Michel Eyquem de Montaigne is one of the most influential writers of the French Renaissance, known for popularising the essay as a literary genre and is popularly thought of as the father of Modern Skepticism. He became famous for his effortless ability to merge serious intellectual speculation with casual anecdotes and autobiography, and his massive volume Essais (translated literally as "Attempts") contains, to this day, some of the most widely influential essays ever written. (Summary extracted from Wikipedia)
Chapters
1 01 - THAT MEN BY VARIOUS WAYS ARRIVE AT THE SAME END 16 min 2 02 - OF SORROW 11 min 3 03 - THAT OUR AFFECTIONS CARRY THEMSELVES BEYOND US 20 min 4 04 - THAT THE SOUL EXPENDS ITS PASSIONS UPON FALSE OBJECTS, WHERE THE TRUE ARE WANTING 9 min 5 05 - WHETHER THE GOVERNOR OF A PLACE BESIEGED OUGHT HIMSELF TO GO OUT TO PARLEY 10 min 6 06 - THAT THE HOUR OF PARLEY DANGEROUS 9 min 7 07 - THAT THE INTENTION IS JUDGE OF OUR ACTIONS 4 min 8 08 - OF IDLENESS 5 min 9 09 - OF LIARS 20 min 10 10 - OF QUICK OR SLOW SPEECH 8 min 11 11 - OF PROGNOSTICATIONS 13 min 12 12 - OF CONSTANCY 10 min 13 13 - THE CEREMONY OF THE INTERVIEW OF PRINCES 5 min 14 14 - THAT MEN ARE JUSTLY PUNISHED FOR BEING OBSTINATE IN THE DEFENCE OF A FORT THAT IS NOT IN REASON TO BE DEFENDED 5 min 15 15 - OF THE PUNISHMENT OF COWARDICE 6 min 16 16 - A PROCEEDING OF SOME AMBASSADORS 12 min 17 17 - OF FEAR 10 min 18 18 - THAT MEN ARE NOT TO JUDGE OF OUR HAPPINESS TILL AFTER DEATH 11 min 19 19 - THAT TO STUDY PHILOSOPY IS TO LEARN TO DIE 50 min 20 20 - OF THE FORCE OF IMAGINATION 33 min 21 21 - THAT THE PROFIT OF ONE MAN IS THE DAMAGE OF ANOTHER 3 min 22 22 - OF CUSTOM, AND THAT WE SHOULD NOT EASILY CHANGE A LAW RECEIVED 50 min 23 23 - VARIOUS EVENTS FROM THE SAME COUNSEL 29 min 24 24 - OF PEDANTRY 37 min 25 25 - OF THE EDUCATION OF CHILDREN , part 1 53 min 26 26 - OF THE EDUCATION OF CHILDREN , part 2 57 min 27 27 - THAT IT IS FOLLY TO MEASURE TRUTH AND ERROR BY OUR OWN CAPACITY 13 min 28 28 - OF FRIENDSHIP 1 h 3 min 29 29 - NINE AND TWENTY SONNETS OF ETIENNE DE LA BOETIE & OF MODERATION 21 min 30 30 - OF CANNIBALS 37 min 31 31 - THAT A MAN IS SOBERLY TO JUDGE OF THE DIVINE ORDINANCES 7 min 32 32 - THAT WE ARE TO AVOID PLEASURES, EVEN AT THE EXPENSE OF LIFE 5 min 33 33 - THAT FORTUNE IS OFTEN-TIMES OBSERVED TO ACT BY THE RULE OF REASON 10 min 34 34 - OF ONE DEFECT IN OUR GOVERNMENT 4 min 35 35 - OF THE CUSTOM OF WEARING CLOTHES 12 min 36 36 - OF CATO THE YOUNGER 13 min 37 37 - THAT WE LAUGH AND CRY FOR THE SAME THING 12 min 38 38 - OF SOLITUDE 31 min 39 39 - A CONSIDERATION UPON CICERO 17 min 40 40 - THAT THE RELISH FOR GOOD AND EVIL DEPENDS IN GREAT MEASURE UPON THE OPINION WE HAVE OF THEM 59 min 41 41 - NOT TO COMMUNICATE A MAN'S HONOUR 9 min 42 42 - OF THE INEQUALITY AMOUNGST US 28 min 43 43 - OF SUMPTUARY LAWS 8 min 44 44 - OF SLEEP 6 min 45 45 - OF THE BATTLE OF DREUX 5 min 46 46 - OF NAMES 19 min 47 47 - OF THE UNCERTAINTY OF OUR JUDGMENT 19 min 48 48 - OF WAR HORSES, OR DESTRIERS 24 min 49 49 - OF ANCIENT CUSTOMS 15 min 50 50 - OF DEMOCRITUS AND HERACLITUS 9 min 51 51 - OF THE VANITY OF WORDS 12 min 52 52 - OF THE PARSIMONY OF THE ANCIENTS 3 min 53 53 - OF A SAYING OF CAESAR 5 min 54 54 - OF VAIN SUBTLETIES 11 min 55 55 - OF SMELLS 8 min 56 56 - OF PRAYERS 34 min 57 57 - OF AGE 10 min
