Confessions. Part One

“Confessions” is the most famous work of the celebrated French philosopher of the Enlightenment, writer, and composer Jean-Jacques Rousseau. It is not only an autobiography, but also a novel. The book’s goal is “to show his fellow men one person, in all the truth of his nature,” in his unique individuality. With maximum sincerity and merciless truthfulness, Rousseau bares his heart—“all his secret thoughts”—without being afraid to tell “about himself the most disgusting things.” By depicting his life, presenting his thoughts, and describing states of the soul, Rousseau reveals not only his inner world, but also a system of views on nature and society. A sense of justice, directness, and love of nature—this is what one can learn from the French philosopher.
Translation edited by N. A. Berdyaev