Description
Book SynopsisIn order to grasp what it means to call Rousseau an author of the Revolution, it is necessary to take full measure of the difficulties of literary interpretation to which Rousseau's work gives rise. This is a deconstructive analysis of Rousseau as an "author" of the French Revolution.
Trade Review"This book is a tour de force, carefully argued, erudite, beautifully written, and strikingly original. It offers a new understanding about an idea that is almost a cliché for historians of the French Revolution—that Rousseau's political writings somehow 'caused' the revolution. Swenson problematizes this causality . . . by looking at Rousseau's entire oeuvre." -- Joan Scott * Institute for Advanced Study *
"Recent emphasis on the political culture of the French Revolution has renewed interest in the relationship between the Revolution and the Enlightenment, including the importance of Jean-Jacques Rousseau. James Swenson's fascinating study contributes to this discussion." --
Canadian Journal of History"In a series of well-informed, stimulating, and thought-provoking chapters, Swenson traces the connections between Rousseau's political thought and various passages in his autobiographical writings and his works of fiction." --
The New York Review"To advance the understanding of a major author and the understanding of a classic historical problem is an admirable feat." --
Journal of Modern HistoryTable of ContentsPreface 1. Intellectual, cultural and ideological origins 2. The unnatural order of enlightenment universal history 3. The author of nature 4. The author of the revolution Notes Bibliography Index.
