Michel de Montaigne was one of the most influential figures of the Renaissance singlehandedly responsible for popularising the essay as a literary form This Penguin Classics edition of The Complete Essays is translated from the French & edited with an introduction & notes by MA Screech In 1572 Montaigne retired to his estates in order to devote himself to leisure reading & reflection There he wrote his constantly expanding 'assays' inspired by the ideas he found in books contained in his library & from his own experience He discusses subjects as diverse as war-horses & cannibals poetry & politics sex & religion love & friendship ecstasy & experience But above all Montaigne studied himself as a way of drawing out his own inner nature & that of men & women in general The Essays are among the most idiosyncratic & personal works in all literature & provide an engaging insight into a wise Renaissance mind continuing to give pleasure & enlightenment to modern readers With its extensive introduction & notes MA Screech's edition of Montaigne is widely regarded as the most distinguished of recent times Michel de Montaigne (1533-1586) studied law & spent a number of years working as a counsellor before devoting his life to reading writing & reflection If you enjoyed The Complete Essays you might like Francois Rabelais's Gargantua & Pantagruel also available in Penguin Classics' Screech's fine version must surely serve as the definitive English Montaigne'AC Grayling Financial Times'A superb edition' Nicholas Wollaston Observer