What do you think?
Rate this book
Introducing Graphic Guides
Introducing Rousseau
This book provides a concise account of the major events in Rousseau's complicated and troubled life. It explains his central ideas clearly by placing them in their historical and cultural context, and spells out many of the criticism that have been made of his work.
176 pages, Paperback
First published April 23, 1997
41 people are currently reading
194 people want to read
About the author
Dave Robinson
63 books37 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
May 21, 2025
بالاخره کتاب شروع کردم تموم کردم. مردم انقدر برا اعتمادی از اینور اونور چیز خوندم یا چیزایی که خوندم اینجا نبودن
May 31, 2016
Illustrator Oscar Zarate created a wonderful comic book version of OTHELLO many years ago. I was only drawn to INTRODUCING ROUSSEAU because Zarate illustrated it, and his drawings dominate every page making his impact greater than the writer's. Still, the text is a pleasant surprise. The book introduces Rousseau by hitting the highlights of his life and career. The words perhaps do more than Zarate's images to achieve this, but the images are usually well chosen and make the point in a slightly different way. I'm a bit in awe that Rousseau's ideas can be presented so concisely. On the rare occasions I read a book like this, it goes to a second hand bookstore after. I'm so impressed that this one is destined for my shelf instead.
October 28, 2016
Foarte simpatică.
December 21, 2020
I always wanted to know more about Rousseau but didn’t dive into his works yet. This book was a good introduction that made me curious to keep learning.
January 24, 2015
Ο Rousseau ήταν διαφορετικός για την εποχή του. (Τα πέντε παιδιά του τα έστειλε να μεγαλώσουν στο ορφανοτροφείο για το καλό τους). Ο ίδιος έλεγε ότι δε μοιάζει με κανέναν απ΄ όλους όσους έχει συναντήσει στον κόσμο. Λάτρευε το ιδεώδες της αρχαίας Σπάρτης και διατύπωσε θεωρίες για τον άνθρωπο, το φυσικό άνθρωπο, αυτόν που μοιάζει με τα ζώα, και την κοινωνία στην οποία ζει τώρα, πολλά χρόνια μετά. Είναι θεωρητικός και αμφίσημος, γεγονός που εκμεταλλεύτηκαν διαφορετικά, ακόμα και ακραία, πολιτικά συστήματα. Ελάχιστοι τον αναγνώρισαν όσο ζούσε πλην των πλουσίων που τον έτρεφαν, ενώ ζούσε εξόριστος. Είναι γεγονός ότι έθεσε το ερώτημα κατά πόσο ο άνθρωπος διεφθάρη από τον πολιτισμό ενώ πολλές φορές στις ιδέες του για τη φύση δεν έπαψα να σκέφτομαι πόσο μοιάζει με τις θεωρίες και το πρακτικό εγχείρημα του Thoreau. Ο "Αιμίλιος" και το "Κοινωνικό Συμβόλαιο" απαγορεύτηκαν στην εποχή του αλλά το πρώτο ερώτημά του στο Συμβόλαιο απηχεί μέχρι τις μέρες μας: "Ο άνθρωπος γεννιέται ελεύθερος αλλά παντού είναι αλυσοδεμένος. Πώς συνέβη αυτή η αλλαγή; Δε γνωρίζω. Τι μπορεί να τη νομιμοποιεί; Πιστεύω ότι μπορώ να απαντήσω σε αυτή την ερώτηση."
September 14, 2018
Very Good Biography and Philosophy Explanation
I chose this rating due to the outstanding job Robinson did in both covering his biography and explaining his different ideas through his writings and what other philosophers said about him. To get a higher rating from me would require a full length work. Normally I would not go above a score of three stars, but this book is good enough to be worthy of four stars.
It was good to follow Rousseau's life while encountering his various works at the time they were occurring in his life. This added context to his ideas from what he was writing, and what was happening in his world.
I would recommend this short introduction to Rousseau for someone just wanting to learn something about him who is a general reader, to someone beginning a philosophy course or program, and to someone who is an intermediate reader of philosophy who wants a quick review.
Of the Introducing Series I have read, this is one of the better ones. The graphic artist did an outstanding job in helping Rousseau to come alive.
I chose this rating due to the outstanding job Robinson did in both covering his biography and explaining his different ideas through his writings and what other philosophers said about him. To get a higher rating from me would require a full length work. Normally I would not go above a score of three stars, but this book is good enough to be worthy of four stars.
It was good to follow Rousseau's life while encountering his various works at the time they were occurring in his life. This added context to his ideas from what he was writing, and what was happening in his world.
I would recommend this short introduction to Rousseau for someone just wanting to learn something about him who is a general reader, to someone beginning a philosophy course or program, and to someone who is an intermediate reader of philosophy who wants a quick review.
Of the Introducing Series I have read, this is one of the better ones. The graphic artist did an outstanding job in helping Rousseau to come alive.
