The Reveries of the Solitary Walker

Book excerpt: This book is an autobiography written by a Genevan philosopher, Jean-Jacques Rousseau. The content of this book is divided into ten "Walks" or chapters. The book's subject matter is a mix of autobiographical anecdotes, descriptions of the scenery, particularly plants, that Rousseau saw on his walks around Paris, and explanations and extensions of assertions previously made by Rousseau in fields such as education and political philosophy. The work is characterized by tranquility and resignation in large parts, but it also refers to Rousseau's recognition of the negative effects of persecution towards the end of his life.