What is *How to Live: Or A Life of Montaigne* about?

*How to Live* explores French philosopher Michel de Montaigne’s life and essays through 20 answers to the question “How to live?” Sarah Bakewell blends biography, philosophy, and history, tracing Montaigne’s insights on mortality, moderation, and self-acceptance. The book highlights his Renaissance-era experiences, near-death epiphanies, and enduring influence on modern thought, offering a fresh lens on living authentically.

Who should read *How to Live: Or A Life of Montaigne*?

This book appeals to philosophy enthusiasts, history buffs, and readers seeking wisdom on navigating life’s challenges. It’s ideal for fans of biographical narratives or those interested in Renaissance thought, blending scholarly depth with accessible storytelling. Bakewell’s work resonates with anyone exploring self-improvement, mortality, or the human condition.

Is *How to Live: Or A Life of Montaigne* worth reading?

Yes—it won the 2010 NBCC Biography Award and is praised for its engaging prose and relevance. Bakewell makes Montaigne’s 16th-century ideas accessible, offering timeless lessons on resilience, curiosity, and embracing imperfection. Its blend of humor, history, and introspection makes it a standout in philosophical biographies.

What are the main themes in *How to Live: Or A Life of Montaigne*?

Key themes include confronting mortality, practicing moderation, and accepting human flaws. Montaigne’s essays advocate living mindfully, learning from adversity, and rejecting societal pressures to be extraordinary. Bakewell underscores his belief in “common sense” over dogma, illustrating how his ideas apply to modern self-discovery.

How does Sarah Bakewell structure *How to Live: Or A Life of Montaigne*?

Bakewell organizes the book around 20 answers to Montaigne’s central question, weaving chronology with thematic analysis. Chapters like “Guard your humanity” and “Reflect on everything, regret nothing” explore his life events—retirement, travels, friendships—alongside evolving philosophies. This structure mirrors Montaigne’s meandering, introspective style.

What are key quotes from *How to Live: Or A Life of Montaigne*?

Notable quotes include Montaigne’s advice to “read a lot, forget most of what you read” (advocating mindful learning) and “let life be its own answer” (embracing spontaneity). Bakewell highlights his stoic view of death: “Dying is less dreadful than the fear of dying”.

How does Montaigne view death in *How to Live*?

Montaigne saw death as a natural, painless process after surviving a horse-riding accident. He argues fearing death distracts from living fully, urging readers to focus on present joys rather than obsessing over mortality. Bakewell ties this to his broader philosophy of moderation and acceptance.

What critiques exist about *How to Live: Or A Life of Montaigne*?

Some note the nonlinear structure may challenge readers seeking a traditional biography. However, most praise Bakewell’s innovative approach, balancing rigor with wit. Critics acclaim her ability to make Renaissance philosophy feel urgent, though a few desire deeper analysis of Montaigne’s contradictions.

How to Live

A Life of Montaigne in One Question and Twenty Attempts at an Answer

Sarah Bakewell

4.02(10714 Reviews)

Overview of How to Live

Montaigne's timeless quest for self-knowledge reborn in Bakewell's award-winning biography. Winner of the National Book Critics Circle Award, this philosophical journey offers twenty answers to life's ultimate question, praised by The New Yorker for its wisdom that transcends centuries. How would you live?

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Chapter 1

The Philosopher Who Taught Us How to Live

In a world obsessed with finding the perfect formula for happiness, one 16th-century French nobleman dared to question everything-including himself. Michel de Montaigne, whose Essays have captivated readers for over four centuries, wasn't always the relaxed, self-assured philosopher we now celebrate. As a young man, he was so consumed by death anxiety that he couldn't enjoy parties, brooding instead over mortality while friends danced nearby. Yet through a remarkable journey of self-discovery, this melancholic youth transformed into history's most influential advocate for living well. His work has inspired figures from Shakespeare to Virginia Woolf, and continues to resonate with modern readers seeking authentic ways to navigate life's complexities. Perhaps this explains why Montaigne's Essays remains a perennial bestseller, with tech titans like Marc Andreessen and literary giants like Susan Sontag counting themselves among his devotees. In an age of carefully curated social media personas, Montaigne's radical honesty about his flaws-from his poor memory to his mediocre sexual endowments-offers a refreshing alternative to our culture of perfectionism.

