Confessions, volumes 5 and 6 by Jean-Jacques Rousseau provide a deeper insight into the complexities of the author's character and life. Rousseau's candid reflections on his personal experiences, relationships, and inner struggles offer a raw and honest portrayal of his innermost thoughts and emotions.

In these volumes, Rousseau delves into his turbulent relationships with women, his feelings of alienation from society, and his ongoing quest for personal fulfillment and happiness. Through his introspective narrative, he invites readers to ponder the human condition and the nature of happiness, morality, and authenticity.

Rousseau's eloquent prose and introspective musings make Confessions a captivating read, allowing readers to glimpse into the mind of a complex and enigmatic figure. While his unapologetic honesty may be unsettling at times, it also serves as a powerful reminder of the importance of self-awareness and introspection in navigating life's challenges.

Overall, Confessions, volumes 5 and 6 offer a profound and thought-provoking exploration of Rousseau's inner world, shedding light on the complexities of the human experience and the eternal quest for self-understanding and fulfillment.

Book Description:
"She was more to me than a sister, a mother, a friend, or even than a mistress, and for this very reason she was not a mistress; in a word, I loved her too much to desire her..."

More of the amours of the twentysomething Jean-Jacques: here initiated into a strangely compromised manhood by his "maman" and perennial comforter -

"Was I happy? No: I felt I know-not-what invincible sadness which empoisoned my happiness, it seemed that I had committed an incest, and two or three times, pressing her eagerly in my arms, I deluged her bosom with my tears. On her part, as she had never sought pleasure, she had not the stings of remorse..."

(Introduction by Martin Geeson)