The Complete Essays of Montaigne
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The Complete Essays of Montaigne
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Narrated by:
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Christopher Lane
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.Listeners also enjoyed...
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-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 543
This question obsessed Renaissance writers, none more than Michel Eyquem de Montaigne, perhaps the first recognizably modern individual. A nobleman, public official, and winegrower, he wrote free-roaming explorations of his thought and experience, unlike anything written before. He called them essays, meaning “attempts” or “tries.” He put whatever was in his head into them: his tastes in wine and food, his childhood memories, the way his dog’s ears twitched when it was dreaming, as well as the religious wars....
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4 out of 5 stars
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Interesting and in parts Inspired.
- By Darwin8u on 05-21-12
By: Sarah Bakewell
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Montaigne
- By: Stefan Zweig
- Narrated by: Tyler Boss
- Length: 2 hrs and 52 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 2
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Performance5 out of 5 stars 2
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Story5 out of 5 stars 2
"The others form the human being, I depict him; and here I present an individual who is quite poorly formed and whom I would certainly make largely differently if I had to reshape him. But now that's the way he is." This phrase from the famous essays of Michel de Montaigne outlines the character of the author and his work. Montaigne wrote his essays not from a position of certainty but from an awareness of his inadequacy. He thus reveals a level of critical self-reflection that, before his time, was rarely put on paper.
By: Stefan Zweig
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Pensées
- By: Blaise Pascal
- Narrated by: Peter Wickham
- Length: 12 hrs and 8 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 43
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 39
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 39
Intended to be a defense of the Christian religion, Pensées is a penetrating collection of thoughts on faith, reason, and theology. Unfinished at the time of Pascal's death, the book consists of philosophical fragments on the "wretchedness" of man and the controversial schisms of the church at the time. It includes the philosopher's infamous wager encouraging belief over agnosticism, as well as his thoughts on numerous other topics. Endlessly quotable, Pensées overflows with pearls of wisdom, each elusive sentence pregnant with a universe of thought.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Excellent Audiobook!
- By No to Statism on 05-16-19
By: Blaise Pascal
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The Praise of Folly/Against War
- By: Desiderius Erasmus
- Narrated by: Georgina Sutton, Leighton Pugh
- Length: 6 hrs and 5 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 50
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Performance5 out of 5 stars 43
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 43
'The Praise of Folly', written in Latin in 1509 and spoken by the goddess Folly (who champions a lively enjoyment of life), was a bold satire on (in the cautious contemporary environment) not only Western classical traditions but also the Catholic Church. Dedicated to More himself, Erasmus wittily challenged entrenched views in so forthright (and humanist) a style that it could have brought him in direct conflict with the papacy. Fortunately the pope, Leo X, enjoyed the humour and the challenge!
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5 out of 5 stars
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pretty funny
- By Christopher Hayler on 04-19-23
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The Life of Samuel Johnson
- By: James Boswell
- Narrated by: David Timson
- Length: 51 hrs and 2 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 152
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Performance5 out of 5 stars 139
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 134
Charming, vibrant, witty and edifying, The Life of Samuel Johnson is a work of great obsession and boundless reverence. The literary critic Samuel Johnson was 54 when he first encountered Boswell; the friendship that developed spawned one of the greatest biographies in the history of world literature. The book is full of humorous anecdote and rich characterization, and paints a vivid picture of 18th-century London, peopled by prominent personalities of the time.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Wonderful!
- By Tad Davis on 02-02-18
By: James Boswell
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The Anatomy of Melancholy
- By: Robert Burton
- Narrated by: Peter Wickham
- Length: 56 hrs and 49 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 46
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Performance5 out of 5 stars 36
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Story5 out of 5 stars 36
First published in 1621, and hardly ever out of print since, it is a huge, varied, idiosyncratic, entertaining and learned survey of the experience of melancholy, seen from just about every possible angle that could be imagined. The Anatomy of Melancholy, presented here with all the original quotations in English, is, at last, available on audiobook in its entirety.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Nam Et Doctis Hisce Erroribus Versatus Sum
- By Darwin8u on 05-26-20
By: Robert Burton
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The Book of Job
- By: Stephen Mitchell - translator
- Narrated by: Peter Coyote
- Length: 1 hr and 13 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 270
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 214
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 218
Perhaps no other Biblical tale penetrates so deeply into the everyday travails of the common person as The Book of Job. It tells the story of a righteous man beset by torment and misfortune through no fault of his own. This parable of bad things happening to a good person addresses the eternal question of why we are here, and why we suffer. This translation is by Stephen Mitchell.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Phenominal !!!
- By Kirill on 08-10-04
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Fear and Trembling
- By: Søren Kierkegaard
- Narrated by: Mark Meadows
- Length: 4 hrs and 40 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 349
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 290
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 288
From the perspective of an unbeliever, Fear and Trembling explores the paradox of faith, the nature of Christianity, and the complexity of human emotion. Kierkegaard examines the biblical story of Abraham, who was instructed to sacrifice his son Isaac, and forces us to consider Abraham's state of mind. What drove Abraham, and what made him carry out such an absurd and extreme request from God? Kierkegaard argues that Abraham's agreement to sacrifice Isaac, and his suspension of reason, elevated him to the highest level of faith.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Great book and Formidable Narration
- By MFC on 03-06-20
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Plato Collection - The Republic, the Apology, Symposium, Crito, Meno
- By: Plato
- Narrated by: Stacey M. Patterson, Peter Coates, Emma Gibson
- Length: 17 hrs and 22 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 4
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Performance4 out of 5 stars 4
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Story4 out of 5 stars 4
Plato is, by any reckoning, one of the most dazzling writers in the Western literary tradition and one of the most penetrating, wide-ranging, and influential authors in the history of philosophy. This audiobook contains Plato's most notable books.