Chapter 2

From Death Obsession to Life Celebration

Montaigne wasn't born a philosopher. His transformation began with tragedy. In his thirties, death swept through his life with merciless frequency-his best friend Etienne de La Boetie died of plague in 1563, his father in 1568, his brother in a freak tennis accident in 1569, and four of his six children in infancy. Following the Stoic philosophers, Montaigne tried constantly visualizing death, hoping this would free him from fear. Instead, it imprisoned him in anxiety. The turning point came through a near-death experience while riding through the woods near his estate. After being thrown from his horse and knocked unconscious, he experienced what we might now call a dissociative episode-observing his own seemingly dying body with curious detachment. Servants carried him home, believing him mortally wounded. Yet instead of increasing his fear, this brush with mortality paradoxically liberated him. He realized that death itself wasn't frightening-it was the anticipation that tormented him. This revelation sparked a profound midlife crisis. At age thirty-eight, Montaigne made the radical decision to retire from public life, inscribing Latin quotations on the beams of his library: "In the year of Christ 1571, at the age of thirty-eight, on the last day of February, his birthday, Michel de Montaigne, long weary of the servitude of the court and of public employments, while still entire, retired to the bosom of the learned virgins, where in calm and freedom from all cares he will spend what little remains of his life, now more than half run out." In his tower library, surrounded by a thousand books and classical inscriptions, Montaigne began recording observations about himself and the world. What started as simple note-taking evolved into a revolutionary approach to self-examination. Through "spying on himself from close up," Montaigne processed experiences like his riding accident and developed the art of capturing the mind's "innumerable flutterings"-creating a new literary form that would change Western thought forever.

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Chapter 3

The Revolutionary Art of Paying Attention

Montaigne pioneered stream-of-consciousness writing centuries before the term existed. His Essays follow the unstable flow of thought-a series of meanders, bends, and divergences that readers must allow themselves to be carried along by. Essays like "Of Cripples" or "That our happiness must not be judged until after our death" demonstrate his questioning approach, starting with conventional ideas before twisting through surprising revelations and conclusions. Writing over twenty years, Montaigne added material organically, making no attempt at artificial consistency. Virginia Woolf later identified him as the first writer to attempt capturing the flow of consciousness and the simple feeling of being alive. Through writing, Montaigne developed an almost Zen-like attention to the present moment: "When I dance, I dance; when I sleep, I sleep." This practice of paying attention became Montaigne's second answer to the question of how to live. Rather than dwelling on abstract philosophical ideals, he attended carefully to his sensations and experiences as they actually unfolded. This approach was revolutionary in Renaissance Europe, where education emphasized memorization of classical texts rather than personal observation. Montaigne's method required extraordinary self-awareness. He described having servants wake him at night, hoping to glimpse his consciousness as it departed from sleep. He recorded his bodily functions, sexual habits, and emotional reactions with unflinching honesty. Nothing human was too trivial or embarrassing for his consideration. This radical attentiveness to ordinary experience made his writing revolutionary-instead of lofty philosophical abstractions, he offered readers the texture of lived experience. The result was a new kind of writing that moved at the pace of thought itself. Montaigne compared his mind to "a runaway horse," filling with "chimeras and fantastic monsters." Writing became his solution-a way to capture these mental movements before they vanished. Through this practice, he discovered that paying attention to life's ordinary moments was itself a path to wisdom.

Chapter 4

The Experimental Child

Born February 28, 1533, Michel Eyquem de Montaigne entered the world at his family's chateau in southwestern France, where he would spend most of his life. His father called him by the nickname "Micheau." Though he presented himself as descended from ancient nobility, Montaigne actually came from several generations of upwardly mobile merchants. His great-grandfather Ramon Eyquem had purchased the estate in 1477 after making his fortune in wine, fish, and woad trading. Unlike his siblings, Michel became the subject of an unprecedented educational experiment. Shortly after birth, he was sent to live with a peasant family in a nearby village-not just for wet-nursing, but to absorb common people's ways. At his christening, Pierre had "people of the lowliest class" hold the infant. When returned to the chateau, little Micheau was raised as a native Latin speaker through an ingenious two-part plan: a German tutor named Dr. Horst who spoke perfect Latin but little French, and a household ban on speaking to the child in any living language. By age six, Montaigne understood Latin better than French or Perigordian. His education emphasized pleasure rather than discipline-he was even awakened each morning by music rather than abruptly roused. This experimental upbringing, inspired by Renaissance humanist ideals, aimed to give Montaigne both the wisdom of antiquity and practical advantages in his future career, though it likely created linguistic and emotional distance from his mother. Despite its apparent success, Montaigne's Latin fluency eventually diminished to the level of any well-educated nobleman through lack of practice, though the language remained deeply embedded-when his father later fainted from a kidney stone attack, Montaigne instinctively exclaimed in Latin. The experiment profoundly shaped his personality, granting independence of mind but perhaps fostering emotional detachment. At age six, he was abruptly sent to the College de Guyenne in Bordeaux, a transition he always believed resulted from his own failure, though it was likely Pierre's plan all along. The school was excellent but rigid, with rote Latin study and none of the gentle encouragement of home. Though initially advanced beyond his years due to his Latin fluency, Montaigne claimed this advantage gradually eroded through his classmates' influence. During his schooling, Montaigne witnessed the violent salt-tax riots of 1548, including the lynching of the king's representative Tristan de Moneins-an event that raised questions about courage and submission that would haunt his later writings. These early experiences of social violence would shape his lifelong commitment to moderation and skepticism toward extremism of all kinds.

