num_pages: 129
description: Candide is the story of a gentle man who, though pummeled and slapped in every direction by fate, clings desperately to the belief that he lives in "the best of all possible worlds." On the surface a witty, bantering tale, this eighteenth-century classic is actually a savage, satiric thrust at the philosophical optimism that proclaims that all disaster and human suffering is part of a benevolent cosmic plan. Fast, funny, often outrageous, the French philosopher's immortal narrative takes Candide around the world to discover that -- contrary to the teachings of his distinguished tutor Dr. Pangloss -- all is not always for the best. Alive with wit, brilliance, and graceful storytelling, Candide has become Voltaire's most celebrated work.
language: English
title: Candide
titlecomplete: Candide
characters: Candide (Voltaire), Dr. Pangloss, Cunegonde, Pangloss
genres: Philosophy, French Literature, School, Novels, 18th Century, Literature, Classics, Fiction, Humor, France
ratings_count: 267608
places: Germany, Suriname, Portugal, Netherlands, Transylvania, England, Romania, Lisbon, Buenos Aires, Constantinople, Paraguay, Argentina, Turkey, Istanbul
publisher: Dover Publications, Incorporated