The Confessions (Penguin Classics)

I was given this book as part of the reading list of an english course I was taking in college. However, while reading the book, I came to appreciate it and continue reading it purely out of a personal need to finish it, and with less care of whether or not I was mandated to read it. The book is entertaining and the prose brilliant.Rousseau seems to have written this book believing he is the first to make such an endeavor (that of a completely honest auto-biography). Though, I am very sure he is most definitely not the first to make such an attempt (e.g. Augustine's Confessions, etc), he is the first that I have enjoyed reading to such a degree. Sometimes Rousseau makes me cringe while reading of his hapless encounters with trouble and his naivete when faced with some deviant (for those days) behavior, and sometimes hard headed pursuit and/or belief in himself.This book is great fun, and I would definitely recommend this book.(To fans of Rousseau- after reading this book, I believe you might gain a greater/deeper understanding of his novel and characters in his book Emile).

As expected with the Everyman addition, this hardcover is nicely put together — quality binding, good paper and readable font.

Oh, the 18th Century was strange! What interesting people it produced! I enjoyed this book enormously, even though it took me about 2 months of daily reading to finish its 606 pages. The big surprise (for me) was that Rousseau never finished it! Talk about a cliff-hanger ending! A few parts were boring (i.e., when he drops a lot of names of famous people of his time that I had never heard of), but in general, I found it fascinating. Of course, Rousseau lived more than a hundred years before Freud, but I do wonder if Freud ever read this book. The woman who inducted Rousseau into manhood was an older woman he called “Mama.” This was really yucky to me. He really loved her, although she later replaced him in her affections with another young man, just as he had replaced a different young man. They all got along famously. Yeah, I’d say he had an Oedipus complex. He was also a raving paranoic! And despite his upfront statements that he was going to tell the whole truth, even the bad things he was guilty of, I don’t think he was completely honest, especially when he states that so many things were happening at once that he really don’t remember it all that well. He had several convenient memory lapses. There are a lot of things that he very vague about. But my favorite part of the book was early on, after he runs away from home and an unhappy apprenticeship (His father had had to get out of the country to flee being thrown into debtor’s prison.) and attaches himself as a servant to the household of a rich, intellectual woman who was dying. I quote this passage:“Indeed, I was more attentive to her than anyone else, for the poor woman’s suffering tore my heart, and the fortitude with which she bore it inspired me with the greatest respect and affection for her. Many were the genuine tears I shed in her room without her or anyone else noticing it.Finally we lost her. I watched her die. She had lived like a woman of talents and intelligence; she died like a philosopher. I may say that she made the Catholic religion seem beautiful to me, by the serenity of heart with which she fulfilled its instructions, without either carelessness or affectation. She was of a serious nature. Towards the end of her illness she displayed a sort of gaiety too unbroken to be assumed, which was merely a counterpoise to her melancholy condition, the gift of her reason. She only kept her bed for the last two days, and continued to converse quietly with everyone to the last. Finally when she could no longer talk and was already in her death agony, she broke wind loudly. ‘Good,’ she said, turning over, ‘a woman who can fart is not dead.’ Those were the last words she spoke.”Four stars from me.

This edition is gorgeous, and the text is still as beautiful as it was when I first read it. I would reccomend this book to anyone. Truly anyone. Rousseau has such an uplifting voice, no matter what he is talking about. This is a book about what he is ashamed of, however, Rousseau presents it in such an optimistic way. This is a must read book.

Hard to read at times, the names of places and people run together a lot. But the book was a wonderful read and it was interesting reading something that detailed the life of an intellectual in France in that time.Truly shows that while many things change, some things dont.

This Kindle version was advertised on the same page as the Penguin edition, but it's actually a 220 year old anonymous translation with archaic wording. It is serviceable, but not what was advertised.

These comments refer to the Everyman's Library Classics Series edition (w/ intro by P.N. Furbank): Buyer beware - the font is too small and (inexplicably) the margins are ample. (Note to Everyman's Library: Make your fonts larger!) Also, who translated this edition? The publisher buries this information: In small print at the end of the Intro, we're told that this is largely the work of an "anonymous translation" from 1904.

Excellent autobiography, love the richness in detail of all his memories and his impartiality when describing events in his life (although you can’t ever be sure with impartiality) regardless, a great, life lesson like read.

The media could not be loaded. What I like:- sewn binding: sturdy, will last a LONG time- book mark: nice added detail- font style and size: clear and easy to read What I did not like:- the jacket is a little worn,- book mark is braided and seems like it will unravel over time with moderate useOverall I am very happy with this purchase. The Everyman’s library edition is made with quality and care.

Very good book

The first volume of this is a wonderful read, - the beginning of the genre really (apart from St Augustine). The second part is more of a plod and a tad tedious in places but worth pursuing as, after all, it is in that latter period that he achieves all that made him subsequently so famous and gave him such a significant place Western philosophy and educational theory. It is full of self criticism but also a great amount of self justification and the role of women in his life is revealed to be crucial and sometimes very odd. I felt a bit more sympathetic of his infamous treatment of his children after his, albeit justificatory, explanation.

....who were hunting down the author, after his death now celebrate his ideas and writings. How sad and in a certain way truthful account of our human behaviour???!!!

Great Kindle Edition of a Great Man xx