The above is a Salvador Dali Cathedrals of Thumbs, an illustration in How To Live by Sarah Bakewell . The book is about Michel de Montaigne who lived 1533-1593 in France. His Essays is an revolutionary book that came out 1580. I've read a few essays and I had 2 revelations. One is that Shakespeare read it and used it in Hamlet. The other was when he pointed out that at the end death is a release, so death is not to be feared. I recently was around a woman who passed away and I can attest to that. 28 February is national Essay Day. Links: Great Course notes Guide To The Classics