Montaigne - and the way we live now

Renaissance philosophy for the 21st century


Michel de Montaigne was not your typical philosopher. A deep thinker, yes - but a man who wasn’t afraid to be funny and philosophical at the same time. Everything in life was grist to his mill, from fatherhood to flatulence, cowardice to cannibals, Socrates to smells. While ranging over many of the infuriating elements of contemporary life, Paul Kent also gently introduces us to Montaigne the man: whether poking into the dubious entrails of celebrity autobiography or wondering how much alcohol is just the right amount of booze, musing on the fine line between intelligence and stupidity, scratching his head over the attraction of free-form jazz, or despairing of the standards of modern footballers, Paul Kent leads us on a merry philosophical dance to the heart of The Way We Live Now.


“Superbly opinionated, insightful and entertaining - Montaigne would have loved it. “ - Sarah Bakewell, author of “How to Live’