Sprinkled with his own artwork and
personal photos, Cohen speaks of his stately
writing process; «savage criticisms» exchanged with fellow Montreal poets; the scene at the Chelsea Hotel; tea and oranges with the real Suzanne; his
retreat to Mt. Baldy and more.
Her search then leads to Moravia to consider the monk - geneticist, Gregor Mendel, and finally to Bordeaux for Michel Montaigne — the hero of this book — who
retreated from court life to sit in his chateau tower and
write about whatever passed through his mind, thus inventing the
personal essay.