Metzger’s study provides a valuable investigation of Nietzsche’s Second Essay and, as it affords primacy of place to Nietzsche’s political thought, is a welcome contribution to Nietzsche studies.

Journal of the History of Philosophy

Jeffrey Metzger carves out a niche in the increasingly crowded field of scholarship on Nietzsche’s On the Genealogy of Morality. . . this book is a valuable addition to Nietzsche scholarship. Metzger exhibits an admirable willingness to follow Nietzsche’s line of thought, even where this risks yielding unpalatable or incoherent conclusions, and his central thesis—that Nietzsche’s arguments are underpinned by the idea of a creative, expansionist nature—opens up numerous fertile lines for future inquiry.

The Review of Politics

An impressive study of the Second Essay in Nietzsche's Genealogy, giving due attention to both moral and political questions. Metzger also offers a refreshing mix of exegesis and critique of Nietzsche's analysis. A genuine contribution to the literature on an enigmatic book.

Lawrence J. Hatab, Louis I. Jaffe Professor of Philosophy Emeritus, Old Dominion University

Jeffrey Metzger has delivered a scrupulously detailed reconstruction and critique of Nietzsche’s audacious attempt, in On the Genealogy of Morality, to account for the birth of politics and the origin of communities structured by recognizably moral obligations. Displaying an enviable familiarity with the relevant secondary literature, Metzger patiently guides his readers through a notoriously dense and difficult landmark text. The resulting insight and clarity make for a welcome contribution to the study of Nietzsche’s mature political thinking.

Daniel Conway, Texas A&M University

There are many books on the Genealogy, but none that focus just on one essay as Metzger does here with clarity and depth. Unlike many commentaries on the Genealogy, Metzger examines the political theory implicit in the second essay, and is not afraid to challenge Nietzsche, especially on his views of nature, the will to power, and teleology. What emerges is a thorough, illuminating account of an essay difficult and confounding even by Nietzsche's standard.

Jeffrey Church, University of Houston

Jeffrey Metzger's book offers a novel account of the origin of the moral and the political through a meticulous examination of the Second Essay On the Genealogy of Morals. It is refreshing to find a new path through such a well-trodden field.

Michael Gillespie, Duke University