Customer Reviews

My Sister, My Spouse: A Biography of Lou Andreas-Salome (The Norton Library, N748)

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As a reader, I don't frequent the biography sections of bookstores. But I chose to buy and read this book, because Lou Salome's name was familiar to me from Irvin Yalom's book "When Nietzsce Wept". She was the infamous femme fatale who played a very signinficant role in lives of some of the most remarkable men, intellectuals of 19th-20th century Europe - Nietzsce and Rilke to name just two of them. Though she might have destroyed them emotionally, she also inspired and guided them intellectually and creatively. That's what makes this biography such a fascinating read - Lou Salome had a life filled with most exciting men and most extravagant choices. This book grabs you with its light writing style, eventful "plot", and interesting yet not overwhelming insights into the people and spirit of that era. This a book I enjoy to go back to, and re-read certain parts of it.

An excelent book, it reminded me that historical figures such as Rilke, Nietszche and Freud were also confronted with fear and angst. I read this book in spanish and I guess some of the things I did't like from it (like the translation of Rilke's poems) had to do with the translator, not the author. Thou, I found the book quite interesting; the life or Lou Andreas-Salomé (her courage to live by her rules and believes) has to be known by every person who feels every now and then that life is some place else.

An excelent book, it reminded me that historical figures such as Rilke, Nietszche and Freud were also confronted with fear and angst. I read this book in spanish and I guess some of the things I did't like from it (like the translation of Rilke's poems) had to do with the translator, not the author. Thou, I found the book quite interesting; the life or Lou Andreas-Salomé (her courage to live by her rules and believes) has to be known by every person who feels every now and then that life is some place else.

The biography of a very, very brave woman that managed to live according to her own values, in a time when this was a real challenge for women. A rare combination of an intellectual and at the same time a very sensual woman. Her real work of art was her life, her courage, her authenticity. Well written, fascinating. The book brings her alive. Through her eyes one can get a glimpse of the intellectual world before War World II.
It is amazing to me that all her writings disappeared. When you read biographies of Freud, or account of his ring circle, she is not mentioned. Most of her books were not translated to English - I was able to find some in Spanish. As if she was the Lilith (the woman devil in Jewish mythology) that everyone wants to forget.