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Chapter 5

The Virtues of Being Slow and Forgetful

Montaigne's discovery of books at school transformed his education. At seven or eight, he stumbled upon Ovid's Metamorphoses-a cornucopia of miraculous transformations that captivated him like fairy tales. This led him to Virgil, Terence, and Plautus, teaching him to associate reading with excitement rather than tedium. His tastes matured toward historians and biographers, particularly Tacitus and his favorite, Plutarch, whose vivid character studies and anecdote-filled writing style deeply influenced him. Unlike scholars who reverently approached classic texts, Montaigne read casually and conversationally, claiming to "leaf through books without order or plan," abandoning anything boring. Though he presented himself as a dilettante reader, annotations on his copy of Lucretius suggest he could apply himself when truly engaged. Montaigne claimed his memory worked best when left to its own devices: "What I do easily and naturally, I can no longer do if I order myself to do it by strict command." This aligned with his general policy of following nature rather than forcing himself. His apparent laziness extended beyond memory-he described himself as "sluggish, lax, and drowsy" despite his father's motivational efforts. He claimed to be slow-witted too, with "tardy understanding," "weak imagination," and a mind that couldn't penetrate "the slightest cloud" or grasp games like chess. Yet these apparent deficiencies brought benefits: what he did grasp, he held firmly, and his inert manner concealed "bold ideas" and independent opinions. His slowness became a moral principle, opening the way to wisdom and moderation that offset the zealotry dominating France. Throughout the 1560s, Montaigne frequently traveled between Bordeaux and Paris on parliamentary business. In December 1563, he became embroiled in a strange incident that revealed a different side of his character. When the moderate president Jacques-Benoit de Lagebaton accused several court members-including Montaigne and his recently deceased friend La Boetie-of conspiring with Catholic extremist Francois de Peruse d'Escars, Montaigne defended himself with unexpected passion. Speaking "with all the vivacity of his character," Montaigne cryptically declared that he "named the whole Court" before storming out. This enigmatic confrontation reveals a hot-headed young Montaigne prone to "sudden outbursts which, though slight and brief, often harm my affairs"-quite unlike his later self-portrayal. His uncharacteristic volatility likely stemmed from personal loyalties and the insult to La Boetie's honor, showing the passionate nature beneath his measured exterior.

Chapter 6

The Friendship That Changed Everything

Montaigne met Etienne de La Boetie in his mid-twenties when both worked at the Bordeaux parlement. Though they had heard much about each other-Montaigne particularly admiring La Boetie's manuscript "On Voluntary Servitude"-they encountered one another by chance at a feast. Their connection was immediate and profound, forming what Montaigne called a friendship "so entire and so perfect that certainly you will hardly read of the like." Though only two years Montaigne's senior, La Boetie seemed more established-already married, holding a higher position in parlement, and respected as both writer and official. Orphaned at ten and raised by an uncle, La Boetie had developed a gravity and reliability that complemented Montaigne's more mercurial nature. In a surviving sonnet, La Boetie gently chided Montaigne for wasting time on parties and women, suggesting his friend had yet to fulfill his potential. Their relationship echoed classical models of philosophical friendship, particularly that of Socrates and Alcibiades. Montaigne even compared La Boetie to Socrates, noting his "ugliness which clothed a very beautiful soul." Their bond transcended Montaigne's usual devotion to moderation and independence, leading to his famous declaration: "If you press me to tell why I loved him, I feel that this cannot be expressed, except by answering: Because it was he, because it was I." La Boetie's political treatise "On Voluntary Servitude" explored a similar mystery of inexplicable attachment-how tyrants bewitch their subjects into willing submission despite mistreatment. La Boetie observed that masses remain loyal to rulers who abuse them, comparing this collective hypnosis to a spell or love potion. Montaigne's account of La Boetie's death becomes increasingly intimate and moving as it progresses. Finding his friend in pain at the d'Escars home, Montaigne suggested moving him away from potential plague infection, but La Boetie was too weak to travel. As his condition worsened, La Boetie begged Montaigne to stay with him, which deeply touched Montaigne, who remained faithfully at his bedside. La Boetie faced death with remarkable Stoic composure, setting his affairs in order, leaving his book collection to Montaigne, and delivering philosophical speeches to comfort those around him. "This experience was," he told Montaigne, "the true object of our studies, and of philosophy." He reasoned that at nearly thirty-three, he had lived healthily and happily long enough, and old age would only bring pain and miserliness. Montaigne's grief was overwhelming and enduring. Nearly eighteen years later in Italy, he wrote of being "overcome by such painful thoughts about Monsieur de La Boetie." He longed for a true companion, lamenting that "no pleasure has any savor for me without communication." Through writing about his friend's death, Montaigne found therapeutic relief that eventually led him to write the Essays-making La Boetie's death the catalyst for Montaigne's greatest work.

