Friday, September 25, 2015

Book Review: Reveries of the Solitary Walker by Jean-Jacques Rousseau

Rousseau's last great work, Reveries of the Solitary Walker is a work of the French philosopher who seeks to find happiness in solitude and nature. This new translation is accompanied by an introduction that explores the nature of the work and its historical and intellectual settings. Besides that this book is a compilation of the ten walks that Rousseau undertook.

He chose to live in Paris where he kept himself busy by gazing plants and day dreaming. By writing an account of his walks he becomes a means of achieving self-understanding and safeguarding for himself the pleasure that others, he is convinced, seek to deny him.

Furthermore Rousseau talks about his own self and the society around him. Two years before his death Rousseau composed his writings which are now in this book. This book shows the French writer’s alienation from the society at that time. He is in a state of confusion where he has this feeling of discontentment towards the society as he has been condemned for his political and religious views. Throughout the book Rousseau looks back at his life and tries to justify his actions. He tries to find solace and refuge from his miseries.


One could also consider it as a quest for self-understanding as he traces back all the memories of his life when he had both contentment and pleasure in his life.

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