Essays and Aphorisms (Penguin Classics)

Any philosopher can write so that the average reader can't understand what they are saying. Even Nietzsche managed it, In fact many did so intentionally, addressing themselves to other philosophers and academics. Schopenhauer, on the other hand, is a brilliantly lucid writer and natural born communicator. He reads as pacey and gripping as a good novel, but without talking down to his readers. JG Ballard said human beings can't handle reality for too long at a stretch.Schopenhauer was on message 200 years before him. When you consider when he wrote, even in translation his work is modern and never flinches from delivering some hard truths we may prefer to shy away from. Philosophical writing developed in Germany as a direct result of the genius of Goethe, whose work covered every other sphere of writing. German writers had to explore philosophy as a outlet for their writing. If they wrote novels or poetry, they could only be rated as second rate Goethes. England and France produced great novelists. Germany produced philosophers. That's the key to how good Schopenhauer is...he's a great writer who chose philosophy as his theme, i.e. writer first. OK, feminists don't like him, but then they wouldn't, would they? They don't like anything but themselves, especially reality.

Interesting.

Bit of a mixed bag this - it's a compilation of snippets from Schopenhauer's essays. Forget the introduction though by Hollingdale - he overemphasises Schopenhauer's pessimism due to his own Nietzschean proclivities.

A great introduction to Schopenhauer's thought with a fantastic introduction. His essays range from insightful aphorisms to hilarius spells of unchecked misogyny, and provide a strange and stimulating insight into this tempestuous mind. Probably the first thing you should read by Schoppy P.

If you buy this you're surely aware of Schopenhauer anyway and don't need to hear my opinion of this pessimistic (realistic) genius who saw the world as it was and made a huge contribution to c19 philosophy, although some of his views are clearly of their time. This is a beautiful edition, small enough to travel with, substantial enough to justify the price.

Amazing. Probably my favourite philosopher. I especially respect the essays on writing (being an artist/creative genius), 'The Will to live' and suicide. As a woman I even think the essay on women was probably relevant for its time.

what an idiot schopenhauer was. quite clever, and he had some nice ideas about music, and the will to life, but really, what an idiot.

Schopenhauer's thoughts are preceded by the translator's introduction. This contains interesting background material. But beware: the introduction is a rather dismissive attempt to rationalise or "explain" the roots of Schopenhauer's world view. Do not be distracted by this - Hollingdale may well be a fine translator but he is not the philosophical genius that Schopenhauer was.