Rating: 
Summary: Wonderful. It works on so many levels.
Review: I had the good fortune to read this book the summer before my senior year of college. I knew little about Nietzsche, Freud, Breuer or Yalom. How lucky, then, to discover them all in one fell swoop! Their imagined interactions take place against the backdrop of 19th Century Vienna, which Yalom develops richly--from its splendor and highly intellectual culture to the basest, crudest manifestations of its growing anti-semitism. Yalom brings historical characters to life with wit, feeling and a stunning attention to detail. The character of Breuer is developed in such an intensely personal manner that one wonders how much Yalom drew from his own thoughts, fears and experiences. I have rarely seen so much of myself in a (semi-) fictional character. Nietzsche's defiance, brilliance and, ultimately, his frailty are portrayed thoroughly and believably. Read this book in a moment of transition. Or read it when your life seems to stretch before you in a path of endless predictability. Read it when you face great challenge and pain, or when you are comfortable and complacent. It will inspire you to examine yourself and the path you have chosen.
Rating: 
Summary: Existentialism is good for you.
Review: At the instigation of a friend of Nietzsche's, Lou Salome, Freud's mentor, Josef Breuer, attempts to cure Friedrich Nietzsche of suicidal despair and existential angst. Because the poverty-ridden and proud philosopher would accept no help, Dr. Breuer attempts to cure Nietzsche with an experimental psychoanalytic "talk" therapy completely without Nietzsche's knowledge by pretending to be a "patient" of Nietzsche's instead. Dr. Breuer, you see, has problems of his own. He, too, lives in despair, plagued with nightmares, an obesession with a former patient, and insomnia. Nietzsche, unable to refuse Dr. Breuer's compromise, begins the series of daily talks. The novel becomes more and more compelling as first Dr. Breuer and then the reticent Nietzsche reveal the origins of their the desires, fears, and pains. Yalom has carefully recreated the psyche of one of the most brilliant minds in the history of philosophy, a man whose work continually effects us today. Yalom has also carefully constructed the mind of a man in the midst of a mid-life crisis, and the good doctor's life is balanced precariously on what he maintains of the respectable life he has created around him. The novel revolves around the idea of choice, do we in bear the responsibility for what happens to us as Nietzsche alleges, or can we be caught up in the plans of others and forced to do their bidding? The novel resolves these issues and more, with enough twists and philosophical ponderings to serve as a class on Nietzsche, but much more fun.
Rating:
Summary: makes you think
Review: My friend recommended this book and when I started to read it I couldn't put it down. I thought it was an entertaining book that really makes you think about issues of life that tend to arise when you reach the mid-30's and 40's ("establish maturity wether you like it or not!:)"). I am a Nietzsche fan and it was fun to read this ficticious novel about him. The players here are interesting and famous but the issues are common to everyone! Did we make the right choices? Should we change directions now? What could have been if...?
Most people will always wonder...
