations are readable and try to be as faithful to the original as possible in style and substance.If you were raised Christian or have been a Christian, "Antichrist" is quite important as an exposition of dangers in the philosophical underpinings of Christianity (or "Paulism") as world view and praxis, beyond ordinary criticisms that usually focus on the hypocrisy of the Church, etc, which are ultimately less useful. A less important read for those who have never been Christians, especially as N deals in "Twilight" with the "undercover Christianity" (Kantianism, etc.) one is likely to encounter outside the church.By the way, a previous reviewer cautioned readers that these books were edited by Elisabeth, Nietzsche's sister-- that reviewer was mistaken. She edited only "The Will to Power," which despite her claims was not a book at all but a collection of unconnected notebook entries not intended for publication. Avoid that book until you've read all the rest. "Twilight" and "Antichrist" were written in the prolific year before N became ill and were certainly intended for publication.