How to Live

How to Live by Sarah Bakewell is an extraordinary blend of biography and self-help, offering readers a captivating and insightful portrayal of the Renaissance nobleman and essayist, Michel Eyquem de Montaigne. This book intricately delves into Montaigne's life, illustrating how he grappled with profound questions that are still relevant today. How should one interact harmoniously with others? How should one confront and cope with the inevitability of violence? What is the way to navigate the intense grief of losing a loved one? Ultimately, Montaigne's enduring inquiry centred on one crucial question: How to live?

Sarah Bakewell's narrative vividly brings to life Montaigne's intellectual journey, tracing how his experiences and reflections shaped his groundbreaking essays. These essays, hailed for their free-roaming and deeply personal style, covered an eclectic range of subjects. Montaigne mused on his preferences for wine and food, recounted childhood memories, observed the twitching ears of his dreaming dog, and documented the grim realities of the civil wars surrounding him. Through these seemingly mundane yet profoundly thoughtful topics, Montaigne created a literary masterpiece that has since inspired countless readers.

The Essays, Montaigne's seminal work, gained immediate acclaim and has remained a timeless source of wisdom, companionship, and entertainment for over four centuries. Modern readers still turn to Montaigne not only to be entertained but to search for a deeper understanding of themselves and to find solace in his philosophical musings.

In How to Live, Sarah Bakewell presents the first comprehensive biography of Montaigne in English in nearly fifty years. She masterfully recounts Montaigne's life story through the prism of the questions he pondered and the answers he sought. With rich detail and a touch of humour, Bakewell explores his evolution from a Renaissance nobleman to one of the most influential thinkers in Western literature.

Engaging and thought-provoking, How to Live is a must-read for those fascinated by philosophical inquiry, historical biography, and the timeless quest for a meaningful life. Bakewell's work ensures that Montaigne's legacy continues to resonate, inviting readers to embark on their own journey of self-discovery and intellectual exploration.