When Nietzsche Wept

Irvin D. Yalom wrote a great novel about the birth of psychotherapy. He crafted a story set in late 19th century Vienna, placing real heroes in fictional circumstances. Friedrich Nietzsche suffers from his passion for the Russian beauty Lou Salomé, the teacher of young Freud, Dr. Breuer, is tormented by his pathological love for a former patient, and they both become each other's psychotherapists, unfolding a stunning drama of great individuals before us. This novel is based on historical facts but gradually immerses us into the realm of fantasy, capturing us so powerfully that the reality becomes indistinguishable from the invented plot.