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Chapter 7

The Philosophical Toolkit for Living Well

Montaigne dismissed academic philosophers for their pedantries and abstractions but was deeply fascinated by pragmatic philosophical traditions that addressed real-life questions: coping with grief, building courage, acting morally, and making the most of life. These were the philosophies he consulted in times of emotional need. The three major Hellenistic philosophical schools-Stoicism, Epicureanism, and Skepticism-all aimed at eudaimonia (happiness or human flourishing) through ataraxia (freedom from anxiety or imperturbability). They differed in their approaches to achieving this equilibrium: Epicureans advocated withdrawal into a private "garden" community, Skeptics preferred remaining in public life with an altered mental attitude, while Stoics like Seneca and Epictetus wrote for Roman elites seeking tranquility amid busy lives. Despite their differences, Stoics and Epicureans agreed on two fundamental principles for enjoying life: gaining control over emotions and paying greater attention to the present moment. They believed mastering these two aspects would resolve most other problems. Both schools developed practical mental exercises and thought experiments to achieve these goals-imagining one's death, visualizing the cosmic perspective, or practicing shifts in perception. Montaigne found the Epicurean approach more congenial, preferring distraction and deflection over confrontation when dealing with grief and fear. After La Boetie's death, he discovered that diverting his attention worked better than reasoning himself out of sorrow. He developed a repertoire of psychological tricks: gently shifting conversation to other topics when consoling a widow, curing a prince's vengeful anger by praising clemency instead, and even cultivating a crush to distract himself from overwhelming grief. Montaigne's relationship with La Boetie's memory became a form of "voluntary servitude"-absorbing his friend as an internal dialogue partner, creating a doubling within himself that made the Essays possible. After La Boetie's death, Montaigne became his posthumous editor, collecting and publishing his scattered manuscripts with personalized dedications to influential patrons. Meanwhile, Montaigne's father challenged his idle son with translating Raymond Sebond's 500-page theological treatise-a work arguing that religious truths could be proved through rational arguments, a position Montaigne despised. This grating assignment became unexpectedly fruitful, stimulating Montaigne to develop his counterarguments. When later commissioned to defend Sebond's work, he produced his massive "Apology for Raymond Sebond," which ostensibly defends the theologian while actually undermining him by demonstrating the unreliability of human reason itself-supporting Sebond "as the rope supports the hanged man."

Chapter 8

The Radical Power of Questioning Everything

Unlike ordinary dogmatic skepticism, Pyrrhonian Skepticism doesn't even assert certainty about uncertainty. Its central technique is epokhe ("I suspend judgment"), creating mental calm by disengaging from futile debates. The Pyrrhonian suspends judgment on everything-from whether hens lay eggs to whether other people exist-not to create paranoia but to attain ataraxia (relaxation). This makes them simultaneously peaceful and contrary. Montaigne loved the Pyrrhonian approach, particularly its questioning nature. He had medals struck in 1576 featuring the word "epekho" and weighing scales-reminders to maintain balance and weigh things rather than merely accepting them. His Essays are suffused with qualifying phrases like "perhaps" and "I think"-not flourishes but the essence of his "philosophy of unassumingness." He marveled at how his own opinions and emotions shifted constantly, how perceptions changed with illness or medication, and how different species might perceive reality differently. This led him to the shocking idea that humans may be fundamentally limited in perceiving reality. While embracing skepticism, Montaigne carefully stated that his Catholic faith remained beyond doubt. In his era, Skepticism actually allied with the Church against Protestant "innovation," as Pyrrhonism attacked human arrogance and reason. Though his writings show little interest in Christian themes like salvation or the afterlife, his Fideistic approach helped him avoid serious problems with the Church-even when Inquisition officials inspected his Essays. Montaigne's skepticism extended to questioning humanity's presumed superiority over animals. He marveled at animals' abilities-how swallows build perfect nests, how dogs dream and show emotion-suggesting they possess intelligence we simply fail to recognize. He rejected the common view that animals operate purely on instinct while humans use reason, noting that many human actions are equally instinctual. Regarding supernatural phenomena, Montaigne maintained his skeptical stance. While his contemporary Florimond de Raemond eagerly documented witchcraft cases, Montaigne remained unconvinced. He found natural explanations more plausible than supernatural ones, suggesting that alleged witches were likely suffering from mental disturbances rather than demonic possession. Malebranche depicted Montaigne as a dangerous seducer who lulls readers' reason to sleep while filling them with poison. Unlike philosophers who argue or persuade, Montaigne seduces-working his spell through nonchalance, meandering tone, and pretended indifference to the reader. This image of Montaigne as "a prodigious seduction machine" persisted for centuries, with critics like Guillaume Guizot, T.S. Eliot, and Gisele Mathieu-Castellani echoing this characterization.

