Montaigne“One of my favorite books.” —Ryan Holiday, New York Times-bestselling author and podcaster of The Daily Stoic This classic biography of Michel de Montaigne—the Renaissance philosopher and a founding father of humanism—is a heartfelt argument for the importance of intellectual freedom and tolerance. Written by one of the 20th century’s most popular authors during WWII, Montaigne is a passionate and readable biography of the great Renaissance humanist. Stefan Zweig draws strong parallels between Montaigne’s age—when Europe was torn in two by conflict between Catholicism and Protestantism—and his own, in which Fascism and Communism were on the verge of destroying the pan-continental liberal culture he was born into and loved dearly. Just as Montaigne sought to remain aloof from the factionalism of his day, so Zweig tried to the last to defend his freedom of thought and argue for peace and compromise. One of the final works Zweig wrote before his suicide, this is both a brilliantly impassioned portrait of a great mind and a moving plea for tolerance in a world ruled by cruelty. |
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artistic Bagni di Lucca Balzac Bartholomew's Day massacre becomes bestiality better Boétie Bordeaux century chamber chateau of Montaigne child citadel citizen counsel counsellor court death Emile Verhaeren endure epoch Erasmus Essais Europe European everything exile experience fate feel France freedom French Friderike Goethe Henri de Navarre honour hope Huguenots human humanist impose inner journey kidney stones king Kleist later Latin live Louppes Malleus Maleficarum Marie de Gournay marriage masters mayor of Bordeaux Michel de Montaigne Montaigne wants Montaigne's father mother never noble oneself Paçagon passion peace Périgord Petrópolis Pierre Eyquem pleasure portrait Pushkin Press Ramon Eyquem remain free reveals savour sceptic Sebastian Castellio seeks seemed Seigneur de Montaigne sense solitude sought soul spirit STEFAN ZWEIG struggle suffering suicide things thoughts tion tower true truth vital wisdom word writes young Montaigne