Jean-Jacques Rousseau
1782
Around 110 pages
I feel like I always start my posts by apologizing for how long it has been since my last one and this post will be no exception. This took forever to get to my house but only took me about an hour to read. I have, however, been reading a lot of books from the 1700s (Mysteries of Udolpho, Cecelia, Confessions, etc.) so I will have posts more regularly. I also started Ulysses. If reading Joyce's prose isn't hell, I don't know what is.
As far as authors in the list goes, we have really been with Rousseau from the beginning. He was pretty much a celebrity when Julie came out, had his book burned when Emile came out, and now is in exile. I have already started to read his last book, Confessions, which is a very long autobiography. This novel is so strikingly similar that I really see no reason to have both on the list. Curse the list makers!
Anyway, this novel is about 100 pages of whining about society. However, Rousseau happens to be a phenomenal writer so even his whining sounds beautiful. It reminded me of the album John Lennon and the Plastic Ono Band. Incredibly whiny but you love the whiner so much that you suffer through it.
RATING: **---
Interesting Facts:
Unfinished.
Mix of anecdotes and descriptions.
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