num_pages: 144
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, or Optimism
titlecomplete: Candide, or Optimism
characters: Candide (Voltaire), Pangloss, Cunegonde, Dr. Pangloss
genres: Classics, France, 18th Century, Philosophy, Humor, Novels, School, Literature, French Literature, Fiction
ratings_count: 267604
places: Netherlands, Suriname, Transylvania, England, Constantinople, Argentina, Paraguay, Germany, Turkey, Istanbul, Lisbon, Portugal, Buenos Aires, Romania
publisher: Penguin Books Ltd.