There cannot be complex thinking without reading. Ancient Greek philosophers established the basis of civilization in great part because of their ability to write cogently and build on the knowledge accumulated by their predecessors.
Michel de Montaigne (1533-1592) spent thousands of hours reading, especially works by authors from Ancient Greece and Ancient Rome. He read them in their original Latin, or in Latin translations from Greek.
The reason why Montaigne knew many quotations by heart is because he had read those old books over and over again. He was particularly fond of Plutarch (46-120 AD) as a source of historical anecdotes, and of Seneca (4 BC-65 AD) and Marcus Aurelius (121-180 AD) as sources of ethical insights.
Why is reading important? Montaigne gives strong reasons in favour of reading as a method for acquiring knowledge and developing one’s thinking abilities.
Michel de Montaigne’s purpose for reading
I agree with Montaigne that conversation and observation could also deliver those benefits, but far more slowly. Reading is the quintessential accelerator of learning and wisdom.
Montaigne was well aware of the fact that, when it comes to developing one’s capacity for abstract thinking, there is no substitute for reading. In addition, he noted that reading helps people place themselves in somebody else’s shoes and become more tolerant, benevolent, and empathic.
I must however clarify that Montaigne was reading almost exclusively philosophical and historical works. In his essays, I find relatively few references to theological, fictional, medical and scientific works. Those formed a small part of Montaigne’s library because they did not interest him.
Montaigne engaged in reading to extract practical lessons from biographical and historical sources. He viewed history as a raw material that one must turn into philosophical insights.
In every biography he read, he was looking for principles or teachings that he put into practice in his own life, that is, in the sixteenth century.
Today’s reader of Montaigne’s works can ascertain the vast efforts deployed to draw those philosophical insights; there are dozens of references to Socrates (469-399 BC), Alexander the Great (356-323 BC), Julius Caesar (100-44 BC) and other key historical figures to illustrate lessons drawn from their good and bad choices.
Montaigne and the benefits from reading
Books in the sixteenth century constituted a luxury purchase that poor people could not afford. There were no pocket books available at low cost nor electronic books or public libraries.
A modestly wealthy person like Montaigne accumulated a library of about one hundred volumes after spending money on books for three decades.
Nowadays, any person working in an industrialized country can afford to purchase books. Today’s low cost of pocket books and electronic books makes it hard for us to grasp that it took Montaigne decades to gather his personal library.
Montaigne compared reading a good book to having a one-to-one conversation with its author, who had often belonged to the brightest minds of a past generation.
I must though underline that Montaigne was referring only to “good books,” that is, those that transmit useful knowledge or philosophical lessons of permanent value. “Good books” are those that deserved to be reread many times, as Montaigne did.
Montaigne was reading primarily to acquire wisdom instead of detailed technical knowledge about agriculture, medicine, or geography. By “wisdom,” he meant general moral principles to help us make decisions quickly and correctly.
Why Montaigne compared reading to conversation
In his reading, Montaigne adopted the motto that “to study philosophy is to learn to die.” That’s a quotation from his essay titled “Of the Education of Children.”
Actually, Montaigne meant “to learn to live” instead of “to learn to die.” He wanted to acquire wisdom from the greatest minds of the past; that’s why he praised reading as an excellent investment of one’s time. It is an affordable shortcut to wisdom and personal effectiveness.
Montaigne regarded one’s increased sharpness as the largest benefit derived from reading. “The more I read, the more I see” is a well-known quote from his essay “Of the Inconsistency of Our Actions.”
Reading opens one’s eyes to aspects and insights that are far from self-evident. It makes us aware of threats and perils that we might have overlooked otherwise.
Montaigne’s sincerity about the difficulties of reading is, in my eyes, refreshing. He is not a self-improvement guru trying to sell a get-rich-quick formula.
Instead of pretending that his recommendations are easy, he confesses that it took him substantial efforts and time to grasp complex text and extract practical lessons from them. That’s an investment that each reader needs to make if he wants to enjoy the full benefits of wisdom.
If you are interested in applying rational principles here and now to all kind of situations, I recommend you my book “The 10 principles of rational living.”