The Essential Rousseau ('The Social Contract'; 'Discourse on Inequality'; 'Discourse on the Arts and Sciences'; 'The Creed of a Savoyard Priest') [Mass Market Paperback]

Jean-Jacques Rousseau (Author), Lowell Bair (Translator), Matthew Josephson (Introduction)

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 18 and up
  
• Mass Market Paperback: 320 pages
• Publisher: Plume/Meridian (January 1, 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0452010314
• ISBN-13: 978-0452010314
• Product Dimensions: 5.3 x 0.7 x 7.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #670,693 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Classroom Edition, July 19, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: The Essential Rousseau ('The Social Contract'; 'Discourse on Inequality'; 'Discourse on the Arts and Sciences'; 'The Creed of a Savoyard Priest') (Mass Market Paperback)

"The Essential Rousseau" is an edition of, as its name suggests, Rousseau's most essential works, including his "Discourse on the Arts and Letters" and "Discourse on the Origins of Inequality" in their entirity, as well as excerpts from other major works, including "The Social Contract" and "The Savoyard Priest". The translation is clear and accurate, the selection of tests is appropraite and accurately reflects what I would consider to be essential. There's a good brief sketch of Rousseau's life and work in the beginning, and a quick introduction to each work. All in all, this is a fine edition for assignment in the classroom and for students.

7 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Innacurate Account of the Truth, March 6, 2007

By 

J. Rydell (Ontario Canada) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Essential Rousseau ('The Social Contract'; 'Discourse on Inequality'; 'Discourse on the Arts and Sciences'; 'The Creed of a Savoyard Priest') (Mass Market Paperback)

Lowell Bair, while providing the "essential" works of Rousseau, fails to provide an accurate account of what it was Rousseau truly wanted to say. Refer specifically to the Social Contract Book II, Chapters VI and VII, pertaining to the law and to lawgivers. Bair, through his own interest decides to cut out nearly every instance that Rousseau made regarding religion and God. As a religious man, Rousseau felt that it was extremly pertinent that religion, though it may cause conflict played an essential role in the formation of a state and the laws that bind it. For, there can really be no secular state. Now Bair, decided to cut this out, in several instances leaving the reader to only infer that religion was deep rooted in his writing. Whereas, In the true reading of the work, it is obviously clear. I think that this is a twisted version of the truth, and through reviews like the other one stated, that people who do not know but would like to know these writers will become blinded by authors who corrupt and throw their own "perspective" and "translations" into texts like the "Essential Rousseau" by Lowell Bair. You want to read the true account, read the original works, and even better in the original language it was meant to be read in!