German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche has been the subject of many intellectual biographies, yet none thus far is as liberating as Nietzsche & the Jews, an in-depth examination of his relationships with Jews and Judaism.
For the first time in any study of Nietzsche, Siegfried Mandel persuasively argues that this controversial 19th-century philosopher was truly ambivalent toward Jews, many of whom were quite influential in his intellectual and social pursuits.
Incorporating writings and conversations by philosophers and others with whom Nietzsche interacted (e.g., Wagner, Schopenhauer, Gibbon, Freud, and others), the author liberates his subject from "venerators and detractors alike" by demonstrating that Nietzsche was both "philosemitic" and anti-Semitic. This dual attitude of praise and criticism adds to the complexity of Mandel's subject, an intellectual enigma who remains one of the most controversial and misunderstood thinkers in history. Forceful, lively, and original, this book incorporates a wealth of evidence that opens Nietzsche's life and works to more careful study and reflection.