Nietzsche, Henry James, and the artistic will

by Stephen Donadio

No Synopsis Available.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0195023587
• Release Date: January 1978
• Publisher: Oxford University Press
• Length: 347 Pages
• Weight: 1.17 lbs.

Customer Reviews

Intersection of Philosophy and Literature in the Modern Imagination

From front jacket: "This pioneering contribution to the history of modern ideas connects two commanding figures ordinarily considered worlds apart. Observing that philosophy and fiction are two activities which have 'always sustained and offered criticisms of one another,' Stephen Donadio sets out to explore the continuities of thought and feeling which link Nietzsche, a European philosopher whose work often appears to reflect a feverish attraction to extremity, and James, an American novelist commonly identified with decorous assertions of magisterial detachment. Moving beyond the boundaries of isolated literary and philosophical investigation, this wide-ranging study represents a breakthrough in our understanding of the relations between the phenomenon of modernism and the settled presuppositions of American imaginative life. Donadio points out the correspondences between the Nietzschean conception of the superman and more immediately familiar assumptions regarding American identity. In addition, he provides a compelling account of that moment in cultural history at the turn of the century which produced a radical new view of the relationship of art to life."

Head Over Heels for Henry James: A review

In a time such as now, a time in which our culture, the very fabric that ties us fellow human beings together, seems so devoid of anything human, so bereft of any real spiritual substance, and by God, so lacking in good, old fashioned books, Donadio reins triumphant as the literary vanguard of the modern era, so great, so fresh, and so enthusiastic, that one can hardly help but wonder, "Is this man real, or is he a literary illusion?"I can tell you for a fact that he is real. I've had the pleasure of meeting him in person at a book signing in Metuchen, NJ. Donadio is as commanding in person as his tremulous prose would suggest. From his enthusiasm for alternative looking sportcoats to his love of children, this man has it all: pure, unadulterated genius. For anyone willing to be culturally, emotionally, socially, and physically inspired, "Nietzche, Henry James and the Artistic Will" is the book for you. Read it, cherish it and put it in your bathroom. Stephen did.

Bling Bling

I have searched far and wide to find a book that examines Henry James in such vivid detail. I especially enjoyed Donadio's examination of James' vivid Tie collection. Donadio's own illustrious break dancing career makes him the perfect man to document Nietzsche's own prolific moves. While Donadio's style is dry at times, he quickly remounts his literary horse, drawing the reader into a trance-like state of literary ectasy. If that isn't the artistic will, I don't know what is! Any true student of American literature would love hiding away with Donadio and a six pack, ready to appreciate approach life with renewed vigor.

Where Has This Book Been All My Life?!?!?!?

How do I condense pure genius into written form? Look, I'm not saying you should read the work of Stephen Donadio, and I'm not saying you shouldn't read the work of Stephen Donadio. All I'm saying is that if you do read this unqiue encounter with American literary genius, you should do so with an open mind and a vast hunger for knowledge. What the novel lacks in physical beauty is made up for with equisite dressing of large themes. Donadio accentuates the boring side of life with skillful ear hair. One might compare Donadio to literay great William Faulkner, who so avidly described hunting for a bear without a compass. Stephen Donadio, we live in your shadow.