Candide (Dover Thrift Editions) | Voltaire

Candide (Dover Thrift Editions) | Voltaire | Great Read

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Candide (Dover Thr...

	Candide (Dover Thrift Editions) Voltaire Dover Publications, 1991 - 112 pages average customer review:based on 24 reviews view larger image
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highly recommended

Witty and caustic, Candide has ranked as one of the world's great satires since its first publication in 1759. In the story of the trials and travails of the youthful Candide, his mentor Dr. Pangloss, and a host of other characters, Voltaire mercilessly satirizes and exposes romance, science, philosophy, religion, and government.

Best of all Worlds

From an optimist point of view, this book is simply in supportive of Leibniz's Best of all Possible Worlds theory. However, this book is a Voltaire's satire to Leibniz's theory. It is comical and gruesome but in the end, you learn to deal and live peacefully. You do get some interesting insight into life from this, for ex. you'll find out what the greatest vice of men is.

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Great Read

This is a timeless story. It is one I have not read before but I recommed it to all who who want humor and insight in a story.

The best of all possible worlds?? Candidly, point well made...

At a time that followed witch hunts and religious persecution, Voltaire wrote Candid as a scream in the face of church's authority and nobility's arrogance.

Candid is a simple Pollyannaish young man who mirrored all the views of his tutor Pangloss, who has the optimistic belief that this world is "the best of all possible worlds", and despite all the misfortune he endures he remains faithful to his optimism. Pangloss obviously is an exaggerated character, who symbolizes the overly optimistic Enlightenment philosophy.
When Candid is expelled from his adopted childhood home, he starts a journey around the world pursuing peace and looking for the love of his life, Cunegonde. During the journey, Candid encounters many different characters, who have symbolic importance, like the baron who has homosexual tendencies, Cacambo; Candid's close friend, whose practicality opposes any philosophy, the Grand Inquisitor, whose hypocrisy points clearly to religious leaders, and Martin, the cynical scholar, who is blinded by his pessimism.

The long journey was a series of chaotic incidents that bring to the forefront significant controversial topics, like the uselessness of philosophical speculation, hypocrisy of religions, political and religious oppression, and resurrection.

In Candid, Voltaire, artistically displays his objections to the school of optimism that argues rational thought restricts evil committed by human beings. Voltaire also criticizes the philosophy of enlightenment that couldn't stop the fear and chaos caused by religious persecution. He ends the novel by presenting us with an unexpected gift, his philosophical meaning of life.

Candid is simply a great work, worth the time.

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Voltaire So-So...

Okay; So Candide's biography of a 20 something manages to address the breadth of Humanistic concerns that we all think about, i.e., The Meaning Of Life, Morals, Religion, Character, Fate, Destiny, Etc... And yet, I still feel empty handed having read it. Outside of it's mediocre "entertainment value" of story telling, the take away was (and is) weak. His Great Pearl and Coveted Gem at the end? (which no reviewer wants to reveal, but I will here...), Is This: Voltaire says: "If you work hard and are honest Everyday, you will AVOID Unhappiness..." What?!!! BFD! R U KIdding Me??? AND I care NEVER to hear the protagonist's names REPEATED, ad nauseum, over AND OVER AND OVERRRRR AGAIN!!!! The names "CUNEGUNDE" and "CACAMBO"!!!!!! They were mentioned HUNDREDS of times! (I.E./"My Dear Sweet Cunegude," Or "MY Loyal Cacambo"- WE GET IT VOLTAIRE! ENough). >Poor Form

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reviews: page 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

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