1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die

  • Gulliver's Travels
  • Roxana
  • Moll Flanders
  • Love In Excess
  • Robinson Crusoe
  • A Tale of a Tub
  • Oroonoko
  • The Princess of Cleves

Sunday, July 31, 2011

33. Julie; or, the New Elouise

Wikipedia tells me that Jean-Jacques Rousseau was a major philosopher, writer and composer who was born in Switzerland in 1712 and died in France in 1778.  Julie was published in 1760.  Writing this two books later, I confess I can't remember much about Julie, so I'm cheating here and referring to the synopsis a lot.

This book was immensely popular when it was first published.  The story is told through letters, and it's about Julie who is loved by and loves her tutor, Saint-Preux.  He's banished from her father's house. Later she marries Wolmar.  Saint-Preux becomes part of their household, but virtue triumphs over desire and they all make honorable choices.  Julie dies young.

Did I read this at all?  I can't find it on my Kindle, but I've just found an online edition and it doesn't look very familiar.  Ah, the Kindle version costs $19 - maybe I decided it was too expensive?  Bother, I shall have to go back and read it.

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