This is an essay about finding happiness in life. Montaigne focuses on his three major diversions: friendships, romantic relationships and books. But I think some of his most important thoughts on the matter come right at the start in his introduction, where he makes a broad case for living a life of varied interests. Note…

Montaigne lived long before the existentialist schism, so he readily embraces the moral structure of the church. But he still has a lot of interesting, unique things to say about that moral structure. In fact, two essays into volume 3, I’m impressed by how much deeper these new essays delve into the topics. The new…

I’m a great admirer of “Don Quixote,” especially in the chapter where the Knight Errant gives Sancho Panza advice on being a virtuous governor. Quixote offers some surprisingly wise thoughts, such as: Take pride in being a humble and virtuous man rather than a lofty and sinful one …. if you make virtue your method,…

Montaigne suffered from persistent kidney stones—and the chronic pain they brought him heavily influenced this essay. The pain of the kidney stones was so bad that it made Montaigne lose all remaining fear of death: Even real pain is not so shrill, harsh and stabbing that a man of settled temperament must go mad with…

Nearing the close of his second volume of essays, Montaigne is in a mood to wrap things up and crown a champion. After extolling the virtues of dozens of exemplary lives (taken largely from the pages of Plutarch), he’s now ready to crown his top three heroes in history. It feels all too contemporary, some…

Montaigne’s account of three exemplary wives implies that a woman is “good” if she will take her own life upon her husband’s death. But I think his cause isn’t really to fight for perfect love, but to point out the barbarism at the heart of it. Montaigne begins by saying that you know a good…