Jean-jacques Rousseau

In this one-volume biography, Harvard professor Leo Damrosch presents a comprehensive life of the 18th-century philosopher whose influential writings undeniably changed the world. Damrosch chronicles the many influences on Rousseau, from the political and social milieu of his birthplace, Geneva, through the rich intellectual and cultural world of pre-revolutionary Paris, which he grew to hate. Drawing on Rousseau`s major writings, especially THE SOCIAL CONTRACT for his politics and THE CONFESSIONS for his personal experiences and psychology, Damrosch shows Rousseau to be a sensitive man of vision without glossing over the unpleasant facts on record that show how unfeeling he could be to those close to him. Damrosch`s account of Rousseau`s final years, which ended in insanity, confirms his subtitle, Restless Genius. This dense but accessible biography allows us to know Rousseau thoroughly, and proves why he, more than his other great peers, is considered to be the major philosopher of the Enlightenment. A New York Times Notable Book of the Year for 2005. Copyright (C) Muze Inc. 2005. For personal use only. All rights reserved.