A review by eyegee
When Nietzsche Wept by Irvin D. Yalom

4.0

This book was recommended to my by someone who had a career as a psychotherapist, and it's a fictional account of an encounter between Friedriche Nietzche, the philospher, and Josef Breuer, a physician is credited as one of the founders of psychology. Nietchze and Breuer lived and worked at the same time and although there is no evidence that they ever met, it may have happened. In this book they not only meet but have an intense meeting of the minds. Nietchze comes to Breuer for treatment of his intensely debilitating migraine headaches . Unknown to Nietche, Breuer had previously been approached by a woman with whom Nietchze had a disastrous love affair, who begged Breuer to take the case fearing Niecheze is going to commit suicide. Breuer agrees. Because Breuer knows about the love affair and the stress it has caused, he attempts to draw Nieetche out over the course of his medical examinations. Extremely reticent by nature, and too smart for this by half, Nietchze parries every effort Breuer makes to get him to reveal anything personal. Breuer himself is in the midst of a midlife crises and eventually he and Nietche reach an agreement in which Breuer treats Neitchze's physical symptons, and submits himself to Neitchze to treat his angst by applying his readical philosphies. The story is quite a page turner. The author, a psychologist himself, drew on a lot of factual information, including letters and diaries, to create this original book.