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The Autobiography of Michel de Montaigne
s/t: Compromising the Life of the Wisest Man of His Times: His Childhood, Youth, and Prime; His Adventures in Love
Everyone acknowledges the Essays of Michel de Montaigne as one of the glories of civilized thought. But in this volume, Marvin Lowenthal has drawn from his letters, essays, travel writings, and manuscripts to create a biography of his life told in his own words ...more
Everyone acknowledges the Essays of Michel de Montaigne as one of the glories of civilized thought. But in this volume, Marvin Lowenthal has drawn from his letters, essays, travel writings, and manuscripts to create a biography of his life told in his own words ...more
Paperback
,
408 pages
Published
May 1st 1999
by David R. Godine Publisher
(first published January 1st 1956)
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Lowenthal has constructed an interesting pseudo-autobiography of Montaigne by picking snippets of his essays/travel writings and organizing them into theme-based chapters. Actually interesting, and it does inspire this reader to go back to the original essays(which, unfortunately, are not always as nicely organized).
"A country-gentleman of the days of Henry III, who was a wise man in a century of ignorance, a philosopher in an age of fanatics, and who painted in the guise of himself our own follies and frailties, is a man who will be loved forever."
— Voltaire
"Montaigne is really the first modern writer — the first who showed that an author might be original and charming, even classical, if he did not try too hard."
— James Russell Lowell
"Montaigne is the frankest and honestest of all writers... He had the ge ...more
— Voltaire
"Montaigne is really the first modern writer — the first who showed that an author might be original and charming, even classical, if he did not try too hard."
— James Russell Lowell
"Montaigne is the frankest and honestest of all writers... He had the ge ...more
I loved the line "I prefer to forge my mind, not furnish it." It is going on my inspiration chalkboard. In this chopped up "autobiography" Montaigne manages to comes through -- funny, insecure, profound, pompous, honest, contradictory and hilarious, but I think I would have done better to just read his essays. The thematic clumping, in roughly chronological order is a little forced, as you might suspect. The book can't do justice to the natural directions his rambly mind takes, and every time I
...more
"When I am at home, I am more often than not in my library"
So opens the tenth of thirty-four chapters that comprise this "auto-biography" based on Michel de Montaigne's own essais. His is the story of a life lived by focusing on living rather than dying. Even so, one of his best and most eloquent essays was 'To philosophize is to Learn to Die'. Following Plato's Phaedo and his depiction of the death of Socrates one could learn from this the best way to live.
So opens the tenth of thirty-four chapters that comprise this "auto-biography" based on Michel de Montaigne's own essais. His is the story of a life lived by focusing on living rather than dying. Even so, one of his best and most eloquent essays was 'To philosophize is to Learn to Die'. Following Plato's Phaedo and his depiction of the death of Socrates one could learn from this the best way to live.
Jul 17, 2007
Amy
rated it
4 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
people who like philosophy, but have a low attention span.
Shelves:
favorites
This book is good stuff. A charming philosopher with a modern look at civilization and culture. I recommend it because although he is highly educated and intelligent he brings up strong reservations about the benefits of having a mind vs. the purity of true animal instinct.
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pretty cool old dude from france or something
Michel De Montaigne, in his "Essays", sought to honestly appraise himself and his life. I found it refreshing to hear a man speak so candidly of his own thoughts and feelings.
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Michel Eyquem de Montaigne was one of the most influential writers of the French Renaissance. Montaigne is known for popularizing the essay as a literary genre. He became famous for his effortless ability to merge serious intellectual speculation with casual anecdotes and autobiography — and his massive volume
Essais
(translated literally as "Attempts") contains, to this day, some of the most wide
...more
More about Michel de Montaigne...
