Reveries of the Solitary Walker (Penguin Classics)

Rousseau is the man. I been checking out a bunch of different philosophers lately and he's one of my top five. He writes really well and I relate to this guy so much that I feel like he's describing me. I'm purchasing most all of Rousseau's books.

Truly a classic

This is his swan song!I thoroughly enjoyed this book.I cherish Reveries!I recommend this to all students and fans!!Be well my friends.....

When I read Rousseau's 'Confessions' I admired the man so much. But two issue compromised my view of him. Firstly his report of assigning his five children to the Foundling Hospital soon after birth - what a thing to do (and if he had investigated that prospect he would surely have realised that would have been as bad for them as any shortcomings he saw in what he could provide) - and what a thing to impose on his partner! Secondly was the negative view he had of people. Maybe some were against him, but somehow what he wrote didn't really convince me.In Peter France's introduction to his translation he suggests that some historians have wondered if Rousseau actually did have children - something I wondered about in my review. Am I making too much of this?In these ten reveries the matter of the children does recur. And in one of them he discusses what it means to tell lies - not without real insight - and how it can be justifiable. In the same breath he talks about his children. Perhaps we can draw our own conclusions. Something is not quite right for me here - the thinking processes of one of the world's great thinkers - at least as he committed them to paper. But strangely, after reading the reveries I am less convinced that there were, in fact, no children.These reveries 'scared' me a bit - there was a lot of what I see for myself as I get old - and I'm not ready for that yet! But I did enjoy Rousseau's puzzles, his anecdotes, his travel tales.

Aristotle said that, in order to lead a solitary life, one would have to be either an animal or a god. Nietzsche added a third alternative: one would have to be a philosopher. The "Reveries" is closely followed by the "Confessions" as my favourite of Rousseau's writings. In it, Rousseau gives reason to doubt that he himself has achieved real solitude in his life (and not just loneliness). It is nevertheless my favourite because it is here that Rousseau presents solitude, not as an escape from the world, but as the most philosophical way of embracing it and of living in it.

Pompous, self-absorbed writing.

I must admit, I've read many of Rousseau's essays and books yet, I've never liked him. This book makes me like him less. "Reveries" is Rousseau's attempts to record his thoughts on ten solitary walks. In the first walk he compares his undertaking as like Montaigne's (that's Jean-Jacques for you!!). In a way, it is. These, like the essays of Montaigne are on both the 'trivial' subjects like botany and children, to the more philosophical, like the obligation to truth. Unlike Montaigne though, there is no order whatever to Rousseau's thoughts. Another disjunction between the two is that Montaigne didn't think nearly as much of himself as does Rousseau who, towards the end of his life, did not have many friends and spends the greater portion of each essay telling us that it is their fault and who needs 'em anyway. He desperately wants us to feel sorry for him while protesting (way too much, wethinks) that he doesn't need our sympathy. In fact, any good biography on Rousseau will tell you that the reason he didn't have any friends was that he was vain, selfish and trivial. After reading these essays, I see it. He was also losing his mind to paranoia and throughout the reveries, refers to the 'plot' against his life and in the ninth walk, even mentions the spies that follow him!! Whew!! In the end, lack of structure, repitition of 'poor me' and conspiracy themes, and pure pompousness ruin this book. His 'Confessions' are slightly better, but I'd start with 'Emile.'

Read it.

I came to this book knowing nothing about the author, I had been intrigued by quotes from the book provided at photography exhibition.The introduction provides an appropriate amount of background information, while the footnotes are interesting, without being excessive.The central conceit is that these are a record of the author’s thoughts on solitary walks, but this seems unlikely. They are instead a series of ten essays that take around twenty minutes each to read. The author, a philosopher and encyclopedist, reflects on his altered circumstances. Once famous, now infamous, having fallen out with virtually everyone he knew.The book is endlessly intriguing. Rousseau comes across as clear thinking and moral, but he also seems endlessly arrogant, keener on the notion of mankind, tha his fellow man. To what extent are his problems self inflicted. What sort of parent would put their own children in a foundling hospital?The writing is clear and vivid, thoughtful and reasoned.This book is a well deserved classic.

very good.

For all those seeking to justify their own liking for the beauties of solitude. For all those needing to feed on the troubled times of others. For all those wanting to find in every chapter a flow of words fine enough to become a quotation or a lifetimes companion.

Good book. Thank you