The Complete Essays

Michel de Montaigne's The Complete Essays contains over 100 essays written between 1570-1592, translated from the original French. The essays range from brief musings to extensive philosophical inquiries. Montaigne writes on topics including death, friendship, education, war, religion, and human nature. He draws from classical literature, historical accounts, and his own experiences as a nobleman, tower-dwelling philosopher, and mayor of Bordeaux. The essays incorporate personal anecdotes, classical quotations, and observations of 16th century French society. Montaigne revised and expanded many essays over two decades, with three main published editions marking different phases of development. Through a blend of skepticism and humanism, these essays establish frameworks for examining the self, questioning accepted wisdom, and understanding human experience that influenced centuries of literature and philosophy.

Readers appreciate Montaigne's honest self-examination, humor, and ability to make ancient philosophy relevant to daily life. Many note his conversational writing style feels modern despite being from the 16th century. Multiple reviews highlight how his thoughts on topics like death, friendship, and education remain applicable today. Common criticisms focus on the dense writing, frequent Latin quotes, and meandering structure. Some find his self-focus tedious or self-indulgent. Several readers suggest starting with selected essays rather than reading cover-to-cover. From an Amazon reviewer: "He rambles, contradicts himself, and takes forever to get to the point - just like real human thought." Goodreads reviewer: "Reading Montaigne is like having a fascinating conversation with a brilliant friend." Ratings: Goodreads: 4.2/5 (7,800+ ratings) Amazon: 4.5/5 (350+ ratings) LibraryThing: 4.3/5 (2,900+ ratings) The Penguin Classics translation by M.A. Screech receives the most positive feedback for readability and accuracy.

Meditations by Marcus Aurelius The personal reflections of a Roman Emperor combine philosophical contemplation with observations on human nature and mortality.

Essays and Aphorisms by Arthur Schopenhauer These philosophical fragments explore human existence, suffering, and wisdom through direct, uncompromising observations.

Pensées by Blaise Pascal Pascal's collection of thoughts forms a mosaic of philosophical, religious, and personal insights written in a fragmentary style similar to Montaigne's essays.

The Life of Samuel Johnson by James Boswell Through intimate conversations and observations, this work captures the wit, wisdom, and personality of a great thinker in the same intimate manner as Montaigne's self-examination.

Selected Essays by Ralph Waldo Emerson These essays examine nature, self-reliance, and human experience through personal reflection and philosophical inquiry.

🔹 Montaigne essentially invented the essay format as we know it today, with the word "essay" coming from the French "essayer," meaning "to try" or "to attempt" 🔹 While writing his essays, Montaigne had various quotes from classical authors painted on the beams of his library ceiling, surrounding himself with the wisdom he frequently referenced 🔹 He wrote many of his essays while suffering from kidney stones, a condition that caused him extreme pain and influenced his philosophical reflections on life, death, and suffering 🔹 The book was placed on the Catholic Church's Index of Prohibited Books in 1676 due to its skeptical and questioning nature, though Montaigne himself remained a Catholic throughout his life 🔹 Montaigne's personal copy of his Essays, with his own handwritten notes and revisions in the margins, still exists today and is preserved in the Municipal Library of Bordeaux