Rating:
Summary: Intellectually Challenging and Personally Meaningful
Review: This is one of the most intellectually stimulating, personally relevant, important books I have ever read. What a rare treat Yalom has given the world. That being said, this book may not be for everyone (but what is?). In many ways, I feel as if this novel was written just for me, and I feel sure that many other readers likewise come away feeling the book was written especially for them. Do you have to know Nietzsche in order to enjoy this book? You do not, but it will certainly appeal to you more if you do. I approached this book purely as a Nietzsche admirer, and I worried that my favorite philosopher might be portrayed poorly or unacceptably in its pages. In fact, he was not. No one can say whether this fictional treatment of Nietzsche is a true depiction of this great man, but it really does not matter. The importance of this book comes not through the descriptions of its characters, but from the meaning you as an individual take from its themes. These themes are grand and universal, the themes that Nietzsche addressed in his factual life--the meaning of life, fear of aging and death, each person's place in society, and both aloneness and loneliness. Everyone knows these themes, the emotions they stir up, the doubts they employ as daily hurdles on the living of one's life, the truly cosmic loneliness that each individual knows and combats at some point or points in his/her life. Not everyone can face these challenges or even acknowledge them; those who cannot will do well to stay away from this book. What a joy it is to read a truly intellectually challenging work in these modern times. Don't read this book to be entertained. Read this book to seek understanding of life and your place in it. I cannot stress enough how personal the message of this book seems to be. In the final pages, Nietzsche revealed to Dr. Breuer his one great fear, and that fear was my own great fear, expressed in words that described it better than I ever could. I had to put the book down momentarily and just say "My God . . ." That gave this book incredible meaning for me. I should say that I did not come away overjoyed or overly burdened from the experience of finishing the book, but I certainly came away more in tune with my own thoughts and my own philosophy, challenged to remain steadfast in my own intellectual thoughts and pursuits, and buoyed (yet not elated) to know that at least one other person on earth has knowledge of the intellectual and emotional struggles that I sometimes resigned myself to believe were solely my own. Please, do not start reading this book unless and until you are ready to devote yourself to it and to yourself. The first few chapters are not gripping and do not really offer a visionary glimpse of the meaning and magic of the book. The early conversations, particularly between Nietzsche and Breuer, are sometimes rather stilted and "phony." Do not be discouraged in the early stages of the read because intellectual stimulation and personal challenge await you soon thereafter, and I believe that you will find yourself hard pressed to stop reading until the very end. More importantly, the book will remain with you even after you have placed it back on the shelf. That is the greatest praise that a novel can be given.
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Summary: Inspiration Through Sorrow In Old Vienna
Review: Breuer and Nietzsche never met, but Dr. Yalom considers the intriguing possibilities in this novel of psychological and philosophical ideas. Dr. Yalom is a professor of phsychiatry at Stanford and a proponent of "existential psychotherapy," so he is able to create drama derived almost entirely from the emotional portraits of the characters rather than the actions and struggles of the characters in the external world. Yalom's achievement is to make the reader care about Breuer and Nietzsche as they struggle to confront (or avoid) their greatest fears and weaknesses. The reader is drawn into intimate conversation with the brilliant but unloveable Nietzsche and the gifted but ungrateful Breuer. The necessary whining is balanced by just enough action and intellectual history to propel the narrative forward. Along the way the genesis of psychotherapy and existentialism is consisely explained using dialogue from Breuer, Freud and Nietzsche as well as quotations from their actual works. But this book not about theory. The sorrow of these great men is transformed into inspiration for the reader as they struggle to embrace the wisdom of amor fati, to love one's fate. We are reminded of our own need to accept complete responsibility for our choices and to boldly face life's challenges. One need not embrace an existentialist worldview to find inspiration in such advice. Neither does the Professor preach philosophy in his drama. Rather, the reader is invited to achieve a synthesis of his own after observing the strivings of the characters. Vienna was an intellectual microcosm of Europe in the late 19th Century, so the city bcomes a character in the story, with various characters, some historical, some fictional, acting as the sounding board for Breuer's and Nietzsche's nascent philosophies. This is not a book for readers put off by lengthy dialogues, and it is short on dramatic action and romance. But for those who might enjoy urgent and intimate conversation with great minds on the verge of their greatest achievements, When Nietzsche Wept may be as therapeutic as an afternoon with close friends over cafe melange at the Cafe Landtmann.
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Summary: OK, so Yalom is not a novelist.......
Review: The fact that Yalom is a psychologist and not a novelist has become the most common criticism of this book. However, I found it very interesting. Few times are fact and fiction so carefully intertwined to produce a book that makes you think about your existence and how you dealt / deal / will deal with it after reading the book.
