Thus Spoke Zarathustra by Friedrich Nietzsche

Thus Spoke Zarathustra is a philosophical novel written by Friedrich Nietzsche and published in four volumes between 1883 and 1885. The book introduces some of Nietzsche’s most important philosophical ideas, as presented by a fictional ancient prophet named Zarathustra. The protagonist is nominally the historical Zoroaster.

The main theme of Thus Spoke Zarathustra is the portrayal of values as either creative and life-affirming or ascetic and conformist. Much of the book consists of discourses by Zarathustra on a wide variety of subjects, most of which end with the refrain, “Thus spoke Zarathustra”.

The book explores the importance of morality, the power of the individual, and the meaning of life. Nietzsche’s main character, Zarathustra, is a wise figure who advocates for the power of the individual and for the need to create one’s own morality.

What I Liked

I loved how lyrical and readable this book was. Philosophy (and philosophers) have a deserving reputation for being awful, boring writers, but this book is fascinating.

What I Did Not Like

It gets a bit repetitive in parts – and there’s no real way to skim or skip since the best parts are sort of buried.