November 6, 2018
-They are few in number, non-competitive and self-sufficient, without concepts of property, justice, industry or war. They are pre-moral beings. Violence is always conceived of as merely an injury, not a “crime”. Natural men never experienced loss of esteem or suffered from feelings of social inferiority. They were happier than we are now.
-Voltaire read it and wrote to Rousseau: “Sir, I have received your new book, written against the human race, and I thank you … Never was so much intelligence used to make us stupid. While reading it, one longs to go on all fours.”
-Voltaire read it and wrote to Rousseau: “Sir, I have received your new book, written against the human race, and I thank you … Never was so much intelligence used to make us stupid. While reading it, one longs to go on all fours.”
January 12, 2020
Enjoyable introduction to Rousseau the man. I had no idea that he was also a musician and composer. The thought behind Corsica as an constitutional government with Rousseau writing up that constitution was new to me as well as that The Social Contract put him on the run for the rest of his life. Émile and Social Contract were banned by some cities and states surprised me, but I suppose it was still a time of conforming to the religious and social mores.
These graphic series have always been interesting and provided learning.
These graphic series have always been interesting and provided learning.
July 3, 2022
As a guy, Rosseau had ideas that I very much disagree with and would argue aren't really relevant any longer. However, the book did what it set out to do pretty well: it delivered an explanation of Rosseau's life and ideas in a way that was easy to understand and engaging to read.
I would recommend this book if you wanted to know a little bit about Rosseau, although, honestly, he's not that great and your time is better spent reading about someone else.
I would recommend this book if you wanted to know a little bit about Rosseau, although, honestly, he's not that great and your time is better spent reading about someone else.
June 18, 2022
I've read a number of Dave Robinson's Introducing/Graphic Guide books and they are all excellent. This one is no exception, presenting a coherent narrative that explores Rousseau's ideas, writing, and place in philosophy.
March 11, 2020
A very good introduction to Rousseau, it opened the door for me to finally start reading his original work.
January 13, 2021
متن کتاب تقریبا کامل بود و به درستی توضیح داده شده بود
گرچه در قسمت 《قرارداد اجتماعی》کمی توضیحات گنگ بود
و تصویر سازی کتاب به شدت نامناسب و در مواردی حتی توهین آمیز بود.
گرچه در قسمت 《قرارداد اجتماعی》کمی توضیحات گنگ بود
و تصویر سازی کتاب به شدت نامناسب و در مواردی حتی توهین آمیز بود.
July 2, 2021
A good introduction to Rousseau. Highlighting the key points in his career and life.
June 23, 2022
3.6🌟
人必定擁有不朽的靈魂。
正義，必然就是殘酷無情。
人必定擁有不朽的靈魂。
正義，必然就是殘酷無情。
November 3, 2013
Borrowed this because I wanted to know more about him after coming across his name several times in my course readings. The Graphic Guide is a really easy way to get to know some of these thinkers that can have really abstract or difficult theories and concepts that aren't very easy to grasp. And as a student I'm a little embarrassed but mostly glad for such dummy guides to push me along in my learning. So. Rousseau!
In large strokes- Rousseau is a man whose writings influenced other great men like Hegel, Kant, Marx, Foucault and Sartre. He lived in an age where he spent time duelling intellectually with people like Voltaire and hob-nobbing with Diderot.
What are some of Rousseau's ideas?
That men were plastic/immensely malleable
The Social Contract
Society as artificial
"Natural" men & modernity- What has modern man lost?
Emile-raising of a child 'naturally' (untainted by civilisation)
What I like about Rousseau:
That he believed that men were fundamentally good, contrary to Machiavelli, Hobbes and Durkheim who believed that men were selfish and will always behave badly, thereby needing to be restrained by institutions.
Other quotes I liked:
Voltaire's satire: "Human suffering is only a small part in the large benevolent scheme of things" and other questions pertaining to religion and God.
What you find depends on what you bring"- advice given by the book when you are trying to understand and posit Rousseau
R: Music is the most profound of all of man's artistic achievements because it was able to evoke complex moods and stimulate emotions.
Things I don't like:
As of many other men in the society then, Rousseau thinks that "woman is made specially to please man"- which incited Mary Wollstonecraft so much she wrote :"The Rights of Woman". And there you have it. More literature about women,from women writers.
That's all from me! Looking forward to reading more works (especially those suggested by Dead White Men (Big Ideas in Sociology).
In large strokes- Rousseau is a man whose writings influenced other great men like Hegel, Kant, Marx, Foucault and Sartre. He lived in an age where he spent time duelling intellectually with people like Voltaire and hob-nobbing with Diderot.
What are some of Rousseau's ideas?
That men were plastic/immensely malleable
The Social Contract
Society as artificial
"Natural" men & modernity- What has modern man lost?
