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It is rare that an author write an entire novel about himself the way that Michel de Montaigne wrote “The Essays: A Selection.” This is quite different from other typical autobiographies. In this book, Montaigne exposes readers to elements of his life ranging from personal thoughts to bodily functions. Montaigne’s purpose in writing these essays is not to tell the reader about himself, but rather to instill awareness in the reader. He opens the novel by telling the reader, “I myself am the subject of my book”(Montaigne, 3), exposing part of his life like he exposes part of his philosophy. The purpose of revealing every aspect of his personal life is to set an example for others. Montaigne writes that he believes that one must find a still center with in one’s self, or in other words, self-awareness will only result in personal betterment. This is the ‘defining feature of Montaigne’s philosophy.’ To attain this ultimate goal of self-discovery, Montaigne provides many recommendations and also many examples. One of his first proposals is for one to be content w