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Confessions (Jean-Jacques Rousseau)
The ''Confessions'' is an autobiographical book by Jean-Jacques Rousseau. In the modern era, it is often published with the title ''The Confessions of Jean-Jacques Rousseau'' in order to distinguish it from Saint Augustine's '' Confessions''. Covering the first fifty-three years of Rousseau's life, up to 1765, it was completed in 1769, but not published until 1782, four years after Rousseau's death, even though Rousseau did read excerpts of his manuscript publicly at various salons and other meeting places. Background and contents The ''Confessions'' was two distinct works, each part consisting of six books. Books I to VI were written between 1765 and 1767 and published in 1782, while books VII to XII were written in 1769–1770 and published in 1789. Rousseau alludes to a planned third part, but it was never completed. Though the book contains factual inaccuracies – in particular, Rousseau's dates are frequently off, some events are out of order, and others are misrepresented, i ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Jean-Jacques Rousseau
Jean-Jacques Rousseau (, ; ; 28 June 1712 – 2 July 1778) was a Republic of Geneva, Genevan philosopher (''philosophes, philosophe''), writer, and composer. His political philosophy influenced the progress of the Age of Enlightenment throughout Europe, as well as aspects of the French Revolution and the development of modern political, economic, and educational thought. His ''Discourse on Inequality'', which argues that private property is the source of inequality, and ''The Social Contract'', which outlines the basis for a legitimate political order, are cornerstones in modern political and social thought. Rousseau's sentimental novel ''Julie, or the New Heloise'' (1761) was important to the development of preromanticism and romanticism in fiction. His ''Emile, or On Education'' (1762) is an educational treatise on the place of the individual in society. Rousseau's autobiographical writings—the posthumously published ''Confessions (Rousseau), Confessions'' (completed in 17 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Paul Johnson (writer)
Paul Bede Johnson (2 November 1928 – 12 January 2023) was a British journalist, popular historian, speechwriter and author. Although associated with the political left in his early career, he became a popular conservative historian. Johnson was educated at the Jesuit independent school Stonyhurst College, and at Magdalen College, Oxford, where he studied history. He first came to prominence in the 1950s as a journalist writing for and later editing the ''New Statesman'' magazine. A prolific writer, Johnson wrote more than 50 books and contributed to numerous magazines and newspapers. His sons include the journalist Daniel Johnson, founder of '' Standpoint'' magazine, and the businessman Luke Johnson, former chairman of Channel 4. Early life and education Johnson was born in Manchester, England, on 2 November 1928. His father, William Aloysius Johnson, was an artist and principal of the Art School in Burslem, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire. At Stonyhurst College, Johnson ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Speaker Icon
Speaker most commonly refers to: * Speaker, a person who produces speech * Loudspeaker, a device that produces sound ** Computer speakers Speaker, Speakers, or The Speaker may also refer to: Arts and entertainment * "Speaker" (song), by David Banner, 2008 * "Speakers" (Sam Hunt song), 2014 * ''The Speaker'', the second book in Traci Chee's Sea of Ink and Gold trilogy, 2017 * ''The Speaker'' (periodical), a British weekly review, 1890 to 1907 * ''The Speaker'' (TV series), a British television series, 2009 People * Tris Speaker (1888–1958), American baseball player * Raymond Speaker (born 1935), Canadian politician Politics * Speaker (politics), the presiding officer of a legislative body, including ** Speaker of the House of Commons (Canada) ** Speaker of the House of Commons (United Kingdom) ** Speaker of the United States House of Representatives *** Mike Johnson (born 1972), current House speaker Other uses * HMS ''Speaker'', various ships * Speaker Township, Mi ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
William Boyd (writer)
William Andrew Murray Boyd (born 7 March 1952) is a British novelist, short story writer screenwriter and film director. He is best known for his novels, which include '' A Good Man in Africa'' (1981), '' Any Human Heart'' (2002), and '' Restless'' (2006), many of which have received critical acclaim and literary awards. Boyd has also written screenplays for film and television, including ''Chaplin'' (1992), and directed the World War I drama '' The Trench'' (1999). His work is characterised by its narrative vitality and range, earning him numerous accolades including the Whitbread First Novel Award, the James Tait Black Memorial Prize, and the Costa Book Award. A number of his works are what he describes as "whole-life" novels which follow a protagonist through the highs and lows of a varied and often remarkable life. He regularly fuses fact with fiction and his lead characters encounter well-known historical figures. He was appointed Commander of the Order of the British ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
The New Confessions
''The New Confessions'' is the fourth novel by the Scottish writer William Boyd published in 1987. The theme and narrative structure of the novel is modelled on Jean-Jacques Rousseau's '' Les Confessions'', the reading of which has a huge impact on the protagonist's life. The book is the first of Boyd's 'whole-life' novels which follow a protagonist through all, or at least most, of his or her life interspersing real and imagined events and people. Later such novels include Any Human Heart (2002), Sweet Caress (2015) and The Romantic (2022). Plot The book follows the life of John James Todd from his birth in Edinburgh up to his final exile on a Mediterranean island. Todd fights in the First World War and also films it as a cameraman, he then works for a film studio and ends up in Berlin where he starts his filming of ''The Confessions''. After the financial collapse of his backer, he moves to Hollywood along with many German exiles. He becomes a war correspondent during the ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Let Them Eat Cake
