I think I have finished “Act II” of the Nietzsche book. (So, there is an “Overture,” an “Act I” which covers The Birth of Tragedy and Untimely Meditations, and “Act II” which covers Human, all too Human). Next will come “Act III,” where I’ll try to take on Thus Spake Zarathustra. It intimidates me; there is so much going on in that work, that I really have no idea where I’m going to end up with it. You start out thinking you know what you’re going to say, and then trying to work through the details gradually ends up changing your mind in substantive ways. But with Zarathustra I really don’t know what I’m going to say — so many weird elements at play in it. But I think I know the role it played in Nz’s life. Rejected by friends, and realizing that he was bound to be lonesome his whole life, he needed to transform himself into a soothsaying hermit, and all of his friends would exist in future generations.

I’m pleased with the tone of the chapters so far — I hope it connects with people who have philosophical interests, but aren’t necessarily experts in the subject.