Experiments

“The contents of my book are I myself, and that is by no means a reason for you to devote your leisure to so trivial and insignificant a subject” — thus Michel de Montaigne (1533–1592) characterized his own work. Yet even today, people find pleasure in reading his “Essays.” Why? Apparently, it is precisely because Montaigne himself remains relevant — a philosopher, an intellectual, a wit. One contemporary author called him a “typical blogger,” and there is a great deal of truth in this provocative phrasing. Montaigne wrote, in his own words, for his loved ones, family, and friends, wishing to leave “some traces” of his own character and thoughts. Thus, he created a series of brilliant, humorous, candid texts, and the “audience reach” turned out to be unexpectedly wide: Michel de Montaigne became a significant virtual interlocutor, advisor, and friend to many generations of readers worldwide.