When Nietzsche Wept: A Novel of Obsession

New York, NY: Harpercollins: Basic Books. Near Fine in Fine dust jacket. 1992. First Edition; First Printing. Hardcover. FLAT SIGNED BY THE AUTHOR at the title page. First Edition (1992) ; First Printing indicated by a complete numerical sequence. Near Fine in Near Fine DJ: The Book shows a hint of spine lean; else flawless; the binding is secure; the text is clean. Free of any creased or dog-eared pages in the text. Free of any underlining, hi-lighting or marginalia or marks in the text. Free of any ownership names, dates, addresses, notations, inscriptions, stamps, plates, or labels. A handsome, nearly-new copy, structurally sound and tightly bound, showing a minor, unobtrusive imperfection. Bright and clean. Corners sharp. Very close to "As New". The DJ shows only the faintest wrinkle at the top of the front hinge; else flawless; the price is intact. Virtually 'As New'. NOT a Remainder, Book-Club, or Ex-Library. 8vo. (9.5 x 6.4 x 1.15 inches) . Language: English. Weight: 22.9 ounces. Hardcover with DJ. Irvin David Yalom (born June 13, 1931) is an American existential psychiatrist with a deep interest in philosophy. His writing on existential psychology centers on what he refers to as the four "givens" of the human condition: isolation, meaninglessness, mortality and freedom, and discusses ways in which the human person can respond to these concerns either in a functional or dysfunctional fashion. In works of fiction and non-fiction he has tried to combine these two disciplines for the insights they may jointly offer his readers. "When Nietzsche Wept" is probably Yalom's most successful novel. In his book, Yalom imagines an encounter between Josef Breuer (1842-1925) , a Viennese physician who, among other accomplishments helped found psychoanalysis, and the famed philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche. Both men are obsessed with a woman and with sexuality, as well as with their own loneliness, and their attempts to understand themselves and find meaning in their lives. The book is set in Vienna in 1882. Breuer, age 40 and highly successful, has ended the doctor-patient relationship with a woman in her early twenties, Bertha O. , with whom he has been erotically obsessed. Breuer has been using talk-therapy with Bertha, the first time this technique had been attempted. Breuer has been neglecting his wife, Mathilde, and their five children over his obsession with Bertha and with his heavy commitments to his medical practice and research. In the course of their discussions, Breuer and Nietzsche gradually become friends and reveal some of their innermost feelings to each other. Both men share a deep skepticism towards religion, with Nietzsche famous for his aphorism, "God is dead". In Yalom's book, Nietzsche explains that the goal of his thought is to find meaning in life rather than falling into nihilism or despair in the face of the denial of theism. In the course of the book, the reader learns a great deal about Nietzsche's thought, with portions of his imaginary conversations with Breuer taken extensively from his writings. Yalom's book is an imaginative creation of the birth of "talk therapy" and it shows the relationship between philosophical concerns and the concrete issues of individuals that are explored in psychotherapy. In addition to its portrayals of the two major characters, Yalom offers good portrayals of the young Sigmund Freud, a student and friend of Breuer, of Lou Salome. ; Large 8vo 9" - 10" tall; 306 pages; Signed by Author .