num_pages: 132
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: Cunegonde, Candide (Voltaire), Pangloss, Dr. Pangloss
genres: Fiction, France, Philosophy, French Literature, School, Humor, Literature, 18th Century, Classics, Novels
ratings_count: 267783
places: Paraguay, Romania, Transylvania, Istanbul, Constantinople, Lisbon, England, Suriname, Turkey, Portugal, Germany, Buenos Aires, Netherlands, Argentina
publisher: Yale University Press