Why I Am so Clever
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- Create Date：2021-05-20 10:55:18
- Update Date：2025-09-06
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- Author：Friedrich Nietzsche
- ISBN：0241251850
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Summary
'Why do I know a few more things？ Why am I so clever altogether？'
Self-celebrating and self-mocking autobiographical writings from Ecce Homo， the last work iconoclastic German philosopher Nietzsche wrote before his descent into madness。
One of 46 new books in the bestselling Little Black Classics series， to celebrate the first ever Penguin Classic in 1946。 Each book gives readers a taste of the Classics' huge range and diversity， with works from around the world and across the centuries - including fables， decadence， heartbreak， tall tales， satire， ghosts， battles and elephants。
Reviews
Jenna
，
I was not smart enough to understand it， but seemed it enjoyable if you could understand it
delphine
，
can you imagine nietzsche writing down all of these self-centered thoughts about him being profoundly noble，expressly clever，superior to all kind of living creatures，having a sensitivity which he touches and takes hold of every secret，and god just *cringes* ， nonetheless I would be very content with myself if I were his high school bully though
Mafalda
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didnt retain a single word
Asmae
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Certainly， not the best way to introduce yourself to philosophy， much less Nietzsche， yet it is a worthwhile read。 I enjoyed most parts and even found passages that really stuck with me （especially in the "why am I so clever" part）， as it's the part where he just so critically analyses his habits and thoughts and how he tweaked them over time to serve his genius。 I think a rule of thumb in reading this book is that what is significant and actually fascinating and interesting about Nietzsche is t Certainly， not the best way to introduce yourself to philosophy， much less Nietzsche， yet it is a worthwhile read。 I enjoyed most parts and even found passages that really stuck with me （especially in the "why am I so clever" part）， as it's the part where he just so critically analyses his habits and thoughts and how he tweaked them over time to serve his genius。 I think a rule of thumb in reading this book is that what is significant and actually fascinating and interesting about Nietzsche is this detachment he has from his ego。 What he describes in the book is his persona （or at least it seems that way to me）， which is the highest form of himself， which is less flawed and worldly than his ego form。 His persona is who he really is without others modifying it， his persona doesn't need the approval of others or their opinions。 And by creating this distance between ego and persona （or that's what I call it， you could call it "soul"） he can thrive as the philosopher he is。 As a matter of fact， if we were less worried about our ego， which is the form of ourselves that is destructive because it tempts us to be something we want rather than what we actually are， we would thrive and lessen the anxieties and preoccupations we experience in our lives。 Even though it's a fairly short collection， I think you have to read it several times to really understand the many layers Nietzsche paints。 I would definitely recommend it if you're familiar with a little philosophy and what it entails because you can get a little flustered by his candour and self-centeredness。 。。。more
Sarah Sherzad
，
Overall， it has some very intellectual/clever concepts and philosophies with lots of biographical details of Nietzsche's life especially during his sicker late years。 It is a mind teaser and often quite confusing。 So short but so long to finish and fully understand。 Not very found of his atheist views and reasons but the Christian church practises were very flawed at the time so don't blame him for challenging the black and white conceptualisation in Christianity of important concepts such as gu Overall， it has some very intellectual/clever concepts and philosophies with lots of biographical details of Nietzsche's life especially during his sicker late years。 It is a mind teaser and often quite confusing。 So short but so long to finish and fully understand。 Not very found of his atheist views and reasons but the Christian church practises were very flawed at the time so don't blame him for challenging the black and white conceptualisation in Christianity of important concepts such as guilt and regret。 But some areas were just unreasonable and mainly his own favouring of immoral sensation/feelings that he tries so hard to justify with overconfidence。 Overall， if looked closely into some of the ideas such as decadence and ressentiment then there is a richness and depth that is genius but it is hard to grasp in one reading。 Nietzsche is clever and highly confident！ 。。。more
Stephen Devine
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A most bizarre little book。 Said to be the last book written by Nietzsche before he descended in to madness。 Hard not think writing it was a pretty good signal。
Robert
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Roasts Henrik Ibsen