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Chapter 9

Finding Balance Between Solitude and Connection

After La Boetie's death, Montaigne used all three Hellenistic philosophical traditions to manage his life and recovery. He successfully merged Skepticism with Catholic loyalty, completed his translation of Raymond Sebond, and worked on publishing La Boetie's writings. During this period, he also married and became head of a family. Montaigne was generally attractive to women, combining physical appeal with intelligence, humor, and amiable personality. He enjoyed sex throughout his life, lamenting only in middle age when both performance and desire declined. He valued reciprocity in sexual relationships: "In this delight the pleasure I give tickles my imagination more sweetly than that which I feel." Yet he remained realistic about women's experiences, understanding they sometimes participated half-heartedly ("go to it with only one buttock") or fantasized about others. Despite his various sexual adventures, Montaigne fulfilled his duty as heir by marrying Francoise de La Chassaigne, from a respected Bordeaux family, in September 1565. Their marriage would bring disappointment regarding children, and Montaigne rarely mentioned Francoise in his Essays, except to suggest she resembled his argumentative mother. The couple lived mostly separate lives, each in their own tower at opposite ends of the chateau, with Montaigne's mother occupying the main building until about 1587. Despite this arrangement, Montaigne wasn't entirely solitary-he enjoyed walking and believed his thoughts worked best while in motion. To maintain his independence, Montaigne advocated for a "back shop all our own" where one could establish "real liberty" and retreat into solitude-not just to escape family obligations but to protect oneself from the pain of potential loss. Montaigne readily admitted his uselessness around the house, preferring to leave management to his capable wife. He disliked being in places where "everything you see involves and concerns you," which explained his eagerness to travel. Estate management was burdensome-"There is always something that goes wrong"-particularly regarding wine production, which could yield tens of thousands of liters in good years. Unlike his father Pierre, who enjoyed building projects, Montaigne did the minimum required. His mottos might have been "Anything for a quiet life" and "If it ain't broke, don't fix it." He could work energetically when motivated-"I stand up well under hard work; but I do so only if I go to it of my own will"-but hated exerting himself on boring tasks. In eighteen years running the estate, he never properly studied a title deed or contract. Despite his professed detachment, Montaigne was fundamentally social, declaring "I am all in the open and in full view, born for company and friendship." Despite his retreat to his tower, conversation delighted him more than any pleasure-he'd rather lose his sight than his hearing or speech. He especially enjoyed witty banter among friends, and believed social grace should be cultivated early in children to draw them from their private worlds: "Wonderful brilliance may be gained for human judgment by getting to know men."

Chapter 10

Breaking Free from Cultural Assumptions

The art of seeing from another's perspective can be cultivated, serving as a way to "de-familiarize the familiar" and wake oneself from the sleep-inducing effects of habit. Montaigne loved this mental trick and used it constantly in his writing. His favorite device was listing wildly divergent customs from around the world, marveling at their randomness and strangeness. In essays like "Of Custom" and "Of Ancient Customs," he describes cultures where women urinate standing while men squat, where nursing continues for twelve years, where hair grows on one side but is shaved on the other, where killing one's father at a certain age is expected, and countless other peculiarities. Each culture takes itself as the standard, but by reciting these diversities, Montaigne helps us break free of our assumptions. "This great world," he writes, "is the mirror in which we must look at ourselves to recognize ourselves from the proper angle." His interest in perspective-shifting was sparked by observing the Tupinamba visitors in Rouen watching the French-an encounter that stimulated his lifelong fascination with the New World. By Montaigne's time, Europeans had accepted America's existence, with some adopting its foods like peppers, chocolate, and tobacco. As European life grew more difficult, many considered emigrating, with France initially well-positioned for colonial ventures through ports like Bordeaux. Montaigne maintained both fascination with American cultures and cynicism about colonial conquest. He collected South American memorabilia for his tower-beds, ropes, wooden swords, bracelets, and ceremonial canes-and sought information from a servant who had lived in the Brazilian colony. He read extensively on the subject, particularly favoring Jean de Lery's sympathetic account of Tupinamba society, which described their nakedness, health, courage, and even their cannibalistic practices with understanding. In "Of Cannibals," Montaigne described the Tupinamba through "desirable negatives"-a rhetorical device with ancient roots-listing what they lacked: "no traffic, no knowledge of letters, no science of numbers, no magistrates, no servitude, no riches or poverty, no contracts..." This portrayal echoed the classical "Golden Age" fantasy that people were happier living uncluttered lives close to nature. Montaigne's portrayal of the Tupinamba, particularly their songs, took on a remarkable afterlife independent of his Essays. His transcription of a "cannibal love song" captivated German Romantic poets, including Goethe, who transformed it into both a love song and death song, though they largely ignored the rest of Montaigne's work. While Montaigne did romanticize New World peoples to some extent, he remained too psychologically astute to fully embrace primitivism. He acknowledged their cruelties-human sacrifices, flaying victims alive-but used these observations to hold up a mirror to European hypocrisy: "I am heartily sorry that, judging their faults rightly, we should be so blind to our own." For Montaigne, these foreign cultures primarily served as mirrors through which Europeans could see themselves more clearly.

