The Waste Books
German scientist and man of letters Georg Christoph Lichtenberg was an 18th-century polymath- an experimental physicist, an astronomer, a mathematician, a practicing critic both of art and literature. He is most celebrated, however, for the casual notes and aphorisms that he collected in what he called his Waste Books. With unflagging intelligence and encyclopedic curiosity, Lichtenberg wittily deflates the pretensions of learning and society, examines a range of philosophical questions, and tracks his own thoughts down hidden pathways to disconcerting and sometimes hilarious conclusions. Lichtenberg's Waste Books have been greatly admired by writers as very different as Tolstoy, Einstein, and Andre Breton, while Nietzsche and Wittgenstein acknowledged them as a significant inspiration for their own radical work in philosophy. The record of a brilliant and subtle mind in action, The Waste Books are above all a powerful testament to the necessity, and pleasure, of unfettered thought.
Format:Paperback
Language:English
ISBN:0940322501
ISBN13:9780940322509
Release Date:September 2000
Publisher:New York Review of Books
Length:264 Pages
Weight:0.65 lbs.
Dimensions:0.7" x 5.0" x 8.1"
Customer Reviews
2 ratings
Brilliant!
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 20 years ago
One of the most "aware" individuals that ever lived, Lichtenberg gives one much to chew on in one or two sentences. Only Goethe, Blake and Pascal rival him. This is the kind of book that one may pick up, open to any page, and find a gem. Interesting too that this man who was born deformed and ill-favored, spent his life in the company of young women. May we all be so lucky as to be so rich in mind and spirit that youth stands by us, even as we grow gnarled and bent.
Lichtenberg's Aphorisms
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 21 years ago
Largely unknown in North America, Lichtenberg has since his death in 1799 been highly regarded by many German writers for his humorous and often astute aphorisms. He was, however, a scientist and mathematician, and these aphorisms are essentially a by-product of his works in those fields, and therefore are not indicative of how truly unique and interesting this man was.
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