Beyond Good and Evil (AmazonClassics Edition)

De: Friedrich Nietzsche, Helen Zimmern - translator

Narrado por: Christine Williams

A caustic criticism of nearly every philosophic predecessor and a challenge of traditionally held views on right and wrong, Friedrich Nietzsche’s Beyond Good and Evil paved the way for modern philosophical thought. Through nearly three hundred transformative aphorisms, Nietzsche presents a worldview in which neither truth nor morality are absolutes, and where good and evil are not opposites but counterparts that stem from the same desires.

Beyond Good and Evil was a foundational text for early twentieth-century thinkers, including philosophers, psychologists, novelists, and playwrights. Today’s readers will delight in Nietzsche’s pithy wit and irony while gaining a deeper understanding of his core ideology.

AmazonClassics brings you timeless works from iconic authors. Ideal for anyone who wants to read a great work for the first time or revisit an old favorite, these new editions open the door to the stories and ideas that have shaped our world.

Revised edition: Previously published as Beyond Good and Evil, this edition of Beyond Good and Evil (AmazonClassics Edition) includes editorial revisions.

Public Domain (P)2018 Brilliance Publishing, Inc., all rights reserved

Mind opening

A deep look at one self, and people. With an extreme at others. very interesting, but I have to look up lots of words to understand most of it.

narration

narrator wasn't the right fit for this book. I didn't like the way she was narrating

Not an easy read but makes interesting points

Might plan on listening twice, It's easy to miss a lot in this style of writing

A book better in hand.

This one would be better served on paper. If philosophy is truly your thing you will want to go back and referrence portions.

Beyond Good and Evil

Nietzsche is one of my favorite philosophers and “Beyond Good and Evil” is definitely a fine work; however. Yes, there’s a big huge “however,” like it always is with his works for me. I do appreciate his ideas about the leaders and the doers; he, like no one else, can inspire a person to think bigger, to dream bigger, and to be something bigger. His somewhat Darwinistic views on the society, in which the strongest has all the right to be on top, are good but only to a certain extent. I personally feel like he lost himself a little in his arrogance and maximized the idea to the point where it borderlines on cruelty and propagates aggression towards anyone below the said “leaders of the world” in his hierarchy.

Points I agree with: yes. We should all strive to become something bigger and better and there’s nothing shameful about it. Yes, individualism is better than following the herd. Yes, morality can totally exist without religion and, as a matter of fact, religion often imposes a wrong type of morality on a person and is damaging to the development of a strong personality due to such restrictions.

Points I had major problems with: Nietzsche’s views on feminism are ridiculous beyond any comprehension. I actually laughed a few times as he was trying to drive his nonsensical point across but I suppose he gets a pass for this one since it was more or less a common view of feminism in that age. Sympathy for the weak/less fortunate etc by no means makes the strong person weaker; on the contrary, it shows the strength of the spirit, for who shall protect the weakest members of the society if not the strong? What Nietzsche calls for is basically eugenics and we all know what such views led to in Nazi Germany (yes, I’m pretty sure Hitler borrowed a few ideas from his works). The idea that “an ideal human” has no right to be sentimental and can only display violent, masculine emotions is much too damaging and again, we all saw how it ended for the new generation of Hitler’s “Teutonic Knights.”

Overall, if you disregard all the outdated 19th century Darwinistic and nationalistic views and concentrate on the inspirational parts, it’s definitely a work to keep by your side.

Em -fah- sis on the wrong sill-a- bull

I could not find the readers flow. She is definitely not mono tone. I couldn't place my finger on it.... and could not bring myself to listen long enough to figure it out, not saying I even could; I tried to push myself to listen because I spent money on this "Amazon classic" but no I went with another reader. This is a book we're the reader need to keep the listener engaged. For me she couldn't; for others I'm glad she could.

Optional

Many wise words; much to inspire thought and reflection. Some things would have been controversial at the time, more and others today. Nietzsche never intended to pander, and it takes courage and maturity to listen to what he has to say. The existentialists in general predicted the course of modern civilization surprisingly well. When you are tempted to feel superior and dismissive of Nietzsche, beware that you are using the same compassionate lens on your own ideas. He did.

Audiobook Narration

The content within the book is great. It's the audiobook itself which I have trouble with. It sounds like it was read by AI, and thus lifeless. Made it more difficult to enjoy.

Great content, couldn't listen to it...

The reader was NOT the person for this book. I couldn't hear it as Nietzsche. It was distracting. Her intonation was exaggerated and off. Nice voice, wrong voice for this Author.

Nietzsche must be Shaking in his Grave

What a poor and dull narration for such a spicy and unapologetically bullish and provocative philosophical master piece. How boring!!! Too soft and monotone of a voice to dish out the furry of the master, Nietzsche. Outer poor job in general!! Did not translate the Latin and other foreign expressions that add natural vivacity to some topics. Does not speak with forcefulness and conviction required for the topic. Would do a great job narrating something as soft and as light as Mary Had a Little Lamb. Would encourage her to listen to Ducan Steen’s narration of “The Genealogy of Morals” by the same author, or Simon Callow’s mastery narration of The Aeneid. Could not go beyond chapter 10. Want my money back!!! Zzzzzz.