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Thus Spoke Zarathustra

A Book for All and None

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Thus Spoke Zarathustra

By: Friedrich Nietzsche, Thomas Common - translator
Narrated by: John Lee
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About this listen

Composed in four parts between 1883 and 1885, Thus Spoke Zarathustra is the most famous and influential work of German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche. The work is a philosophical novel in which the character of Zarathustra, a religious prophet-like figure, delivers a series of lessons and sermons in a Biblical style that articulate the central ideas of Nietzsche's mature thought. Key to the philosophy of Thus Spoke Zarathustra is a rejection of traditional systems of religious morality, the idea of the will to power, and a vision of a new, higher mode of being, the ubermensch" or "Superman," one of Nietzsche's most famous and controversial figures. As innovative stylistically as it is philosophically, Thus Spoke Zarathustra is both a literary masterpiece and an enduring classic of moral thought. This version of Thus Spoke Zarathustra is the translation by Thomas Common.

Public Domain (P)2011 Tantor Ethics & Morality Philosophy Superhero Morality
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I have listened to this guy narrate Ken Follet books and he’s great. But for Zarathustra he is perfect.

Zarathustra

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This is by far, the epitome of artfully expressed philosophy. The work is consistently thought-provoking. The language is embellished and crowned with an unblemished narration. In my opinion, the tone and the narrative attitude of the translator and the narrator, respectively, is indicative of intense readership (if not discipleship) of Nietzsche. It is indeed, a spectacular work of art.

Such a spectacular work of art

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Great reading. Great translation. All good. There is so much wisdom contained in such a short space. One might spend a lifetime on a book such as this.

Great book

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It’s written in the style of a religious text and was pleased when it was finished as it’s a bit long winded.
Thus Zarathustra didn’t say this. 😂

There’s lots of verily

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Thus Spoke Zarathustra contains Nietzsche's most famous ideas, death of God (a metaphysical event) and the concept of The Superman. These make it the best known yet least understood.
The Superman is, like the death of God, a metaphysical concept. The Superman is neither a comic book superhero, nor the Nazi concept of the Ideal Aryan. The Superman has no genetic or Eugenic components and is highly incompatible with any totalitarian ideology.
The Superman is a man who has surpassed the old concepts of slave moralities and has reinvented his own morals. He lives by his own standards, understands himself and is non conformist. In short, ideas anathema to Fascism.
Thus Spoke Zarathustra also contains the other classic Nietzschean ideas such as the State being "the coldest of all cold monsters" and the "herd mentality."
The narrative is essentially an allegorical novel, telling of a New Zarathustra. Not the Persian Prophet who founded Zoroastrianism, but a new Zarathustra for modern days. In this regard, the book can be difficult to follow at times and can frequently seem pointless and tangential, however, it is one of the easier philosophical texts to grasp, and one of the most enjoyable.
John Lee is a superb narrator and really gives the reading a Prophetic feeling. His narrative voice is highly emphatic and clearly understood.
A thought provoking classic and absolute joy to listen to, one of the best philosophical listens one could wish for.

The Classic Postulation of Nietzschean Philosophy

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