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When Nietzsche Wept

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When Nietzsche Wept

By: Irvin D. Yalom
Narrated by: Richard Powers
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Summary

In 19th-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.

©1992, 2003 Irvin D. Yalom (P)2015 Blackstone Audio, Inc. Genre Fiction Historical Fiction Literary Fiction Fiction Thought-Provoking Medicine
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It took me an hour to be drawn in the story. I wondered if it was just entertainment or whether it would also learn me a life lesson, but because I was intrigued to learn about Nietzsche I listened on. It was only in the last hours of the book that it clicked for me what the most important lesson is that Nietzsche tries to learn us, but even though Nietzsche is pretty complex the story made it crystal clear to me. For that I am very grateful to the author.

It started slow but very clear point in the end

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For me 'Staring at the truth' is now staring at my phone screen unsure about how much I have taken from this book; doubtful about how well I've understood it. So many powerful philosophical insights (literally one after the other) on how to live a fulfilled life, escape the dread of death or choose your destiny that actually my head throbs. As I listened to this book, I would probably have preferred a paperback (or kindle version) so I could see the words, make notes, and go back to them as often as I needed. But did I like it as a whole? Yes, totally engrossed in it, 'mesmerised' by it; it stirred my mind and soul and made me fall in love with Philosophy and especially with this science (art) of Psychotherapy. I found myself reading lengthy articles on Nietzche, Breuer, Freud and somehow, I found them captivating. Psychotherapy didn't even exist only a hundred years ago or so and Yalom gives us the most absorbing and inspirational account of its roots, meaning and healing power. This 'talking cure' is a cure but there is so much to it, honesty (chimney sweeping) being key: 'I must find my own way and not search for THE way or YOUR way'. The perspective from which Yalom regards Nietzchie is poignant and admirable too, it seduces you and makes you crave for all Nietzchie's work: 'He who does not obey himself is ruled by others'; 'Living safely is dangerous, dangerous and deadly'; 'The key to living well is first to will that what is necessary and then to live that what is willed'.
I despised, however, the recurrent discussions about women being loathsome and unworthy of consideration; it is a question of how much you can grasp from this book and how you perceive it.

Inspirational

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Listened for 5 hours straight. highly recommend to anyone with a brain. The narration was perfect too.

superb on so many levels.

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What a book!
What a story!
What a self healing read!
I thoroughly recommend this!

Absolutely amazing

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Another amazing story by the author. Highly recommend for reading. Talented writer of the beautiful content.

Amazing

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