A review by liberrydude
How to Live: A Life of Montaigne in One Question and Twenty Attempts at An Answer by Sarah Bakewell

4.0

A rather unique and innovative biographical approach to an amazing man. I'm not sure I need to rush out and read the Essays as I've gleaned a lot from this book about the man and what he said and what's been intrepeted about what he said. Amazing how his reception bounced back and forth from banning to adulation and really ironic that the English loved him and trumpted him much to the chagrin of the French and Catholic intelligentsia, at least for a time. We can consider Montaigne the first blogger to some extent according to Bakewell. Bakewell also at the end of the book ponders the role of Montaigne's cat in his writings. Now that would be an idea for a book; the cat writing about how he or she molded Montaigne. So I guess I'm going to have to add the Essays to my reading list.