Much to admire about Montaigne and a great deal to think about after reading this clever book. So good I need to buy my own copy.

I had been waiting to read this book for months, so I was incredibly disappointed when I just couldn't get into it. It just felt as if Bakewell were trying to do too many things: tell a biography of Montaigne, discuss and analyze his Essays, and somehow extrapolate from those Essays a series of lessons that Montaigne supposedly knew and that we can supposedly learn from. I think what I was most resistant to in this book is the weird sort of philosophical self-help framework that the book operates under: every chapter is a lesson in "how to live" that applies to Montaigne's life and work. It just felt a little too easy/distilled, and there wasn't enough momentum to get me past page 100. (The book is also unnecessarily enormous.) It is, however, v. well-written and made me want to read Montaigne's Essays ASAP.

This biography would surely have pleased its subject as it addresses Montaigne's life as an answer to that question we all ask: How to live? The approach is unusual but at the same time comprehensive and we follow Montaigne through all stages of his life in roughly chronological order. Another interesting slant is provided by information on how his writings have been received throughout the long period since he first published his work. In spite of his scepticism, Montaigne was a Catholic and a believer and would have been surprised to learn that his famous Essays were put on the Index of proscribed, heretical books by the Church. This only helped to increase his appeal to foreign readers such as the Engish during the Romantic era.

Bakewell's sympathetic rendering of her subject's life provides the ultimate accolade of driving the reader to the source, Montaigne himself, a truly fascinating man.

I was concerned early with the tome's survey approach. I recall the reviews of The Rest Is Noise where critics touted it as containing an entire university education within its covers: I thought, well, not much of one.

Ms. Bakewell shines when she is able to eschew the fundamental and devote attention to the elusive, supple thoughts of the Maestro. I was touched by this book.

Great, accessible. Loved the exploration of his life and works.

I picked this book up from my local bookstore. I was not even familiar with who Montaigne was. It was definitely challenging at times. At other times it was boring. At times I thought that the structure with the questions did not really work. It felt forced. However, at times this book was brilliant. And I am grateful to the author and the local bookstore that allowed an otherwise ignorant person an opportunity to explore the life of a significant thinker and be wonderfully influenced by it. Montaigne's life is definitely worth knowing about. The book is generally well written and if nothing else, the structure with the questions made me think about them and about how Montaigne's life could be an example. I am now of course intrigued and want to read the actual Essays.

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it took me a good two months to get through this book. usually when something takes me that long i end up abandoning it. or hating it. but i persevered on this one because it is so lovingly, eloquently written. during a summer of emotional tumult, i was looking for something to explain to me "how to live", with the understanding that this would explain how to live WELL. happily. and yes, there is some pertinent information. these occasional insights were balanced by a historical chronology of montaigne's life and of france at the time. for a francophile with a curiosity about pretty much everything, the perfect book.

Definitely want to actually read Montaigne!