Essays of Michel de Montaigne — Volume 18

"Essays of Michel de Montaigne — Volume 18" by Michel de Montaigne is a collection of philosophical essays from the 1500s that looks closely at personal thoughts on different topics. This volume is composed of essays where the writer thinks deeply about concepts like controlling your desires, understanding those with disabilities, and evaluating people based on their appearance. Montaigne's writing makes you reflect on yourself and the world around you. The book begins with a piece about managing your will, where Montaigne talks about controlling your feelings and staying calm. He shares that he usually doesn't get distracted easily but believes it's important to find a middle ground between enjoying life and avoiding suffering. He uses stories from his own life to show his ideas and prefers to think for himself instead of getting caught up in what everyone else is doing. This start makes you think about deciding for yourself, doing what you're supposed to in society, and how complicated feelings can be.