Nothing to haggle on the great value of Montaigne and his Essays, but this introduction was a bit disappointing. Maybe my expectations were too high, but Bakewell’s approach is far too elaborate, and at the same time didn't add incredibly much. As with many things, nothing beats the original. It’s a pity, because I liked her [b:At the Existentialist Café: Freedom, Being, and Apricot Cocktails|25658482|At the Existentialist Café Freedom, Being, and Apricot Cocktails|Sarah Bakewell|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1550567060l/25658482._SY75_.jpg|45480464] very much.

3.75 stars. A fascinating life of Montaigne.

This is a must read for lovers of Montaigne. She approaches this biography by raising his questions in the context of his life. It is well writtten and thoroughly interesting.

This might be one of my favorite books now.
I need to read his Essays like yesterday!

Ok. So, some of these essays were brilliant and some were not (imho). Overall an enlightening read. I mean did you know that a king of France (can’t recall which one at the moment) was assassinated while on the toilet?

Ignore the title's overtones of the self-help genre and Alain De Botton philosophy-lite and you'll find a wonderful overview of Montaigne's life and essays and the way they've been read and interpreted over the centuries. It has the great virtue of making you want to go immediately to the essays themselves. Highly recommended.