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1Discourse Upon the Origin and the Foundation of the Inequality Among Mankind

By Jean-Jacques Rousseau

This work presents Rousseau's belief in the profoundly transformational effects of the development of civilization on human nature, which Rousseau claims other political philosophers had failed to grasp. Specifically, before the onset of civilization, according to Rousseau, natural man lived a contented, solitary life, naturally good and happy. It is only with the onset of civilization, Rousseau claims, that humans become social beings, and, concomitant with their civilization, natural man becomes corrupted with the social vices of pride, vanity, greed and servility. (summary by ej)

The Social Contract outlines Rousseau's views on political justice, explaining how a just and legitimate state is to be founded, organized and administered. Rousseau sets forth, in his characteristically brazen and iconoclastic manner, the case for direct democracy, while simultaneously casting every other form of government as illegitimate and tantamount to slavery. Often hailed as a revolutionary document which sparked the French Revolution, The Social Contract serves both to inculcate dissatisfaction with actually-existing governments and to allow its readers to envision and desire a radically different form of political and social organization. (Summary by Eric Jonas)

De l’inégalité parmi les hommes est un essai philosophique d’une centaine de pages environ, richement annoté par l’auteur, introduit par une lettre de louanges à la République de Genève ainsi que par une préface de l’auteur datée du 12 Juin 1754.

Le Discours sur les sciences et les arts est un texte de Jean-Jacques Rousseau écrit dans le cadre du concours de l’Académe de Dijon de 1750. <br /><br />Lauréat du concours, Rousseau voit son essai fort commenté et lui doit sa célébrité, bien avant son opus magnum Du contrat social. <br /><br />Comme le veut le concours, le discours répond à une question : il s’agissait alors de déterminer « Si le rétablissement des sciences et des arts a contribué à épurer les mœurs ». Farouche critique des pratiques de son temps, l’auteur présente en deux parties une diatribe contre les sciences et les arts, qui bien loin d’épurer les mœurs éloignent les hommes de la vertu. <br/>(Résumé par Wikipedia)

“Thus I have acted; these were my thoughts; such was I.” <br/><br/> Rousseau’s lengthy and sometimes anguished dossier on the Self is one of the most remarkable and courageous works of introspection ever undertaken. Some readers may be repelled by his tendency to revel in embarrassing accounts of humiliation and fiasco, as if he were striving too hard to achieve an ultimate nakedness, a nakedness of the soul perhaps. Others may recall the compulsive self-searching of the narrator of Proust’s A la recherche du temps perdu, who also rather dwelt on the co-existence in the individual of the vile and the virtuous.<br/><br/> The two opening volumes of the Confessions, presented in this inevitably censored edition of 1903, deal with the author’s childhood and callow adolescence.<br/><br/> Here he is... (Summary by Martin Geeson)<br/><br/>

“The smallest, the most trifling pleasure that is conveniently within my reach, tempts me more than all the joys of paradise.”<br/><br/> Here again is the youthful, hero-worshiping Jean-Jacques – displaying an emotional immaturity that leads him into picaresque escapades in the company of transients and misfits, always ending in reunion with mother-surrogate Madame de Warens.<br/><br/> In a literally unprecedented gesture of self-revelation, Rousseau opens Volume 3 exposing himself indecently in dark alleyways. This 1903 edition fails to appreciate the humorous strangeness of the passage and removes it to protect the reader. (Summary by Martin Geeson)

"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..."<br><br>More of the amours of the twentysomething Jean-Jacques: here initiated into a strangely compromised manhood by his "maman" and perennial comforter -<br><br>"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..."<br><br>(Introduction by Martin Geeson)

8Jacqueline of Golden River

By H. M. Egbert and Victor Rousseau

Jacqueline seems to have contracted a touch of amnesia, as she is found in an apartment with a dead man, and with a weapon in her hand. But she remembers nothing of any incident, remembers not her name nor where she comes from, not even why she is where she was found. She only remembers her father, and that he is in danger. Action and adventure soon follow, as Paul Hewlett and Jacqueline attempt to get answers to her questions, taking them on a journey into Quebec and points northward, and Paul knows that they are being followed during their trip. What secrets are both Jacqueline and Paul unaware of? What will they uncover following their northbound journey? Who is Jacqueline?<br /><br />H. M. Egbert was one of multiple pseudonyms used by author Victor Rousseau Emanuel. (Introduction by Roger Melin)

9Astounding Stories 01, January 1930

By Ray Cummings, Murray Leinster, Captain S. P. Meek, Anthony Pelcher, Victor Rousseau, M. L. Staley and C.V. Tench

In January of 1930 a new magazine with a flashy color cover appeared on newsstands, Astounding Stories of Super-Science. Filled with stories of adventure, sometimes with only a tinge of science, this magazine was to host and nurture many science fiction giants like Murray Leinster and Ray Cummings and would help inspire many of the writers of the "Golden Age of Science Fiction". This inaugural issue includes stories by Murray Leinster, Ray Cummings, S. P. Meek, Victor Rousseau and others. (Summary by Alan Winterrowd)

10Astounding Stories 02, February 1930

By Hugh B. Cave, Charles Willard Diffin, Sophie Wenzel Ellis, Captain S. P. Meek, Anthony Pelcher, Victor Rousseau and Harl Vincent

