Confessions (Oxford World's Classics) Reissue Edition

This book is a revelation as it seemed to me a portrait, or perhaps a mask, of the heightened sensibilities of the interior monologue of a genius. "Since my name is certain to live on among men, I do not want the reputation it transmits to be a false one." Indeed, his honesty is remarkable as he writes about the abandonment of his children, his relationship with lovers and his intimate proclivities. Rousseau's life was a fascinating study of an extraordinary and innovative mind. He dined "sometime with princes at noon and supped with peasants at night." Musically self-taught, he invented an alphabetical code for writing music and wrote an opera performed with it in "The Village Soothsayer." His "Social Contract" inspired constitutions in nations struggling with revolution against monarchies to become democracies which earned him threats of sedition and cruel acts of political scorn. His books were burned, the church sought to excommunicate him, his house was stoned and he escaped in exile en route to Berlin through the good graces of philosopher David Hume to England toward the end of his life. At times, often enough, he seems the narcissist subtly engrossed in his many virtues masked in false humility and yet the final, lasting impression is of a masterpiece forged from the crucible of a tormented soul bent upon the diligent and inspired study of the journey of the maturing human heart. Like Voltaire toward the end of his life but before his exile, we find Rousseau living on a lake isle longing only to finish his life in the practice of avid gardening and intellectual pursuits. The translation here by Angela Scholar is richly, gorgeous prose which reminded me of Proust, who I'm confident must have been influenced by Rousseau. This book is, as Rousseau described it, the "most secret history of my soul" and ranks highly on my Top 25 Novels of All Time among the holy literary trinity of France's Proust in "The Remembrance of Lost Time" and Balzac's "Lost Illusions." I really can't urge you strongly enough to carve out the time to read this brilliantly conceived autobiography.

Not quite finished with the book, but I think it is a remarkable glimpse into the inner workings of a brilliant mind. He applies little filter to his basest impulses, yet glosses the immense workload he regularly took on throughout his life. He longs for pure love, yet thinks little about turning over his three illegitimate infants in succession to a foundling home. A complex story of a man who prizes manners, yet craves the rustic life, far from the wealthy drawing rooms of his patrons and friends. Fascinating reading.

Interesting book about an 18th century person. I purchased it so I could read along with our senior high school student and discuss it with him.

Rousseau wrote his "Confessions" in opposition to Augustine's and intended to show that man was born good, that his desires are healthy, and that there is no original sin. Man must live in society for which he is not suited and which makes impossible demands on him and which forces him to reconcile the tension between nature and society. Part I is one of the greatest autobiographies I've read with the author plumbing the depths of his soul to recount his deepest desires, loves, emotions and disappointments. Unfortunately, I thought that much of Part II disintegrates into a mere gossipy retelling of his alienation from his friends and society and doesn't have the same force as the first part.I continue to think that Nabokov's "Speak Memory" is the greatest autobiography ever written (and I'm quite sure that he was inspired by Rousseau) but "Confessions" is a very close second. Incidentally, my other favorite autobiographies include:Stefan Zweig, The World of YesterdayElias Canetti, The Tongue Set FreeWalter Benjamin, Berlin Childhood Around 1900Abbie Hoffman, Soon to be a Major Motion PictureEdward Said, Out of PlaceAndre Aciman, Out of Egypt

I adore this genuine collectible edition so much. It was in PERFECT condition and echoing decades of wisdom and truth.

Fascinating!

It was a great deal as well as the book. The seller was great and did everything as described

An all around solid translation of Rousseau's Confessions. However, a higher quality translation can be purchased for about 10$ extra.

Les caractères de cet ouvrage sont si minuscules qu'il est impossible de lire ces Confessions of Rousseau, à moins d'avoir un oeil de lynx !!!La maison d'édition qui a donné son aval pour l'impression n'a pas fait preuve d'un travail et d'un contrôle méticuleux... Dommage. J'ai donc demandé un remboursement.

CONFESSIONS is the autobiography of Jean-Jacques Rousseau ( 1712- 1778) , the most prominent philosopher of the Enlighenment. He is the philosopher who wrote in his book, On Social Contract , " Man is born free , yet everywhere he is in chains." Yet if you read his autobiography , you can realize that nobody in the world before Rousseau 's time or after him till now can be so sensuous, so romantic, so sensible, and so much truthful about his life and thinking . It is he who wrote , " no pleasures can equal those afforded by a virtuous woman with whom one is in love." How sincere he is when he writes, " I would not be fulfilling the purpose of the book if I did not at the same time reveal my innermost feelings." Rousseau was so brilliant that his essay on Discourse on the Science and the Arts ( 1750) written in a public contest became the most erudition writing in whole Europe. His novel Julie (1761) was greeted enthusiastically and became the most popular novel of entire eighteenth century. Rousseau is a lover of nature, adventure, honesty , integrity. His integrity in loving a woman is so so described in his book Confessions, "Whatever she might or might not have done for me ,it would have been the same. I loved her neither from duty , nor- self-interest, nor because it was fitting that I should do so; I loved her because I was born to love her."

THE PUBLICATION IS TERRIBLE AND THE PRINT SO SMALL IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO READ. SUCH A PITY BECAUSE IT IS A WONDERFUL BOOK

One of the very best books ever written about oneself and the time one lived in. Not every aspect of Rousseau: He was a difficult personwho saw others to be the reason why he suffered. But. Enjoy his fantastic prosa. How he builds a sentence - and a thought into a sentence.Remember that Boswell at 26 - had to visit him on his long tour just to see him as an oracle.

Beautiful Writing so Honest