Montaigne

Literature & Philosophy1533 – 1592

Essais — invention of the essay

Que sais-je? — What do I know? He invented the essay as a literary form: the mind examining itself with candor, curiosity, and wit. The Essais remain the most intimate and companionable of all great books.

Key works

  • Essais1580–1592107 essays — the examined life

Connections

External