Rating:
Summary: Two powerful figures and the birth of a science
Review: "When Nietzsche Wept" is a fictional encounter between Friedrich Nietzsche, the nineteenth century philosopher, and Josef Breuer, a Viennese doctor who is one of the founders of psychoanalysis. The story takes place in 1882, when Doctor Breuer accepted to help Nietzsche fight his hemicrania and despair. What follows is a captivating story of intrigue, betrayal and the development of an intimate friendship. But the book's highlight is the dialogue between Nietzsche and Breuer, in which the author touches upon the issues of life, death, love, lust, passion and freedom. In the process of the story, Irvin Yalom presents Nietzsche's philosophy in a portrayal that is candid and captures the complicated mystique of the brilliant philosopher. And, Dr. Yalom's story-telling is so lucid that one can fully comprehend the logic of Nietzsche's philosophy. In the end, "When Nietzsche Wept" is a window into Nietzsche's innermost thoughts and psyche. Equally compelling is Yalom's discussion of psychoanalysis. If Nietzsche's words are half of the book's appeal, the other half has to be the development of the dialogue between Nietzsche and Breuer. The psychoanalytical method is being invented as the book progresses -- and Dr. Yalom has done an excellent job of presenting the foundations of psychoanalysis as if springing out of spontaneous dialogue between two men. This book is not only an excellent and easy read, but also highly didactic, appealing to those interested in philosophy or psychology. But more broadly, Dr. Yalom's words have such power and applicability that no one could be left uninterested in what he has to say.
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Summary: An excellant example of existential psychotherapy!
Review: I've read others reviews of this book that expressed great disappointment with the ending. However I found this work to be meaningful and profound. Yalom shows the reader through direct example what the key to existential therapy is: to truly confront our fear of our own death which we must ultimately confront alone. In this book he shows us the things that our unconscious contrives to replace and disguise this fear. As a graduate student in clinical psychology I found Yalom's choice of structure fascinating. He used several varied methods such as therapy sessions, thoughts, letters, and the therapy notes of both men to show the inner thought processes that were occurring in both men as they simultaneously sought to help each other. I recommend this book to anyone who is interested in the inner life of others. However I also recommend any of Yalom's more clinically oriented books. Having just finished a six week group therapy class that used Yalom's group therapy book as a guide, I feel that I can confidently reassure anyone that this is a man who is acutely aware of what we need as humans to exist more authentically.
Rating: 
Summary: Great idea, turgid prose
Review: Well, it's nice that Dr. Yalom has tried his hand at fiction; this imaginary account set in turn of the Century Vienna features Breuer and Freud with a mystery woman who comes to request the professional services of Sigmund for a strange philosophical friend who turns out to be Nietzche. Well, this novel has its interesting twists and turns with the philosopher ending up analyzing the psychiatrist and the psychiatrist philosophizing with the philosopher. However, the plot line is a bit too neat; true, it's quite clever, but so is nearly every episode of Law and Order, the TV cop/lawyer show. It doesn't make the show nor this book great literature. There are some nice touches such as Breuer and Freud stopping for their favorite snack--Pork Sausage (oh, that irreverent Freud!) and some interesting (not believable and a bit wooden, though) dialogue that draws on the psychological and philosophical zeitgeist of the age, but there is quite a few hackneyed techniques here (a dream sequence that is only missing those waves from 1950's movies to indicate a shift in reality, among others). The craft is fairly good but very obvious. Dr. Yalom has written eloquently in his non-fiction, both via his essays and his textbooks. But in the realm of the imagination, perhaps the "social scientist" in him is a bit too embedded.
