Of Solitude and Other Essays by Montaigne
Nota bene: Events are free for members (check your email for your discount code, or just ask me for it).
Montaigne is the independent scholar par excellence, a French nobleman who quit society for 10 years to read and write. His inquiries and musings invented the modern essay genre and inspired many of the greatest thinkers and writers after him.
Many of the essays are quite short, though some, like Experience (arguably his most famous), are on the longer side. Before meeting, you will read:
On Friendship
Of Cannibals
Idleness
Of Solitude
By Different Methods Men Arrive at the Same End
Of Sorrow
Our Affections Carry Themselves Beyond Us
Of Experience
While reading, please prepare some written observations, or at the very least some questions for discussion.
I'll begin with some remarks on what I find most interesting, but these meetings are primarily for you to develop your own ideas around the material.
If you have any questions, just reply to any Other Life email.
