Montaigne, Michel de

Michel de Montaigne is one of the founding fathers of the essay. Retreating to his châteaux to write (and often neglecting his estate duties), Montaigne pondered the great and small questions of life. Throught his essays he attempted to reach a deeper understanding of himself, and in doing so, touches on the greater human condition. Always curious, Montaigne ponders subjects as diverse as education, fear, reading and death. His ideas and the charm of his writing continue to captivate modern readers.