Rating:
Summary: Intellect Meets Emotion - Welcome to Irvin Yalom's World
Review: I should start off with why this historical novel only gets three stars even though it had a deep impact on me personally at the time I read it. Yalom is at best a semi-compelling novelist. He is a gifted psychologist (both academically and as a therapist), but his style of writing can be a bit dry (or maybe its the subject matter) so I had to deduct one star for his limited skills as a writer of fiction. As with many meaningful books, this book has a small but loyal audience rather than having mass appeal. Given that Yalom is far from a giant in the literary world, I imagine the majority of the people who consider reading this book will have either a powerful interest in psychology (especially psychoanalysis) or a powerful interest in modern philosophy (especially the existential variety). Ideally, they will have at least, a healthy curiosity about both topics. I deducted the other star because I don't think this book will appeal to the "philosophy lovers" (redundant, n'est ce, pas?), particularly those oriented toward the work of Nietzsche, if they don't have that healthy curiosity about psychology. Although Yalom gives a very interesting interpretation of what Nietzsche's emotional make-up and what the nuances of his writing indicate about him personally, this is not a biography, nor a new take on Nietzsche. Anyone familiar with Nietzsche's biography will not be surprise by this novel, and at best will be amused at the dramatic license that Yalom takes in putting Nietzsche in a situation that never occurred. But if you consider yourself more inclined towards the psychological than the philosophical or biographical, then I would rate this book a four star read for you. As stated before, When Nietzsche Wept is an historical novel. The main characters are of course Frederich Nietzsche and Dr. Josef Breuer, who stumbled across the psychoanalytic talking cure most closely associated with Sigmund Freud, who was Breuer's informal understudy, contemporary, and friend. Sigmund Freud plays a supporting role in the novel as well as Lou Salome (the lover who spurned Nietzsche's love and probably acted as the catalyst for his most prolific writing period) and Anna O. (appearing in the novel as Bertha, Breuer's patient whom he treated for hysteria). Of course all of these people are key players in the intellectual movement taking place in the late nineteenth century in Europe. But the meeting of Breuer and Nietzsche, while plausible, is a fabrication of Yalom, a springboard that allows him to explore one of his favorite subjects: existential philosophy. It is obvious from Yalom's body of more academic work that he is a champion of the traditional psychoanalytic process. The key word is process, because Yalom uses this novel as a kind of 'textbook example' of the psychoanalytic process. Note that Yalom is not interested in diagnosing mental illnesses from the DSM-IV and the like. He is of the thinking that just about all of us are suffering from some burning question: philosophical questions, morbid questions, existential questions. Yalom paints Breuer as the classic type A successful middle-aged man who finds himself having a midlife crisis. Its obvious that where Yalom portrays a large chunk of himself with Breuer: especially the bumbling and neurotic nature of that Breuer exemplifies in the novel. Yalom paints Nietzsche as a long-suffering intellectual attempting to completely detach himself from himself emotionally. In the course of the book, both men haphazardly stumble across emotional awakenings and enlightenments through the psychoanalytic process that they don't even realize they are involved in. Breuer's character muses throughout his and Nietzsche's treatment about the future implications of what he is discovering. The novel doesn't have a surprise ending or a gut-wrenching plotline. Just like Greek tragedies, you know how this one will turn out early on in the novel, but the enjoyment comes from watching the way things unfold. It has been said about psychoanalysis that in order for the process one must have time to waste, even though each moment is an important step in the journey that has no definite ending or conclusion. Some will argue that this book unrealistically turns into a Fantasy Island episode in that it quickly ties up neatly at the end with everyone changed from their lessons and optimistic about the future given their new experiences. In truth, the psychoanalytic process is much slower and sporadic (kind of like a drunk staggering to his home...the steps are unsteady and sometimes in the wrong direction but he gets there eventually). To keep things interesting and palatable, Yalom has to speed things up to a dizzying pace that does take on an almost hackneyed resolution. These two men develop the kind of trust that usually takes years to develop in a matter of weeks. And they make the kinds of changes that are usually hard fought struggles for life in almost an instant. But at its core, this novel paints the picture of two people healing themselves and healing each other in a loving relationship, which is what the subtle art of psychoanalysis is all about. It is not a science so the poetic license is okay. In closing, I say that if you find yourself open to experiencing the creative journey that psychologists from Freud to Yalom himself have mapped out, especially with such historically significant and engaging characters, this be the novel for you.
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