Michel de Montaigne was one of the most important philosophers of the French Renaissance, known for expanding the notoriety of the essay as a literary genre. The Complete Essays of Michel de Montaigne is a large collection of writings that cover a diverse spectrum of topics from profound to the commonplace. His studies of classic texts and his own life experiences provided the inspiration.

Montaigne's writings are some of the most influential essays ever written, having a directly influenced many notable Western writers. They are studied as literature and philosophy around the world. His essays were seen as an important contribution to both writing form and skepticism.