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Jean-Jacques Rousseau #2
The Noble Savage: Jean-Jacques Rousseau, 1754-1762
In this second volume of the unparalleled exposition of Rousseau's life and works, Cranston completes and corrects the story told in Rousseau's Confessions , and offers a vivid, entirely new history of his most eventful and productive years.
"Luckily for us, Maurice Cranston's The Noble Savage: Jean-Jacques Rousseau, 1754-1762 has managed to craft a highly detailed account of eight key years of Rousseau's life in such a way that we can both understand and even, on occasion, sympathize."—Olivier Bernier, Wall Street Journal
Maurice Cranston (1920-1993), a distinguished scholar and recipient of the James Tait Black Memorial Prize for his biography of John Locke, was professor of political science at the London School of Economics. His numerous books include The Romantic Movement and Philosophers and Pamphleteers , and translations of Rousseau's The Social Contract and Discourse on the Origins of Inequality .
"Luckily for us, Maurice Cranston's The Noble Savage: Jean-Jacques Rousseau, 1754-1762 has managed to craft a highly detailed account of eight key years of Rousseau's life in such a way that we can both understand and even, on occasion, sympathize."—Olivier Bernier, Wall Street Journal
Maurice Cranston (1920-1993), a distinguished scholar and recipient of the James Tait Black Memorial Prize for his biography of John Locke, was professor of political science at the London School of Economics. His numerous books include The Romantic Movement and Philosophers and Pamphleteers , and translations of Rousseau's The Social Contract and Discourse on the Origins of Inequality .
413 pages, Paperback
First published May 1, 1991
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About the author
Maurice Cranston
67 books8 followersMaurice William Cranston was an English philosopher, professor, and author. He served for many years as Professor of Political Science at the London School of Economics, and was also known for his popular publications. In the late 1970s and early 1980s he was Professor of Political Theory at the European University Institute in Florence (Italy).
Cranston's major works include biographies of John Locke, for which he received the 1957 James Tait Black Memorial Prize, and Rousseau, Jean-Paul Sartre, and others addressing the history of liberty. He contributed to many publications in both Britain and the United States and wrote scripts for the BBC. In 1946 two of his detective novels were published by John Westhouse: Tomorrow We'll Be Sober and Philosopher's Hemlock.
Cranston's intellectual abilities were varied. His first academic book, Freedom: A New Analysis (1954), covered history (the history of liberalism), politics (a precursive discussion of what Sir Isaiah Berlin would later analyse as negative and positive liberty) and a philosophical attempt to resolve or at least elucidate freedom of the will. The philosophical section was the least successful; and Cranston never again attempted pure philosophy. His main academic strengths were as a biographer and as an intellectual historian.
In his later years, Cranston moved to the political right, and expressed admiration for Margaret Thatcher. Cranston also contributed to The American Spectator magazine.
He died of a heart attack while taping a television production in London for the BBC.
(excerpted from Wikipedia)
Cranston's major works include biographies of John Locke, for which he received the 1957 James Tait Black Memorial Prize, and Rousseau, Jean-Paul Sartre, and others addressing the history of liberty. He contributed to many publications in both Britain and the United States and wrote scripts for the BBC. In 1946 two of his detective novels were published by John Westhouse: Tomorrow We'll Be Sober and Philosopher's Hemlock.
Cranston's intellectual abilities were varied. His first academic book, Freedom: A New Analysis (1954), covered history (the history of liberalism), politics (a precursive discussion of what Sir Isaiah Berlin would later analyse as negative and positive liberty) and a philosophical attempt to resolve or at least elucidate freedom of the will. The philosophical section was the least successful; and Cranston never again attempted pure philosophy. His main academic strengths were as a biographer and as an intellectual historian.
In his later years, Cranston moved to the political right, and expressed admiration for Margaret Thatcher. Cranston also contributed to The American Spectator magazine.
He died of a heart attack while taping a television production in London for the BBC.
(excerpted from Wikipedia)
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
October 31, 2008
I greatly admire Cranston's biography of Rousseau. Cranston is most successful in conveying Rousseau's mania for maintaining his independence of mind and thought. He is also quite insightful in describing Rousseau's principle philosphical/literary project. It's hard to call his work philosophy, at least in my understanding of the discipline, and yet it's not exactly imaginitive literature either.
I do grow impatient with biographers who seem to transcribe their subject's appointment book into a biography. I do not need or want to learn of every one of his dinner engagements with one grandee or another, or of his little spats with nearly everyone. His major quarrels are interesting and important, and more than enough. But perhaps it's important to know how petty and small minded great men can be.
I do grow impatient with biographers who seem to transcribe their subject's appointment book into a biography. I do not need or want to learn of every one of his dinner engagements with one grandee or another, or of his little spats with nearly everyone. His major quarrels are interesting and important, and more than enough. But perhaps it's important to know how petty and small minded great men can be.
June 20, 2008
I recommend reading this for a reasoned secularist's view of Jesus.
What I remember from this is that he despises the percieved passivism that Jesus "inspires" in His followers and praises the aggressive striving of the barbarian.
What I remember from this is that he despises the percieved passivism that Jesus "inspires" in His followers and praises the aggressive striving of the barbarian.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews