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The Complete Essays of Montaigne

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The Complete Essays of Montaigne

By: Michel Eyquem de Montaigne, Donald M. Frame - translator
Narrated by: Christopher Lane
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About this listen

“A faithful translation is rare; a translation which preserves intact the original text is very rare; a perfect translation of Montaigne appears impossible. Yet Donald Frame has realized this feat. One does not seem to be reading a translation, so smooth and easy is the style; at each moment, one seems to be listening to Montaigne himself - the freshness of his ideas, the unexpected choice of words. Frame has kept everything.” (Andre Maurois, The New York Times Book Review)

©1958 Donald M. Frame (Translation) (P)2011 Brilliance Audio, Inc. Consciousness & Thought Essays European Movements Philosophy World Literature Classics Thought-Provoking

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All stars
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It is a fantastic book. Deep and interesting comments by Montaigne, coupled with digressions on various classic scholars. The reading is also superlative. it kept me fully engaged throughout.

Fantastic book. It should be compulsory reading

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Is there anything you would change about this book?

very good audiobook, but with no index it's a real drag to navigate this huge work

no index

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The magic of Montaigne's Essays - one of the most touching reading experiences a person can have - is rendered in this audiobook by a really good translation and a wonderfully well sustained narration by Christopher Lane. Congratulations for this production, really excellent.

Stunning performance

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Montaigne is a seminal French Renaissance essayist, so the content of this work is both influential but also, in its totality, rather esoteric. Having wanted for years to read the essays, but been daunted by the language and the length, I made the very good choice of listening to them instead, and by that means have been able to engage with them all. It remains something of a marathon because, unlike other long audio-books, there is no "story" to help you along and I did have to rely on systematic creation of bookmarks to ensure smooth progress without inadvertently skipping backwards or forwards.

That said, this is an excellent way to come to grips with and to enjoy Montaigne. Top marks to Christopher Lane who interprets faultlessly everything from erudite translations from Latin to the most graphic physical details, not forgetting all the footnotes. Top marks too to Donald Frame for such a comprehensible translation.

Aided by these two interpreters, Montaigne's work can afford you well over 45 hours of real interest, with only a very small percentage which is now beyond the non-specialist. The immediacy and freshness of his style, the pithiness of his comments, the details we get of his life and that of his family and his famed friend La Boetie, the copious illustration of philosophical precepts with lively, concrete examples, and much more, ensure that the Essays still speak directly to the reader/listener.

Listening to this audiobook is a serious undertaking but it is one which I very much value.

a singular experience

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It's very good and the reader goes a great job in holding attention. Would definitely recommend it.

An easy way into the essays

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He understood challenges, trials and tribulations of life. consult him for advice and for an easy entrance into philosophy, science of life and love of living.

Let Montaigne be that philosopher friend of yours

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If you could sum up The Complete Essays of Montaigne in three words, what would they be?

Fascinating, resonating, amusing.

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Complete Essays of Montaigne?

Essay after essay so much of what Montaigne writes is still relevant today and surprisingly easy to understand/relate to.

Have you listened to any of Christopher Lane’s other performances? How does this one compare?

N/A

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

No - it is not the format for that, the individual essays are complete in themselves. You do want to hear the next intriguing view he has but also sometimes you pause to consider that particular thought before heading off to the next one. As a physical book it is something to dip into or it seems too intimidating - as an audio book you feel able to tackle the whole work comfortably!

A great way to enjoy a mammoth work

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I've read a few essays by Montaigne in the past, and enjoyed them - but reading them in there entirety is a fantastic experience. He ranges over seemingly every subject, and his droll humour is a joy. He sparks the mind and sets you on your own flights of imagination - indeed I found myself continually repeating passages as my mind had flown so far I had lost the original thread!
His quotes are always perfect for the subject at hand and he deploys them expertly.
I'm now convinced that if everyone read these essays at least once in their lives, the world would be a much better place.

As for the translation by Frame, I found it erudite and flowing, and his notes extremely helpful.

I cannot recommend this highly enough. In fact I loved it so much I'm planning on reading through again - in a variant translation - as soon as I have had time to properly 'decompress' from this experience.

Montaigne is a joy

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give this a go I know it may feel like a big commitment timewise but it is truly a wonderful experience

Montaigne shows that life has really changed very little from then and gives a fantastic way to view the world

As relevant today as 500 years ago and very humourous

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What did you like best about The Complete Essays of Montaigne? What did you like least?

might turn your brain to mosh if you listen to a lot at once, not easy listening.

What did you like best about this story?

interesting, its dated but I like the philosophical views. I like you can pause between each essay gives you thinking time. I love the way it was written, no one writes like this.

What about Christopher Lane’s performance did you like?

very good

Incredibly interesting

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