Montaigne
：A Life
Publication subTitle ：A Life
Author： Desan Philippe;Rendall Steven;Neal Lisa
Publisher： Princeton University Press
Publication year： 2017
E-ISBN: 9781400883394
P-ISBN(Paperback): 9780691167879
Subject： A7 Biography of Marx , Engels, Lenin,Stalin,Mao Tse-tung,Deng Xiaoping;B0 Philosophical Theory;D0 Political Theory;I06 Literature, Literature Appreciation;K81 Biography;K82 China
Keyword： 政治理论,哲学理论,文学评论、文学欣赏,马克思、恩格斯、列宁、斯大林、毛泽东、邓小平生平和传记,中国人物传记,传记
Language： ENG
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Description
One of the most important writers and thinkers of the Renaissance, Michel de Montaigne (1533–92) helped invent a literary genre that seemed more modern than anything that had come before. But did he do it, as he suggests in his Essays, by retreating to his chateau, turning his back on the world, and stoically detaching himself from his violent times? In this definitive biography, Philippe Desan, one of the world's leading authorities on Montaigne, overturns this longstanding myth by showing that Montaigne was constantly concerned with realizing his political ambitions—and that the literary and philosophical character of the Essays largely depends on them. The most comprehensive and authoritative biography of Montaigne yet written, this sweeping narrative offers a fascinating new picture of his life and work.
As Desan shows, Montaigne always considered himself a political figure and he conceived of each edition of the Essays as an indispensable prerequisite to the next stage of his public career. He lived through eight civil wars, successfully lobbied to be raised to the nobility, and served as mayor of Bordeaux, special ambassador, and negotiator between Henry III and Henry of Navarre. It was only toward the very end of Montaigne’s life, after his political failure, that he took refuge in literature. But, even then, it was his political experience that enabled him to find the right tone for his genre.
In this essential bi
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