Subasrilekha Srinivasan
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Weird flex， but okay！
Beatriz Aguiar
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3。5 this was a nice and funny and thought inducing excerpt the writing was like walking through a maze tho， jesus！
Josh
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fun and short ！！！！
Millie ✨
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Went miles over my head
JimmiD
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4。5 Stars。I see there's a lot of dismissive reviews from those implying Nietzsche should have kept his mouth shut rather than having ego enough to publish this。 That's probably a little unfair given his name will live on longer than anyone else writing these inconsequential reviews。It also means we would miss the opportunity to see some genuine cultural insights from the man。 Such as "。。the falseness， the hybrid instincts of our 'culture' which confuses the artful with the rich， the late with th 4。5 Stars。I see there's a lot of dismissive reviews from those implying Nietzsche should have kept his mouth shut rather than having ego enough to publish this。 That's probably a little unfair given his name will live on longer than anyone else writing these inconsequential reviews。It also means we would miss the opportunity to see some genuine cultural insights from the man。 Such as "。。the falseness， the hybrid instincts of our 'culture' which confuses the artful with the rich， the late with the great。" And I enjoyed "Our largest expenditures are our most frequent small ones" which could have come straight out of a financial planners self-help guide。So in short， if you demand self-modesty of others ahead of the chance of gaining some pearls of wisdom， then this isn't for you。 What my ratings mean:5 – I felt this book was an exemplar in its genre/field。 That does not mean I agree with everything it says （or the moral of the story）。 It is likely to be a book that will change my thinking about a topic。4 – A very impressive book for its genre/field。 It probably didn’t change me or my thinking though。3 – An enjoyable way to spend the time reading it。2 – This was a pain to read。 There was probably something wrong in the way it was written/how I read it。1 – Life’s too short and/or I’m not smart enough to get the point of this book。 。。。more
Naima
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I wanted to dip my toes into a bit of Nietzsche。 I tried， I was confused， I giggled and I was confused again。 I marked a few interesting thoughts， but damn this man really loved himself。 I think we can all learn a couple of things from Nietzsche when we talk about self care and self love。 If only I could be 10% as confident and arrogant as he was。 Curious to read more of him when my brain can actually process it。
L
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A very interesting introduction to Nietzsche。 Some brilliant insights that have definitely extended my mind; enough pieces of wisdom to make me desperate for more。
Džiugas Babenskas
，
Self-celebrating and self-mocking autobiographical writings。 Weird flex， but okay。
Camilla
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I love this guy， his ego is through the roof。 Pretty fun to read。
kaukau_reads
，
Absolutely loved this book！ The translation by R。 J。 Hollingdale is by far my favourite of all the translated works of Nietzsche I have read。This book is incredibly filled with humour through Nietzsche's own ironic manner of writing。I find that Nietzsche's own philosophical musings to speak some truth of experience and life， itself。I don't see much wrong with this work of literature。 I would consider Nietzsche a feminist and ahead of his time in his manner of thinking。I would 100% recommend this Absolutely loved this book！ The translation by R。 J。 Hollingdale is by far my favourite of all the translated works of Nietzsche I have read。This book is incredibly filled with humour through Nietzsche's own ironic manner of writing。I find that Nietzsche's own philosophical musings to speak some truth of experience and life， itself。I don't see much wrong with this work of literature。 I would consider Nietzsche a feminist and ahead of his time in his manner of thinking。I would 100% recommend this work （and I have）。 。。。more
Teddy Dodger
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Bought this for £1 to bring my WH Smiths order to the £15 minimum so it served its purpose。 I suspect reading other books first is the way to go。
Marina Niscoveanu
，
“When I picture a perfect reader， I always picture a monster of courage and curiosity， also something supple， cunning， cautious， a born adventurer and discoverer。 “
Mădă
，
'One will see that I would not liketo see rudeness undervalued， it is the most humane form ofcontradiction by far and， in the midst of moderntendermindedness， one of our foremost virtues。''I myself， an opponent of Christianity，am far from bearing a grudge against theindividual for what is the fatality pf millennia。''Shakespeare: what must a man have suffered to need to be a buffoon to this extent！''Ultimately， no one can extract from things，books included， more than he already knows。What one has 'One will see that I would not liketo see rudeness undervalued， it is the most humane form ofcontradiction by far and， in the midst of moderntendermindedness， one of our foremost virtues。''I myself， an opponent of Christianity，am far from bearing a grudge against theindividual for what is the fatality pf millennia。''Shakespeare: what must a man have suffered to need to be a buffoon to this extent！''Ultimately， no one can extract from things，books included， more than he already knows。What one has no access to through experience one has no ear for。' 。。。more