Emile-raising of a child 'naturally' (untainted by civilisation)
What I like about Rousseau:
That he believed that men were fundamentally good, contrary to Machiavelli, Hobbes and Durkheim who believed that men were selfish and will always behave badly, thereby needing to be restrained by institutions.
Other quotes I liked:
Voltaire's satire: "Human suffering is only a small part in the large benevolent scheme of things" and other questions pertaining to religion and God.
What you find depends on what you bring"- advice given by the book when you are trying to understand and posit Rousseau
R: Music is the most profound of all of man's artistic achievements because it was able to evoke complex moods and stimulate emotions.
Things I don't like:
As of many other men in the society then, Rousseau thinks that "woman is made specially to please man"- which incited Mary Wollstonecraft so much she wrote :"The Rights of Woman". And there you have it. More literature about women,from women writers.
That's all from me! Looking forward to reading more works (especially those suggested by Dead White Men (Big Ideas in Sociology).
November 17, 2011
"Introducing Rousseau" presents a maverick thinker whose ideas revolutionised our understanding of childhood, education, government, language and much else. What is the value of civilisation? Rousseau first posed this question. His answer - that civilisation corrupts natural goodness and increases inequality between humans - shocked his Enlightenment contemporaries and still challenges us today. Did Rousseau inspire the French Revolution? Can we trace Romanticism, psychoanalysis and Existentialism back to him? This great introduction charts Rousseau's turbulent life of lost innocence, persecution and paranoia.
About the Author
Dave Robinson has taught philosophy for many years and has written Introducing guides to ethics, Rousseau, Kierkegaard, political philosophy and many others. He is now a lecturer in Critical Studies and lives in Devon. Oscar Zarate is one of the UK's leading graphic artists who has illustrated many Introducing titles. His graphic novel A Small Killing won the Will Eisner Prize.
About the Author
Dave Robinson has taught philosophy for many years and has written Introducing guides to ethics, Rousseau, Kierkegaard, political philosophy and many others. He is now a lecturer in Critical Studies and lives in Devon. Oscar Zarate is one of the UK's leading graphic artists who has illustrated many Introducing titles. His graphic novel A Small Killing won the Will Eisner Prize.
July 22, 2016
Δεν είναι και κάτι σπουδαίο, όμως::::
α) Είναι ότι πρέπει για το μετρό
β) σε εισάγει στην φιλοσοφική οπτική του Ρουσώ αναφέροντας την απαραίτητη βιβλιογραφία
γ) σου προκαλεί ευχάριστο διάβασμα δεδομένης και της πολύ έξυπνης και πετυχημένης εικονογράφησης.
Για κάποιον που δεν έχει καμία γνώση για το μεγάλο έργο του μεγάλου Ρουσώ είναι καλή εισαγωγή.
Για περαιτέρω εμβάθυνση προτείνω το έργο του Kenny για την Δυτική Φιλοσοφία και από τα έργα του Ρουσώ αυτά που έχω προσεγγίσει (δεν λέω διαβάσει...) είναι οι Εξομολογήσεις, το κοινωνικό συμβόλαιο και ο Αιμίλιος...
α) Είναι ότι πρέπει για το μετρό
β) σε εισάγει στην φιλοσοφική οπτική του Ρουσώ αναφέροντας την απαραίτητη βιβλιογραφία
γ) σου προκαλεί ευχάριστο διάβασμα δεδομένης και της πολύ έξυπνης και πετυχημένης εικονογράφησης.
Για κάποιον που δεν έχει καμία γνώση για το μεγάλο έργο του μεγάλου Ρουσώ είναι καλή εισαγωγή.
Για περαιτέρω εμβάθυνση προτείνω το έργο του Kenny για την Δυτική Φιλοσοφία και από τα έργα του Ρουσώ αυτά που έχω προσεγγίσει (δεν λέω διαβάσει...) είναι οι Εξομολογήσεις, το κοινωνικό συμβόλαιο και ο Αιμίλιος...
June 9, 2013
I was wowed by the author's very readable and witty exposition of Rousseau, by the clever illustrations, and of course by Rousseau's ideas themselves: sometimes flakey, occasionally scary, often revolutionary. My interest in Rousseau was piqued by an upcoming trip to Geneva, and the book also provides an interesting backstory about Rousseau's relationship with what was then a republican city-state.
February 29, 2016
It's a nimble guide to Rousseau's life, works, and achievements. The graphics distracted me some, but the brevity appealed to me. Best, though, I am now primed and prepared to begin reading Rousseau.
August 9, 2012
This might be the gold standard for this series. Great illustrations support a flowing and informative text that neither damns nor worships Rousseau.
January 29, 2013
"Madmen who complain unceasingly of nature, learn that all your ills come from yourselves."
April 15, 2013
Rousseau was full of crap.
July 25, 2015
الترجمة سيئة
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews