Philip Littell

1Candide

By Voltaire

Candide by VoltaireTranslated by William F. FlemingWith an Introduction by Philip LittellCandide is a French satire first published in 1759 by Voltaire, a philosopher of the Age of Enlightenment. The novella has been widely translated, with English versions titled Candide: or, All for the Best (1759); Candide: or, The Optimist (1762); and Candide: or, Optimism (1947).Ever since 1759, when Voltaire wrote "Candide" in ridicule of the notion that this is the best of all possible worlds, this world has been a gayer place for readers. Voltaire wrote it in three days, and five or six generations have found that its laughter does not grow old."Candide" has not aged. Yet how different the book would have looked if Voltaire had written it a hundred and fifty years later than 1759. It would have been, among other things, a book of sights and sounds. A modern writer would have tried to catch and fix in words some of those Atlantic changes which broke the Atlantic monotony of that voyage from Cadiz to Buenos Ayres. When Martin and Candide were sailing the length of the Mediterranean we should have had a contrast between naked scarped Balearic cliffs and headlands of Calabria in their mists. We should have had quarter distances, far horizons, the altering silhouettes of an Ionian island. Colored birds would have filled Paraguay with their silver or acid cries.

2Candide by Voltaire

A French Satire

By Voltaire

Candide By Voltaire - A French Satire - COMPLETE EDITION - CLASSIC LITERATURE - Candide, ou l'Optimisme, is a French satire first published in 1759 by Voltaire, a philosopher of the Age of Enlightenment. The novella has been widely translated, with English versions titled Candide: or, All for the Best (1759); Candide: or, The Optimist (1762); and Candide: or, Optimism (1947). It begins with a young man, Candide, who is living a sheltered life in an Edenic paradise and being indoctrinated with Leibnizian optimism (or simply Optimism) by his mentor, Pangloss. The work describes the abrupt cessation of this lifestyle, followed by Candide's slow, painful disillusionment as he witnesses and experiences great hardships in the world. Voltaire concludes with Candide, if not rejecting optimism outright, advocating a deeply practical precept, "we must cultivate our garden", in lieu of the Leibnizian mantra of Pangloss, "all is for the best in the best of all possible worlds". Candide is characterised by its sarcastic tone, as well as by its erratic, fantastical and fast-moving plot. A picaresque novel with a story similar to that of a more serious bildungsroman, it parodies many adventure and romance clich�s, the struggles of which are caricatured in a tone that is mordantly matter-of-fact. Still, the events discussed are often based on historical happenings, such as the Seven Years' War and the 1755 Lisbon earthquake. As philosophers of Voltaire's day contended with the problem of evil, so too does Candide in this short novel, albeit more directly and humorously. Voltaire ridicules religion, theologians, governments, armies, philosophies, and philosophers through allegory; most conspicuously, he assaults Leibniz and his optimism.

Candide By Voltaire - A French Satire - COMPLETE EDITION - CLASSIC LITERATURE - Candide, ou l'Optimisme, is a French satire first published in 1759 by Voltaire, a philosopher of the Age of Enlightenment. The novella has been widely translated, with English versions titled Candide: or, All for the Best (1759); Candide: or, The Optimist (1762); and Candide: or, Optimism (1947). It begins with a young man, Candide, who is living a sheltered life in an Edenic paradise and being indoctrinated with Leibnizian optimism (or simply Optimism) by his mentor, Pangloss. The work describes the abrupt cessation of this lifestyle, followed by Candide's slow, painful disillusionment as he witnesses and experiences great hardships in the world. Voltaire concludes with Candide, if not rejecting optimism outright, advocating a deeply practical precept, "we must cultivate our garden", in lieu of the Leibnizian mantra of Pangloss, "all is for the best in the best of all possible worlds". Candide is characterised by its sarcastic tone, as well as by its erratic, fantastical and fast-moving plot. A picaresque novel with a story similar to that of a more serious bildungsroman, it parodies many adventure and romance clich�s, the struggles of which are caricatured in a tone that is mordantly matter-of-fact. Still, the events discussed are often based on historical happenings, such as the Seven Years' War and the 1755 Lisbon earthquake. As philosophers of Voltaire's day contended with the problem of evil, so too does Candide in this short novel, albeit more directly and humorously. Voltaire ridicules religion, theologians, governments, armies, philosophies, and philosophers through allegory; most conspicuously, he assaults Leibniz and his optimism.

4Candide by Voltaire

By Philip Littell and Voltaire

Candide, satirical novel published in 1759 that is the best-known work by Voltaire. It is a savage denunciation of metaphysical optimism-as espoused by the German philosopher Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz-that reveals a world of horrors and folly.

5This Way Out

By Philip Littell

Candide, satirical novel published in 1759 that is the best-known work by Voltaire. It is a savage denunciation of metaphysical optimism-as espoused by the German philosopher Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz-that reveals a world of horrors and folly.

“This Way Out” Metadata:

• Title: This Way Out
• Author: Philip Littell
• Language: English
• Number of Pages: 328

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• Google Books ID: wg41AAAAMAAJ

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6Books and Things

By Philip Littell

Candide, satirical novel published in 1759 that is the best-known work by Voltaire. It is a savage denunciation of metaphysical optimism-as espoused by the German philosopher Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz-that reveals a world of horrors and folly.

“Books and Things” Metadata:

• Title: Books and Things
• Author: Philip Littell
• Language: English
• Number of Pages: 308
• Genres: Books and reading

Edition Identifiers:

• Google Books ID: Kw41AAAAMAAJ

Free Online Preview

• Public Domain: Yes
• Availability Status: Fully available
• Availability Status for country: US.
• Available Formats: Text is not avialbe, image copy is available.
• Google Books Link: Google Books

Online Access

Preview Page:

A free online viewer of the book.

Online Marketplaces

Find Books and Things at online marketplaces:

• Amazon: Audiable, Kindle and printed editions.


• Ebay: New & used books.

Candide, satirical novel published in 1759 that is the best-known work by Voltaire. It is a savage denunciation of metaphysical optimism-as espoused by the German philosopher Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz-that reveals a world of horrors and folly.

8A Streetcar Named Desire

By André Previn and Philip Littell

(Opera). This wonderful new American opera, based on the unforgettable Tennessee Williams play, has been broadcast around the world and recorded live on Deutsche Grammaphon, and it's been a big hit ever since its premiere last year at the San Francisco Opera. Libretto by Philip Littell.

9Books and Things

By Philip Littell

This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work was reproduced from the original artifact, and remains as true to the original work as possible. Therefore, you will see the original copyright references, library stamps (as most of these works have been housed in our most important libraries around the world), and other notations in the work. This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. As a reproduction of a historical artifact, this work may contain missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.

This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work was reproduced from the original artifact, and remains as true to the original work as possible. Therefore, you will see the original copyright references, library stamps (as most of these works have been housed in our most important libraries around the world), and other notations in the work. This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. As a reproduction of a historical artifact, this work may contain missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.