Autobiography; Coming-of-Age; Philosophical Literature
We'll be the first to admit it: Rousseau has a pretty fascinating life. He's hanging out with Diderot, arguing with Voltaire, and writing awesome comic operas in less than a week. No wonder he thinks people will be interested in his life story. But Rousseau's not just planning to brag about his life. Nope, he's dedicated The Confessions to documenting the awkward and embarrassing moments that no one would think to ask him about.
Along the way, Rousseau grows up before our very eyes. In one moment, he's a little kid making aqueducts in his backyard. The next, he's having affairs with married ladies. Rousseau never sugarcoats his life story, since that's what makes it interesting to his readers.
He's also not afraid to dabble in a little philosophy here and there. This is the guy who wrote The Social Contract, after all. He thinks people are generally good enough, but they get corrupted by historical events that influence their moral decisions.