The philosophy of Friedrich Nietzsche (1844-1900) was almost wholly neglected during his sane life which came to an abrupt end in 1889. Since then he has been appropriated as an icon by an astonishingly diverse spectrum of people whose interpretations of his thought range from the highly irrational to the firmly analytical. Thus Spoke Zarathustra introduced the superman & The Twilight of the Idols developed the Will to Power concept; these term together with Sklavenmoral & Herrenmoral became confused with the rise of nationalism in Germany. Idiosyncratic & aphoristic Nietzsche is always bracing & provocative & temptingly easy to dip into. Michael Tanners readable introduction to the philosophers life & work examines the numerous ambiguities inherent in his writings. It also explodes the many misconceptions fostered in the hundred years since Nietzsche wrote prophetically: Do not above all confound me with what I am not!