How Making a Lasagna Can Simultaneously Make You Insane
Familial Gratitude

Literary FYI: Michel de Montaigne

Did you know that today, February 28, is the birthdate of Michel de Montaigne, the man who invented the essay? OK, I know: stop the presses, that's totally exciting, right? But I'm such a geeky kinda gal that little tidbits like this one make me stop and mark the date.

So. Michel de Montaigne was this guy who lived in France in the 1500s. After his father died, he left his career as a lawyer to care for the family estate. He discovered he loved writing letters, which was great until everyone he wrote to passed away. Then he started writing to an imaginary reader, and voila! The essay was invented.

I know the tendency is to think of an essay as one of those boring things you had to write in English class about Francis Bacon or Albert Einstein or whomever your teacher assigned you to research. But really: that is research---restating facts. An essay is something entirely different---it is a place for discussing your thoughts on just about any subject. Aldus Huxley said that the essay is "a literary device for saying almost everything about anything." It can be personal, or tell a story, or argue a certain position; you can write one about a poem or a novel or another essay, or how you feel about, say, toenails or archeology or daffodils. In essence, it is a space for writing down and discussing your ideas and opinions. (If you want to read some good essays, try The Best American Essays 2007---or any year, really---which I found at Costco a few weeks ago, much to my surprise!)

The essay is my favorite thing to write. It's what I shlep around to literary magazines, my bread-and-butter rejection-letter collection agent. I tend to think about topics in an essay structure. But here's the deal: If you are a blogger, and your blog is more than a collection of your daily itinerary---if it's a place where you put your ideas and opinions into a logical structure---then you're an essayist, too.

The blogosphere owes a hearty thank you to Michel de Montaigne, I think. Maybe even a cupcake or two, but certainly a few well-written blog entries. So, share with me: are there blogs you enjoy reading because the blogger writes well? I want to know about more of them!

Comments

RedMolly

How awesome! I will have to pick up a Best American Essays on my next trip to the library. And yeah, blogs are a total riff on the essay format... at least those blogs which aren't just collections of links. Thanks for the historical tidbit!

Kim

So, every now and then I'm an essayist. I'll have to remember that! I know of the usual suspects - dooce and Confessions of a Pioneer Woman, and I like Tea Party Girl.

dana burton

I learn so much about writing and the love of good writing from you. You are definitely a WRITER. You are cut from WRITER fabric. So exciting!

Liz Ness

The essay is one of my favorite forms. So, I enjoyed your "geeky" post very much! Thanks for the history. (It's strange, I'm not sure I've ever considered where the first of any form originated. It was cool to think about writing in this way for a change.)

Valerie

I love essays. I would very much appreciate one now as instead of an essay my 7th grader has to design, build and make playable a game based on Tom Sawyer. A project that has consumed our home for weeks, but is due this week. Thank you.

Verify your Comment

Previewing your Comment

This is only a preview. Your comment has not yet been posted.

Working...
Your comment could not be posted. Error type:
Your comment has been posted. Post another comment

The letters and numbers you entered did not match the image. Please try again.

As a final step before posting your comment, enter the letters and numbers you see in the image below. This prevents automated programs from posting comments.

Having trouble reading this image? View an alternate.

Working...

Post a comment

Your Information

(Name and email address are required. Email address will not be displayed with the comment.)