My Copy: 9780140445145 (image from genius.com)

I’ll admit, I couldn’t finish it, and stopped at page 100. I could barely get into the book, tried to read the introduction twice, and then tried to pick it up and get a few chapters in on 10 or more occasions in the past month. I’ve never read Nietzsche before, and maybe this was just the worst book to start with, but I couldn’t get into it.

I also learned through the introduction that he was apparently in an asylum by the time this book came about. I’m not sure how I was supposed to take what’s in these pages. There are fragments of information, little numbered segments that aren’t terribly cohesive, at least, not as far as I could tell

Maybe it’s the translation I have issues with, I don’t know. It almost feels like a book of random quotes and observations, which just makes it tough to remember where exactly I left off. The words just didn’t leave much of an impression.

I have other works by Nietzsche on my shelves. Perhaps I’ll re-tackle this one after going through some of his earlier works. Maybe it’s just the organization of his writings that’s turned me off, or maybe it’s just been a bad month and I couldn’t get into it. I’m a bit bummed because I spent so much time on this book when my reading goal has fallen so far behind.

I’ll try this one again someday. But right now, not my cup of tea. Could be yours, though.