On Nietzsche

Originally published in France in 1945 and translated for the first time into English, this book records the major influence Nietzsche played on Bataille's life and which led him to abandon his Catholic faith. Bataille argues against fascist interpretations of Nietzsche, expresses his disgust at German anti-Semitism and praises Nietzsche as a prophet. Against the background of the war and the German occupation, this book mixes observation with reflection in the form of aphorisms, poems and myths. Barthes, Derrida and Kristeva all acknowledge their debt to Bataille who "broke with traditional narrative to tell us what has never been told before" (Foucault).