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Chapter 11

The Courage to Be Moderate

Romantic readers found much to love in Montaigne-his self-exploration, disregard for convention, psychological insights, and exuberant writing style. They particularly cherished his intense friendship with La Boetie, whose famous line "Because it was he, because it was I" became a catchphrase for transcendent human connection. Writers like George Sand and Alphonse de Lamartine embraced this aspect of Montaigne, with pilgrimages to his tower becoming popular during this era. Yet these passionate admirers struggled with Montaigne's temperance. His irritation at Torquato Tasso's madness particularly offended Romantic sensibilities. While they could understand sadness at genius reduced to idiocy, they could not forgive Montaigne's practical annoyance. Romantics identified with Tasso, not with Montaigne's measured response. Montaigne's praise for moderation was itself rebellious in a Renaissance that valued extremes. He distrusted "transcendental humors" and valued curiosity, sociability, kindness, and goodwill over fiery inspiration. For Montaigne, "playing the man well and properly" was life's greatest achievement, and "the most barbarous of our maladies is to despise our being." His advocacy for temperance must be understood against the backdrop of France's civil wars, where extremism led to overwhelming cruelty. During the most violent religious conflicts of sixteenth-century France, Montaigne maintained his humanity while witnessing extraordinary cruelty. The St. Bartholomew's Day Massacres and subsequent religious violence tested the limits of human decency, as Catholics and Protestants engaged in ritualized violence that claimed thousands of lives. Amid apocalyptic fears and witch hunts, Montaigne stood apart with his skepticism toward supernatural explanations and torture. While zealots on both sides justified atrocities, Montaigne maintained a moderate "politique" position, advocating for tolerance when others embraced extremism. Montaigne's association with the politiques-pragmatists who sought political rather than religious solutions-gave him reason to emphasize his honesty and Catholic orthodoxy. While religious zealots on both sides made a cult of holy zeal, Montaigne preferred the Stoic sage: someone who behaves morally, moderates emotions, and exercises good judgment. His Stoic philosophy led him to downplay the wars in his writing, reminding contemporaries to view their troubles from different perspectives. "I do not despair about it," he wrote lightly, suggesting that life would go on despite the chaos. Many admire Montaigne not for grand public deeds but for maintaining normality in extraordinary times and preserving his independence. Stefan Zweig, exiled during World War II, found profound comfort in Montaigne's essays, extracting eight "freedoms" from them: freedom from vanity, from belief and disbelief, from habit, from ambition, from family constraints, from fanaticism, from fate, and from death. Though Zweig ultimately took his own life in 1942, he saw Montaigne as essential for preserving one's humanity during "herd insanity."

