Reveries of the Solitary Walker

by Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Peter France (Translator)

Overview

After a period of forced exile and solitary wandering brought about by his radical views on religion and politics, Jean-Jacques Rousseau returned to Paris in 1770. Here, in the last two years of his life, he wrote his final work, the Reveries. In this eloquent masterpiece the great political thinker describes his sense of isolation from a society he felt had rejected his writings - and the manner in which he has come to terms with his alienation, as he walks around Paris, gazing at plants, day-dreaming and finding comfort in the virtues of solitude and the natural world. Meditative, amusing and lyrical, this is a fascinating exploration of Rousseau's thought as he looks back over his life, searching to justify his actions, to defend himself against his critics and to elaborate upon his philosophy.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780141908311
Publisher:	Penguin UK
Publication date:	11/22/1979
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	160
File size:	2 MB
Age Range:	3 Months

About the Author

Jean-Jacques Rousseau was born in Geneva in 1712. Abandoned by his father at the age of ten, he left the city in 1728 and from then on wandered Europe, searching for happiness. In 1732 he settled for eight years at Les Charmettes, remembered in his book Confessions. In 1741 he moved to Paris where he met Diderot, in the meantime fathering five children, all of whom he abandoned. His corwning achievement is his work of political philosophy, The Social Contract, which was published in 1762. He died in 1778.


Peter France is the author of books on French and Russian literature and has translated widely from both languages.

Table of Contents

Reveries of the Solitary Walker - Jean-Jacques Rousseau Introduction
A Brief Chronology
First Walk
Second Walk
Third Walk
Fourth Walk
Fifth Walk
Sixth Walk
Seventh Walk
Eighth Walk
Ninth Walk
Tenth Walk