This is the second issue of the classic science fiction Astounding Magazine. It contains the finale of The Beetle Horde by Victor Rousseau, as well as stories by Harl Vincent, Charles Willard Diffin, Hugh B. Cave, Sophie Wenzel Ellis, Sterner St. Paul, Anthony Pelcher and Captain S. P. Meek. (Summary by Alan Winterrowd)

11Astounding Stories 05, May 1930

By Ray Cummings, Murray Leinster, Lilith Lorraine, Victor Rousseau and Sewell Peaslee Wright

The fifth issue of Astounding Stories continues the Ray Cummings serial "Brigands of the Moon", begins a 4 part novel by Murray Leinster, and presents a sequel by Sewell Peaslee Wright to his story in the March issue. Also included are stories by Lilith Lorraine and Victor Rousseau. - Summary by Alan Winterrowd

12Astounding Stories 08, August 1930

By Arthur J. Burks, Edmond Hamilton, Murray Leinster, H. Thompson Rich, Victor Rousseau, R. F. Starzl and Harl Vincent

Issue eight of this seminal science-fiction magazine<br /><br /> CONTENTS<br /> Murder Madness by Murray Leinster - the conclusion of this novel<br /> Earth the Maurader by Arthur J. Burks - Part 2 of a 3 Part novel<br /> as well as short Stories The Planet of Dread by R.F. Starxl, The Lord of Space by Victor Rousseau, The Second Satellite by Edmund Hamilton, Silver Dome by Harl Vincent and The Flying City by H. Thompson Rich (summary by Annise)

13Astounding Stories 10, October 1930

By Ray Cummings, Robert H. Leitfred, Captain S. P. Meek, Victor Rousseau and Harl Vincent

Issue no. 10 of the magazine brings you:-<br> Stolen Brains by Captain S.P. Meek<br>The Invisible Death by Victor Rousseau <br> Prisoners on the Electron by Robert H. Leitfred<br> Part 2 of Jetta of the Lowlands by Ray Cummings <br> An Extra Man by Jackson Gee along with the Readers' Corner and interesting scientific facts (Summary by Annise)

14Astounding Stories 11, November 1930

By Ray Cummings, Charles Willard Diffin, Lloyd Eshbach, William Merriam Rouse, Victor Rousseau and Harl Vincent

This science-fiction mag includes "The Wall of Death" by Victor Rousseau, "The Pirate Planet" by Charles W. Diffin, "The Destroyer" by William Merriam Rouse, "The Gray Plague" by L. A. Eshbach, "Jetta of the Lowlands" by Ray Cummings, and "Vagabonds of Space" by Harl Vincent. Summary by Bill Boerst

15Èmile

By Jean-Jacques Rousseau

Emile, or On Education or Émile, or Treatise on Education (French: Émile, ou De l’éducation) was published in 1762 in French and German and in 1763 in English. The significance of Rousseau in education as well as in politics must be found in his revolutionary attitude toward established institutions. Some of his biographers relate the story that when the Academy of Dijon, in 1749, offered a prize for an essay on the question whether the progress of the arts and sciences has tended to the purification of morals and manners, he followed the suggestion of Diderot, who reminded him of the greater notoriety which he could gain by advocating the negative side. The Archbishop of Paris, Christophe de Beaumont (1703-1781), saw in it a dangerous, mischievous work, and gave himself the trouble of writing a long encyclical letter in order to point out the book to the reprobation of the faithful. This was due to the Fourth Book, Confessions of a Savoyard Priest.<br><br>Rousseau created an imaginary child named Emile and became his tutor. As tutor, he was careful to keep the passions in check while developing the mind. Then he created an imaginary mate for Emile named Sophy.<br><br>The book was reviewed in The Monthly Review 1763 printed by Ralph Griffiths. "Rousseau says man is born twice, first to exist, then to live; once to a species and again with regard to sex. At the age of puberty commences the second birth, when he is truly born to live, and enters into full possession of the powers of human nature. Tho' nature points out the time when youth emerges from infancy this period may be either accelerated or retarded by education." It was originally translated into English as early as 1768.<br><br>William H. Payne (1836–1907) translated Emile in 1895. This reading is from Barbara Foxley's 1912 translation from Gutenberg.org. (Summary by Soupy)

Dr. Ivan Brodsky more than merely a traditional doctor. Rather than trafficking in the healing of human ailments by means of conventional medical science, Brodsky takes the cases that requires a more psychical solution to heal the human soul itself. Equipped with a vast knowledge of the supernatural, the power of hypnosis and various scientific devices that can bridge the world between the living and the dead, we witness Brodsky, through the eyes of his assistant, set free spiritual manifestations of anger and fear, fend off an animalistic poltergeist, resurrect an ancient Egyptian mummy, prevent murder committed by a wax figure of Admiral Nelson and much more! (Summary by Ben Tucker)

17Messiah Of The Cylinder

By Victor Rousseau

In the year 1914, two scientists, Pennell and Lazaroff, dine at the home of Sir Spofforth and his daughter Esther. Spofforth administers funding for the Biological Research Institute at which Pennell and Lazaroff work. Lazaroff and Spofforth are debating the question of conflict between science and religion. In opposition to Lazaroff, Spofforth is of the opinion that no such conflict exists. Lazoroff asserts that, within 100 years, science will be the faith of humankind to the exclusion of other religions. All except Lazaroff suppose that the argument is an academic one. Unbeknownst to them, Lazaroff has already set in motion events that will thrust himself, Pennell and Esther into a future that he envisions. Flash forward to 2015 and we have "The Messiah of the Cylinder".