Kat
，
Satiric and intriguing autobiographical book， definitely won’t go down to my fave books but good read to expand your horizons
Ahmad Suleman
，
Paradoxically， his chapter headings can be seen as modesty。 Most autobiographies are narcissistic celebrations of the author’s achievements with the faux modest proviso ‘oh， but I really am not that great’。 Nietzsche ditched this autobiographical artifice in favour of a more honest approach which looks insanely grandiose but it actually refreshingly authentic。。。
Gustina
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I respect Nietzsche as a philosopher， but I can't respect his ego。 I respect Nietzsche as a philosopher， but I can't respect his ego。 。。。more
Cassandra Stevens
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Maybe I just don't get it。 Gona stop reading such tripe。 Maybe I just don't get it。 Gona stop reading such tripe。 。。。more
Alin Andrei
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I've read this book with caution because I knew a little bit about Nietzsche and his philosophy and I advise everyone should do so。 What took me aback was the sight of such self-confidence in a man and I admit， it was rather contagious。His philosophy is rather captivating， but one should not be lured straight away into it。Through his beliefs， he manages to make one reflect on the things one would take for granted。 He brings up the close connection between Christianity and the instilling of the n I've read this book with caution because I knew a little bit about Nietzsche and his philosophy and I advise everyone should do so。 What took me aback was the sight of such self-confidence in a man and I admit， it was rather contagious。His philosophy is rather captivating， but one should not be lured straight away into it。Through his beliefs， he manages to make one reflect on the things one would take for granted。 He brings up the close connection between Christianity and the instilling of the normalisation of guilt and of the denial of envy， ideas that are considered as poisonous to one's good conscience in Nietzsche's beliefs。 He thinks that envy is a basic human feeling and that guilt should not take root as it just lead to other unnecessary feelings。At first sight he may seem a rather egocentric persona， as he reaches beyond virtues and his views on idealism， including equality of sexes。 Although he doesn't consider men equal to women， he sees women as far more superior and that the desire of equal rights is just a "sickness"。What he certainly got right， though， is that life is not about the things that happen to us， but about how we see those things。 It's all about our perception。 Nietzsche realised that greatness can be achieved by embracing who we are and not desiring to be something else and to be grateful for what there already is。Due to the rather controversial principles of life， this book offers a new perspective on existence whose elements could as well be adopted into our own ways of seeing life， with the mention that we take on just what we believe is going to be in our own benefit。 。。。more
Louise Viney
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Sexist and egotistical or a great sense of humour？ Rightly or wrongly I took this book as a bit of comedy and laughed throughout。
Mary
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word of caution before reading this self-celebrating autobiography， do not take this seriously。 good read if you want a good laugh， bad read if you can't take sarcasm。 word of caution before reading this self-celebrating autobiography， do not take this seriously。 good read if you want a good laugh， bad read if you can't take sarcasm。 。。。more
Francesca McLaughlan
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2。5
Valentina
，
I liked it and I thought it was funny except for the bit where he explains his anti-feminist views。 Too bad my dude， a woman was just reading your book， you probably don't like that fact。 I liked it and I thought it was funny except for the bit where he explains his anti-feminist views。 Too bad my dude， a woman was just reading your book， you probably don't like that fact。 。。。more
Giulia Galbarini
，
“My formula for greatness in a human being is amor fati: that one wants nothing to be other than it is， not in the future， not in the past， not in all eternity。”
Reference
google book https://www.google.com/search?tbm=bks&q=Why I Am so Clever
hathitrust digital library https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/ls?q1=Why I Am so Clever&field1=ocr&a=srchls&ft=ft&lmt=ft
The British Library https://bll01.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/discovery/search?query=any,contains,Why I Am so Clever&tab=LibraryCatalog&search_scope=Not_BL_Suppress&vid=44BL_INST:BLL01&lang=en&offset=0