"Let them eat cake" is the traditional translation of the French phrase "'", said to have been spoken in the 18th century by "a great princess" upon being told that the peasants had no bread. The French phrase mentions brioche, a bread enriched with butter and eggs, considered a luxury food. The quote is taken to reflect either the princess's frivolous disregard for the starving peasants or her poor understanding of their plight. Although the phrase is conventionally attributed to Marie Antoinette, there is no evidence that she ever uttered it, and it is now generally regarded as a journalistic cliché. The phrase can actually be traced back to Jean-Jacques Rousseau's '' Confessions'' in 1765, 24 years prior to the French Revolution, and when Antoinette was nine years old and had never been to France. The phrase was not attributed to Antoinette until decades after her death. Origins The phrase appears in book six of Rousseau's autobiographical '' Confessions'', whose first six ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Jules Lemaître
François Élie Jules Lemaître (27 April 1853 – 4 August 1914) was a French critic and dramatist. Biography Lemaître was born in Vennecy, Loiret. He became a professor at the University of Grenoble in 1883, but was already well known for his literary criticism, and in 1884 he resigned his position to devote his time to literature. Lemaître succeeded Jean-Jacques Weiss as drama critic of the ''Journal des Débats'', and subsequently filled the same office on the '' Revue des Deux Mondes''. His literary studies were collected under the title of ''Les Contemporains'' (7 series, 1886–99), and his dramatic feuilletons as ''Impressions de Théà tre'' (10 series, 1888–98). Lemaître's sketches of modern authors show great insight and unexpected judgment as well as gaiety and originality of expression. He was admitted to the French Academy on 16 January 1896. Lemaître's political views were defined in ''La Campagne Nationaliste'' (1902), lectures delivered in the provinces b ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Émile Faguet
Auguste Émile Faguet (; 17 December 18477 June 1916) was a French author and literary critic. Biography Faguet was born at La Roche-sur-Yon, Vendée, and educated at the École normale supérieure in Paris. After teaching for some time in La Rochelle and Bordeaux, he returned to Paris to act as assistant professor of poetry in the university. Faguet became professor in 1897. He was elected to the Académie française in 1900, and received the ribbon of the Légion d'honneur in the next year. Faguet acted as dramatic critic to the '' Soleil''; from 1892 he was literary critic to the ''Revue Bleue''; and in 1896 took the place of Jules Lemaître on the '' Journal des débats''. Faguet died in Paris Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in January 2025 in an area of more than , Paris is the List of ci ..., aged 68. Works * ''De Aure ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Sophie D'Houdetot
Elisabeth Françoise Sophie Lalive de Bellegarde, Comtesse d'Houdetot (18 December 1730 – 28 January 1813) was a French noblewoman. She is remembered primarily for the brief but intense love she inspired in Jean-Jacques Rousseau in 1757, but she was also for fifty years in a relationship with the poet and academician Jean François de Saint-Lambert. Background Daughter of the unwealthy tax-collector Louis de Robertier Denis Lalive de Bellegarde and his wife Marie Dickx Josèphe Prouveur, Sophie married Claude Constant César, Comte d' Houdetot, an army brigadier, at the Saint-Roch church in Paris on 28 February 1748. She was presented at court, an honor reserved for ladies of a certain nobility and social distinction. She mingled in literary circles in Paris, aided by her cousin and sister-in-law, Louise d'Épinay, who was in a relationship with Frédéric Melchior, baron de Grimm, editor of the handwritten literary journal in which Diderot circulated much of his work. Mme ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Louise D'Épinay
Louise Florence Pétronille Tardieu d'Esclavelles d'Épinay (11 March 1726 – 17 April 1783), better known as Mme d'Épinay, was a French writer, a '' saloniste'' and woman of fashion, known on account of her liaisons with Friedrich Melchior, Baron von Grimm, and Jean-Jacques Rousseau, who gives unflattering reports of her in his '' Confessions'', as well as her acquaintanceship with Denis Diderot, Jean le Rond d'Alembert, Baron d'Holbach and other French men of letters during the Enlightenment. She was also one of many women referenced in Simone de Beauvoir's '' The Second Sex'' as an example of noble expansion of women's rights during the 18th century. Early life Louise d'Épinay was born at the fortress of Valenciennes. She was the daughter of Tardieu d'Esclavelles, a brigadier of infantry and commanding officer, and Florence-Angélique Prouveur. After her father was killed in battle when she was ten, she was sent to Paris in the care of her aunt Marie-Josèphe Prouveur who w ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Denis Diderot
Denis Diderot (; ; 5 October 171331 July 1784) was a French philosopher, art critic, and writer, best known for serving as co-founder, chief editor, and contributor to the along with Jean le Rond d'Alembert. He was a prominent figure during the Age of Enlightenment. Diderot initially studied philosophy at a Society of Jesus, Jesuit college, then considered working in the church clergy before briefly studying law. When he decided to become a writer in 1734, his father disowned him. He lived a Bohemianism, bohemian existence for the next decade. In the 1740s he wrote many of his best-known works in both fiction and non-fiction, including the 1748 novel ''The Indiscreet Jewels, Les Bijoux indiscrets'' (The Indiscreet Jewels). In 1751 Diderot co-created the ''Encyclopédie'' with Jean le Rond d'Alembert. It was the first encyclopedia to include contributions from many named contributors and the first to describe the mechanical arts. Its secular tone, which included articles skepti ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
