- Our guy Jean-Jacques Rousseau is about to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth… about himself. His goal is to give his readers a totally true portrait.
- First, the basics: Rousseau is born in 1712 to a mom named Susanne and a dad named Isaac.
- Rousseau's mom and dad have an epic love story. Even though they knew each other as kids, they didn't get together until they were both mature enough to handle it.
- Sadly, Rousseau's mom dies in childbirth. Isaac, his dad, is distraught.
- Rousseau doesn't remember a lot until his fifth or sixth birthday. But he does remember what a huge impact reading had on him. Score one for the books.
- All that reading gives Rousseau plenty of insight into human passion.