'No one characteristic clasps us purely and universally in its embrace.' A selection of charming essays from a master of the genre exploring the contradictions inherent to human thought; words and actions. Introducing Little Black Classics: 80 books for Penguin's 80th birthday. Little Black Classics celebrate the huge range and diversity of Penguin Classics; with books from around the world and across many centuries. They take us from a balloon ride over Victorian London to a garden of blossom in Japan; from Tierra del Fuego to 16th-century California and the Russian steppe. Here are stories lyrical and savage; poems epic and intimate; essays satirical and inspirational; and ideas that have shaped the lives of millions. Michel de Montaigne (1533-1592). Montaigne's works available in Penguin Classics are The Complete Essays; An Apology for Raymond Sebond; On Friendship; On Solitude and The Essays: A Selection