Chapter 12

The Legacy of Living Well

Through the 1570s, Montaigne wrote his first essays while alternating between peace and war, publishing them in 1580 with local Bordeaux publisher Simon Millanges-an interesting choice over Parisian publishers. This first version filled only two small volumes, less meandering than later editions but already infused with Montaigne's curious, questioning personality. The book quickly became fashionable reading for French nobility, with Henri III himself expressing admiration. Montaigne broke taboos by writing openly about himself-his preferences, observations and inner life-which disturbed some scholars but would later be celebrated, especially by English critics who loved how he made himself come alive on the page. His revolutionary writing style followed natural conversational rhythms rather than formal construction, taking oblique approaches to subjects and often wandering far from his supposed topics. By the 1580s, the Essays had doubled in size and transformed Montaigne from obscurity to stardom. Montaigne was a passionate traveler who embraced the world with "honest curiosity." His journey through Switzerland, Germany, Austria, and Italy in 1580-81 exemplifies his philosophy of living: observing diverse customs with openness, embracing the unexpected, and allowing experience to "rub and polish" his mind. Despite suffering from painful kidney stones, Montaigne preferred horseback to carriages, finding motion therapeutic during attacks. He traveled with a relaxed approach-starting late, following whims, and "rolling relaxedly" with circumstances. When Montaigne returned from his travels in November 1581, he found himself elected Mayor of Bordeaux-a position he initially tried to refuse. Despite his reluctance, he served two terms during a politically turbulent period, working alongside the king's lieutenant Marshal Matignon to maintain peace in the region. Montaigne approached public service with his characteristic moderation, aiming for "gentle and mute tranquility" rather than zealous reform. In his final years, Montaigne's kidney stones brought him frequent agony, yet he found wisdom in this suffering. The illness taught him what his earlier brush with death had suggested: nature does everything for us, and we needn't trouble ourselves. His greatest moments of well-being came after attacks, when he experienced "that sudden change" from extreme pain to the "beautiful light of health." He even found satisfaction during attacks, noting people's admiration of his fortitude. In early September 1592, Montaigne suffered a final kidney stone attack that led to severe complications. His body swelled, and inflammation spread to his throat, causing "cynanche"-a condition named after a dog-strangling leash-that made breathing increasingly difficult. Though unable to speak, he remained conscious and communicated by writing notes. After arranging his will and having a final mass said in his room, he rose up "with a desperate effort, hands clasped" to commend his spirit to God-a final conventional Catholic gesture from this "joyfully secular man." On September 13, 1592, at fifty-nine, Montaigne died, likely from suffocation. His body's posthumous journey was as unpredictable as life itself. Though initially buried in a magnificent tomb showing him in knight's armor with hands joined in prayer, his remains would experience centuries of disruption. Yet Montaigne's true legacy lies not in his tomb but in his Essays-his "endlessly evolving second self" that remained alive, for "it was always life that mattered."

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Key Themes in How to Live

renaissance humanism
death anxiety
radical honesty
stream of consciousness
art of living

Quotes from How to Live

The trick is to find a balance between self-love and self-criticism.
Death itself wasn't frightening—it was the anticipation that tormented him.
Writing became his solution—a way to capture these mental movements before they vanished.
Nothing human was too trivial or embarrassing for his consideration.

Characters in How to Live

Michel de Montaigne16th-century French nobleman and essayist
Etienne de La BoetieMontaigne's best friend who died of the plague
Ramon EyquemMontaigne's great-grandfather and merchant

About the Author

Sarah Bakewell is an acclaimed historical biographer and the author of How to Live: A Life of Montaigne in One Question and Twenty Attempts at an Answer. She merges rigorous scholarship with accessible storytelling to explore philosophy and humanist thought.

A former curator at London’s Wellcome Library and rare-books cataloguer for the National Trust, her expertise in unearthing forgotten narratives informs her genre-blending works that bridge biography, history, and existential inquiry.

Alongside How to Live—winner of the National Book Critics Circle Award and the Duff Cooper Prize—Bakewell’s notable works include At the Existentialist Café, a New York Times Top 10 Book of 2016, and Humanly Possible, a chronicle of seven centuries of humanist philosophy.

Awarded the Windham-Campbell Prize for nonfiction in 2018, she teaches creative nonfiction and contributes to major publications like The Guardian and The New York Times.

Translated into over 20 languages, How to Live has become a modern classic for readers seeking wisdom through the lens of Montaigne’s timeless essays.

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LEARNING PLAN

Ancient Wisdom for Modern Living

In an era of constant distraction and uncertainty, these foundational philosophical principles offer a roadmap for mental clarity and emotional stability. This plan is ideal for anyone seeking to replace reactive habits with intentional living and ancient resilience strategies.

1 h 30 m•3 Sections

LEARNING PLAN

Existentialism

This plan provides a roadmap for navigating the complexities of modern existence by engaging with the world's most influential thinkers. It is ideal for anyone seeking to build a resilient personal philosophy and find clarity in their own freedom and ethical choices.

5 h 55 m•4 Sections

LEARNING PLAN

Live wired book

This plan distills the groundbreaking research on brain plasticity into practical applications for personal growth. It is ideal for lifelong learners, educators, and anyone seeking to intentionally reshape their habits and cognitive potential through neuroscience.

4 h 22 m•4 Sections

LEARNING PLAN

The Arrival Fallacy and the Science of Satisfaction

High-achievers often find themselves trapped in a cycle of chasing milestones that never yield the expected joy. This plan is essential for anyone struggling with burnout or the 'what's next' syndrome, offering a scientific roadmap to decouple identity from external validation.

