When Nietzsche Wept: A Novel of Obsession

When Nietzsche Wept: A Novel of Obsession

Softcover
5.02

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Description

From the acclaimed author of Love's Executioner and Schopenhauer’s Couch, comes a “fascinating…shrewd intellectual thriller” (Los Angeles Times Book Review) about pioneering Viennese psychoanalyst Josef Breuer and his intriguing patient—Friedrich Nietzsche
In nineteenth-century Vienna, a drama of love, fate, and will is played out amid the intellectual ferment that defined the era. Josef Breuer, one of the founding fathers of psychoanalysis, is at the height of his career. Friedrich Nietzsche, Europe's greatest philosopher, is on the brink of suicidal despair, unable to find a cure for the headaches and other ailments that plague him.
When he agrees to treat Nietzsche with his experimental “talking cure,” Breuer never expects that he too will find solace in their sessions. Only through facing his own inner demons can the gifted healer begin to help his patient. In When Nietzsche Wept, Irvin Yalom blends fact and fiction, atmosphere and suspense, to unfold an unforgettable story about the redemptive power of friendship.
Main Genre
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Sub Genre
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Format
Softcover
Pages
352
Price
13.89 €

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5

WHAT IS IT ABOUT? Located in 1882 Vienna/Austria, this book tells a non-real story about howpsychoogy/psychotherapy could have developed. Combining the deepness ofthe thoughts of Breuer, Freud and Nietzsche it leads the way intopsychotherapy and the "medicine for despair". The best part about it, in myopinion, is that they discover psychotherapy because they themselves need it.Its not about some medicine student sitting in a laboratory and finding a newmethod - it is a doctor Breuer), himself suffering from despair, who tries tofind a way out of this hole by turning to a philosopher Nietzsche).WHY DID I LIKE IT? I am a psychology student in vienna and am interested in psychology andespecially psychotherapy myself (studying psychology). I like the author and his way of telling stories, it really gripped me and gave me many new insights + much food for thought.Its cool reading about those people and their private lives when, inuniversity, we are constantly talking about them - but only in a completelyprofessional way. It felt like looking "behind the scenes" of the development ofpsychotherapy - even tho this is not a true story, it is very close to realityand could easily have happened this wayThere were parts which made me feel uncomfortable nonetheless, lookingso deep into the mind of a man I sometimes wished Breuer could just keephis thoughts for himself. But in the end he is a very interesting characterwho, in the turn of this book, experiences great character developmentand is able to look at himself and be honest about his mistakes.KEY POINTS "oh, the endless labor of the intellectual - pouring all this knowledgeinto the brain through a three-millimeter aperture in the iris" - page37"I now believe that fears are not born of darkness; rather, fears arelike the stars - always there, but obscured by the glare of daylight." -page 172"it is easier, far easier, to obey another than to command oneself" -page 177"I stated that there was a basic division of the ways of men: thosewho wish for peace of soul and happiness must believe and embracefaith, while those who wish to pursue the truth must forsake peace ofmind and devote their life to inquiry."- seite 178 - "if you kill god, you must also leave the shelter of thetemple""A cosmic perspective always attentuates tragedy. If we climb highenough, we will reach a height from which tragedy ceases to looktragic." - page 209"Where I am, death is not; where death is, I am not." - page 209two moving stories about passion - page 222"We must look to meaning. The symptom is but a messenger carryingthe news that Angst is erupting from the innermost realm." - Seite232"I dream of a love in which two people share a passion to searchtogether for some higher truth. Perhaps I should not call it love.Perhaps it's real name is friendship." - page 243about the infinite - page 250" "So, Josef, once again I say, let this thought take possession of you.Now I have a question for you: Do you hate the idea? Or do you love it?" - "I hate it!" Breuer almost shouted. "To live forever with thesense that I have not lived, have not tasted freedom - the idea fills mewith horror." "Then," Nietzsche exhorted, "live in such a way that youlove the idea!" - "All that I love now, Friedrich, is the thought that Ihave fulfilled my duty towards others." " - page 252"Today I understoof that the best teacher is one who learns from hisstudent." - page 254Amor fati, thus it was - thus I willed it. - page 282"She may have played her role, but you, what role did you play? Wereyou, and I, so different from her? Did you see her? Or did you,instead, see only prey - a disciple, a plowland for your thoughts, asuccessor?" - page 298

5

I genuinely enjoyed reading this one. It is entertaining but not in a shallow way. Every reading session took me deeper into the story but also deeper into my head and my thoughts. It offers a great plot, characters that develop and unanticipated turns. That’s all great ingredients for a book but this, too me, goes beyond because of its unique setting. It is fiction, but as that, history as it could have happened. This is greatly refreshing and I haven’t come across something like this before. I do not know if this is true for everyone or if this book just struck chords with me, but be prepared to be confronted with some deep, inconvenient thoughts. Questions you might dare to ask after reading this.

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