Thus Spoke Zarathustra

⚖The case for it

Philosophy as prophecy, as poetry, as fever dream. Zarathustra descends from his mountain to teach the Ubermensch, eternal recurrence, and the death of God. Nobody listens. The most literary philosophical work since Plato's dialogues. 'One must still have chaos in oneself to give birth to a dancing star.' Nietzsche considered it his masterpiece. He was right.

— the canon

✕The case against

Mock-scripture is a register that curdles over four hundred pages, and Part Four curdles fastest; by the Ass Festival the self-parody is indistinguishable from the prophecy. The biblical voice buries the arguments, which is why this book has launched more misreadings than anything else Nietzsche wrote. Arrive from the Genealogy already knowing the ideas; Zarathustra rewards recognition and punishes first contact.

— the honest librarian