This is a straightforward guide to the life and work of Friedrich Nietzsche, the philosopher whose startling declaration that "God is dead" made him one of the key figures of the modern age. Robert Wicks moves through the minefield of controversy that surrounds Nietzsche, presenting the philosopher's doctrines within the context of his Christian upbringing and the profound influence of his childhood experiences. Making some difficult ideas clear and accessible, he provides a close examination of Nietzsche's best-known existential doctrines, and re-evaluates these not as simply nihilistic, but as a positive and life-affirming system of belief. This introduction also offers a survey of Nietzsche's profound influence on contemporary philosophy, in addition to a non-sensationalist and objective reflection on his association with Nazism.