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3 out of 5 stars
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Narrators are awful
- By Anonymous User on 01-27-25
By: Plato
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The Essays
- Or Counsels Civil and Moral
- By: Francis Bacon
- Narrated by: Hayward B. Morse
- Length: 7 hrs and 38 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 29
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 23
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Story4 out of 5 stars 22
Francis Bacon (1561-1626), 1st Viscount St Albans, Attorney General and then Lord Chancellor of England, was an immensely learned, clever and ambitious man, with considerable political influence. However, he was also a philosopher with a wide interest in science, medicine and the classification of knowledge. Throughout his life he wrote a series of essays - following the manner set particularly by Montaigne, though extending back to Aristotle and others - the first 10 of which appeared in 1597.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Instant classic.
- By A.J. on 12-15-19
By: Francis Bacon
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Waverley
- By: Sir Walter Scott
- Narrated by: David Rintoul
- Length: 17 hrs and 9 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 154
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Performance5 out of 5 stars 132
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 131
Waverley by Sir Walter Scott is an enthralling tale of love, war and divided loyalties. Taking place during the Jacobite Rebellion of 1745, the novel tells the story of proud English officer Edward Waverley. After being posted to Dundee, Edward eventually befriends chieftain of the Highland Clan Mac-Ivor and falls in love with his beautiful sister Flora. He then renounces his former loyalties in order actively to support Scotland in open rebellion against the Union with England. The book depicts stunning, romantic panoramas of the Highlands.
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4 out of 5 stars
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Loved it
- By Tad Davis on 04-12-18
By: Sir Walter Scott
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The History of Rome: The Complete Works
- By: Titus Livy, Cyrus Edmunds - translator, William A. McDevitte - translator
- Narrated by: Alastair Cameron
- Length: 89 hrs and 2 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 68
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 63
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 63
Titus Livy's only known surviving work is a monumental history of Rome that was originally written in Latin. It is estimated that Livy's The History of Rome was written between 27 and 9 BC and covers the legends of Aeneas, the fall of Troy, the city's founding in 753 BC, and Livy's account ends with the reign of Emperor Augustus. The History of Rome is a must-have for anyone interested in ancient history and the Roman era. With colorful detail and intriguing insight, Titus brings to life some of the most turbulent times in human history.
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1 out of 5 stars
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The horrible book
- By Amanda on 08-22-18
By: Titus Livy, and others
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The Book of the Courtier
- By: Baldassare Castiglione
- Narrated by: Nicholas Boulton
- Length: 11 hrs and 24 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 31
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 24
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 25
Set in the court of Urbino in 1507, Castiglione’s The Book of the Courtier presents an invaluable look at court life and culture during the Renaissance. Over four nights of dialogue, the book explores the key question, ‘What should a courtier be like?’ and presents a deep and timeless discussion that is reminiscent of Plato’s Symposium and Aristotle’s Nicomachean Ethics and invites comparisons with Machiavelli’s The Prince.
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The Consolation of Philosophy
- By: Anicius Manlius Severinus Boethius
- Narrated by: David Rintoul
- Length: 4 hrs and 54 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 288
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Performance5 out of 5 stars 262
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 261
The Consolation of Philosophy is one of the key works in the rich tradition of Western philosophy, partly because of the circumstances in which it was written. Anicius Manlius Severinus Boethius (c480-c524) was of aristocratic Roman birth and became consul and then master of offices at Ravenna, one of the highest posts under the Ostrogothic Roman ruler Theodoric. But Boethius was unjustly charged with treason in 524, and this led to house arrest, then torture and execution.
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5 out of 5 stars
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A Self-Help Bestseller since 524 AD
- By John on 01-25-17
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The Decline of the West
- Vol 1: Form and Actuality. Vol 2: Perspectives of World History
- By: Oswald Spengler
- Narrated by: Peter Wickham
- Length: 55 hrs and 52 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 64
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Performance5 out of 5 stars 52
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 51
The Decline of the West - Volume 1 published in 1917, Volume 2 in 1922 - has exercised and challenged opinion ever since. It was a huge undertaking by Oswald Spengler (1880-1936), formerly an unpublished historian and philosopher who set out to radically reconsider history - the rise and fall of world civilisations and their cultures. His primary view was to reject the established Eurocentric paradigm (ancient/classical, Medieval - and, following the Renaissance - modern) and to take a totally new perspective.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Stunningly deep work of philosophy
- By J. Martin on 05-16-21
By: Oswald Spengler
Thanks
Philosophy at its Best
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What about Christopher Lane’s performance did you like?
I have been switching between reading and listening to the essays. Lane's performance is so good that I have actually found the essays more immediate and grabbing while I was listening. Lane does an excellent job embodying Montaigne!Excellent reading!
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A book that makes you happy!
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Casual, life changing thoughts
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Natural yet inspiring philosophy
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Stands next to the Bible and M.A.'s Meditations
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Brilliant!
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Montaigne!
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Personally I had to address the 40 hours in perhaps a dozen chunks with other reading in between. Any time I found my comprehension failing I'd switch to a different book, completing perhaps half a dozen others along the way. Then enjoy again the moment I resumed.
Speak to Our Times
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Excellent
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