1 h 30 m•3 Sections

LEARNING PLAN

The Disciplined Path to Self-Mastery

This plan is essential for individuals seeking to transition from a life of external reaction to one of internal sovereignty. It is ideal for those who value intellectual depth, spiritual growth, and the practical application of philosophical discipline in modern society.

3 h•4 Sections

LEARNING PLAN

The Biology of Moral Choice

This learning plan bridges the gap between neuroscience and ethics to reveal how our brains dictate our sense of right and wrong. It is essential for legal professionals, psychologists, and anyone interested in the biological roots of human behavior and accountability.

3 h•6 Sections

LEARNING PLAN

The Architecture of a Fearless Life

This plan is essential for professionals and seekers struggling with burnout, anxiety about the future, or the pressure of high-stakes results. It offers a blueprint for building resilience by integrating ancient wisdom into modern daily routines, making it ideal for anyone looking to find stability in an unpredictable world.

1 h 30 m•3 Sections

LEARNING PLAN

Ricœur et l'invention de soi par le récit

Ce parcours s'adresse à ceux qui cherchent à approfondir leur identité au-delà des apparences et du narcissisme. Il est idéal pour les passionnés de philosophie et de développement personnel souhaitant lier leur histoire personnelle à une quête de sens et de responsabilité.

1 h 15 m•3 Sections

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See more on how BeFreed is discussed

From Columbia University alumni built in San Francisco

LOVED BY

1,000,000+ curious minds.

4.7

avg rating

1M+ learners

"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."

@Moemenn

"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."

@Chloe, Solo founder, LA

117

"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."

@Raaaaaachelw

"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."

@Matt, YC alum

108

"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."

@Erin, Investment Banking Associate , NYC

254

"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."

@djmikemoore

"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."

@Pitiful

4.5K

"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."

@SofiaP

"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"

@Jaded_Falcon

201

"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."

@OojasSalunke

"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."

@Leo, Law Student, UPenn

483

"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"

@Cashflowbubu

"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."

@Moemenn

"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."

@Chloe, Solo founder, LA

117

"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."

@Raaaaaachelw

"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."

@Matt, YC alum

108

"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."

@Erin, Investment Banking Associate , NYC

254

"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."

@djmikemoore

"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."

@Pitiful

4.5K

"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."

@SofiaP

"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"

@Jaded_Falcon

201

"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."

@OojasSalunke

"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."

@Leo, Law Student, UPenn

483

"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"

@Cashflowbubu

"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."

@Moemenn

"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."

@Chloe, Solo founder, LA

117

"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."

@Raaaaaachelw

"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."

@Matt, YC alum

108

"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."

@Erin, Investment Banking Associate , NYC

254

"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."

@djmikemoore

"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."

@Pitiful

4.5K

"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."

@SofiaP

"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"

@Jaded_Falcon

201

"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."

@OojasSalunke

"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."

@Leo, Law Student, UPenn

483

"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"

@Cashflowbubu

See more on how BeFreed is discussed

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Chapter 12

How to Live

OverviewOverview of How to Live

One book. Many ways to hear it.

The Philosopher Who Taught Us How to Live

From Death Obsession to Life Celebration

See every word as you hear it

The Revolutionary Art of Paying Attention

The Experimental Child

Get more out of How to Live

The Virtues of Being Slow and Forgetful

The Friendship That Changed Everything

See every word as you hear it

The Philosophical Toolkit for Living Well

The Radical Power of Questioning Everything

Get more out of How to Live

Finding Balance Between Solitude and Connection

Breaking Free from Cultural Assumptions

See every word as you hear it

The Courage to Be Moderate

The Legacy of Living Well

You made it to the end of How to Live

Key Themes in How to Live

Quotes from How to Live

Characters in How to Live

About the Author

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What is How to Live: Or A Life of Montaigne about?

Who should read How to Live: Or A Life of Montaigne?

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What are the main themes in How to Live: Or A Life of Montaigne?

Discover more

1,000,000+ curious minds.

1,000,000+ curious minds.

One book. Many ways to hear it.

The Philosopher Who Taught Us How to Live

From Death Obsession to Life Celebration

See every word as you hear it

The Revolutionary Art of Paying Attention

The Experimental Child

Get more out of How to Live

The Virtues of Being Slow and Forgetful

The Friendship That Changed Everything

See every word as you hear it

The Philosophical Toolkit for Living Well

The Radical Power of Questioning Everything

Get more out of How to Live

Finding Balance Between Solitude and Connection

Breaking Free from Cultural Assumptions

See every word as you hear it

The Courage to Be Moderate

The Legacy of Living Well

You made it to the end of How to Live

Users also liked

Discover more

Overview of How to Live