The struggle between Rousseau's yearning for solitude and his need for society is the central theme of the Reveries.
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Jun 12, 2008
Eddie
rated it: 
Revery seems to have fallen out of favor nowadays. If it's not one of ten million authorities emphasizing the need for efficiency and planned action, or modern evolutionists of all sorts (in business, in fitness, in the arts) convincing us that if what we're doing isn't in the name of advancement and improvement then it's not worth doing, or just us telling ourselves that we must keep up with everything and everyone else and so have no time to swim around in our own selves; revery has become the
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Sep 30, 2011
David
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Daydreaming is one thing, writing is another indeed, being simply a faithful record of my solitary walks and reveries that occupy them, how could it be?
Not many of the walks are directly concerned with the walks around Paris thought they may record some of the thoughts that filled Rousseau head as he walked...
The forth walk... was the most highly structured of all , it poses a question and deals with its various ramifications in a methodical way answering poss More...
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May 01, 2010
Rick
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This book only gets three stars due to Rousseau's obvious talent. I cannot rate it any higher because I cannot stand what he represents. Rousseau is the root of modern day rationalizing, relativism and inflated self esteem. The most frustrating thing about reading this is that his sense of self worth and his paranoia has its roots in reality. He was truly both loved and hated in his time. Count me among those that would have been a hater. His justifications for his questionable acts, inclu
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Jan 29, 2012
Dans mon blog, http://litteraire-en-herbe.blogspot.com/...
J'ai lu ce livre dans l'espoir de retrouver la belle écriture du livre Le sentiment de l'existence ou était présenté un extrait de ce livre. J'ai globalement apprécié le livre sous forme de témoignage et de plaıdoyer.
L'écriture de Rousseau a été une veritable découverte, puisque je ne m'attendais pas a une telle qualité. J'ai essayer de lire quelques passages a haute voix, et j'ai découvert la musicalité et l'ecritu More...
J'ai lu ce livre dans l'espoir de retrouver la belle écriture du livre Le sentiment de l'existence ou était présenté un extrait de ce livre. J'ai globalement apprécié le livre sous forme de témoignage et de plaıdoyer.
L'écriture de Rousseau a été une veritable découverte, puisque je ne m'attendais pas a une telle qualité. J'ai essayer de lire quelques passages a haute voix, et j'ai découvert la musicalité et l'ecritu More...
Jul 26, 2011
Ken
rated it:
Extra star for quotes like "The various periods of short-lived prosperity that I have enjoyed have left me with almost no agreeable memories of deep and lasting impressions: by contrast, in all the hardships of my life I was invariably full of affectionate, touching and delightful emotions which poured a healing balm over the wounds of my injured soul and seemed to change its pains into pleasures."
But mostly this is just the sort-of adorable ramblings of a paranoid, deluded o
But mostly this is just the sort-of adorable ramblings of a paranoid, deluded o
Jan 26, 2010
Seansurfgood
rated it:
This is perhaps Rousseau at his finest. I suspect, however, this will be lost on anyone who has not read his "confessions" and philosophy first.. I say this not only because of the frequent references, but also the emotional weight and depth of some passages (particularly the 10th walk) cannot be fully appreciated. In a word, if you are not in tears by the end of the tenth walk, then you don't know J.J. Rousseau.
So this is not a good place to be introduced to Rousseau.. In More...
So this is not a good place to be introduced to Rousseau.. In More...
Feb 26, 2011
Sam
rated it:
“Everything is finished for me on this earth. Neither good nor evil can be done to me by any man. I have nothing left in the world to fear or hope for, and this leaves me in peace at the bottom of the abyss, a poor unfortunate mortal, but as unmoved as God himself.”
May 15, 2009
Kamilah
rated it:
And I thought my diaries were maudlin and full of self-pity.
This book is Rousseau lite, offering a quick summary of some of his major ideas about truth and man's relationships to nature and society all the while ruminating on life in (largely self-imposed) exile. At times, he was so over the top that I imagined Dave Chappelle reading some of this material aloud.
This book is Rousseau lite, offering a quick summary of some of his major ideas about truth and man's relationships to nature and society all the while ruminating on life in (largely self-imposed) exile. At times, he was so over the top that I imagined Dave Chappelle reading some of this material aloud.
Jan 29, 2012
Cassandre
rated it: 
Cher Rousseau, te voici donc "seul sur la terre, n'ayant plus de frère, de prochain, d'ami, de société que [toi-même]". Rien que ça... Je te plaindrais presque ! Malgré ces larmoyantes plaintes, qui constituent un leitmotiv de l'oeuvre, je ne parviens pas à t'en vouloir. Bon d'accord, au début, je t'avouerais que tu m'agaçais pas mal à pleurnicher sans cesse, avec ton style hyperbolique. Mais voilà, je n'ai pas réussi à t'en vouloir longtemps, car ton écriture est belle. Waw Rousseau,
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Mar 08, 2011
Haley
rated it: 
Rousseau, you've done some amazing things, but stop being a whiny baby and get over the fact that not everybody liked you. This book was brutal to get through.
Sep 27, 2011
Rousseau's not my favourite author - his Confessions had me wanting to rip my hair out - but I quite enjoyed this one.
Jun 27, 2011
Peter
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good read, way too sexist and other 1750's era thinking, but fascinating read nonetheless
Sep 10, 2009
These are thoughts of a sad genius, who was trying to cheer himself up.
Jan 08, 2010
Mendi
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At first I was very sceptic. I'd heard some of Rousseau's ideas and I didn't feel he was really my thinker. I was happily surprised though: there were quite a few 'walks' in this book that I found very interesting, and of which I have written down a fair number of quotes.
Oct 20, 2010
David
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Should be retitled "Reveries of The Self-Pitying Paranoid With Delusions of Persecution." I made it to page 100 and gave up. It would have been better left unpublished for his biographers to selectively excerpt.
Apr 10, 2011
Craig
rated it:
more like 3.5 stars. Despite some inconsistencies with his ideas vs. his actions, this was a decent look back for Rousseau. So, yes his question is apt: When death is already at the door, is it worth learning how we should have lived? Apt enough for this modest collection.
Sep 19, 2008
Sarah
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Rousseau's last book, he says that it is meant to be only a recording of his internal thoughts and not for publication, but it also acts in some places as a defense of his theories and a history of his persecution. An interesting and at times lyrical book.
Jan 29, 2012
Alex
rated it:
Je n´aime pas Jean-Jacques Rousseau. Je le tolère lorsqu´il tente d´analyser les travers politiques de la société, mais ici, tout son égocentrisme vaguement déguisé s´étale sans fin le long des pages.
Feb 27, 2008
Angelo
rated it:
That was one of the saddest and most beautiful books I've read. But, mind you, it is inspiring sadness, which makes you think about all the intricacies of life.
Feb 11, 2012
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