Basic Writings of Nietzsche

Rating:
Summary: Break glass and grab Nietzsche in case of emergency.
Review: This collection of Nietzsche's writings are completely enjoyable, the life and muscle only brings grins to the face of those who dare to experience it. Especially good language in the translation is something to note.
Every book, or snippet in this chronicle of sorts is indispensable, but THE BOT is really a great place to embark. The way that all the books tackle/attack Christianity and problematic ideals of morality - and the traps that mankind finds itself within these self made pits - makes Nietzsche something of a superman even by todays standards.. but just think, he was doing this way back in the mid 1800s.
This is where everyone should start to learn and enjoy the wonderful writings of what could really be considered one of the last great philosophical thinkers... with only exception might be B. Russell.

Rating:
Summary: Contra
Review: This is an excellent introduction to Nietzsche's philosphy with some of the major and most acknowledged of Nietzsche's works (it could have done better having Thus Spoke Zarathustra and Antichrist, but the problem is easily fixed by the Complete Nietzsche also purchaseable here on amazon). However, here lies the problem. These are the most acknowledged wors of Nietzsche, and as Kaufmann himself states in his biography of Nietzsche, Nietzsche's more private philosphy is a bit different from that which he put in his most famous book. Of course this is not as to discredit the philospher of the Complete works, but simply that the Complete works could have also included some of the lesser known material, as the Complete nietzsche does.
As to the critics of the inconsistency of Nietzsche's philosophy I have a message also. First of all ,and most fundamentaly, I do not understand why Nietzsche is observed in terms of other philosphers. If someone wants to disprove Nietzsche for his contrdictions and fallacies Nietzsche must not be viewed in terms of an unrelated outside subjects but in the terms of Nietzsche himself. If his critics would have done that and knew Nietzsche better than they apparently claim to, they would have known that Nietzsche was very dynamic in his philosphy, something that makes him attractive and easy to relate to. It is exactly this progress from religious to nihilistic to hopeful that produces an illusion of contradictions, while all along this are simple faults in trying to bridge the philosphies together without having to refute his older beliefs (Hollingdale, Intro to Thus Spoke Zarathustra, Penguin Classics ed.). While some might believe that the dynamismn of Nietzsche destroys his credibility, the effect is obviously opposite. It is through his growth and incredible 180 turns that he is able to polish his philosphy and make it as perfect as possible. His philosphy is not something as static as of Kant (poor old Kant seemd to be obsessed with Critiques), and static philosophies leave a lot of room in themselves for mistakes. Change, as Nietzsche believed was a fundamental process, and he especially stated this in a Zarathustra chapter, the name of which I cannot recall; it is a process that solidifies and perfects man, and this is what Nietzsche did to his philosphy.

Rating:
Summary: Jenseits von Gut und Bose
Review: This is very simply an extraordinary book. Some of Nietzsche's best writings are included in this book, all translated by Walter Kaufmann - Kaufmann being, of course, one of the greatest scholars of German literature (and Nietzsche in particular) of the twentieth century.

The translation seemed very good to me, and I've enjoyed Kaufmann's translations before - particularly his book "Goethe's Faust" is one of the best poetic translations I've ever read.