Candide by Voltaire

Candide

Voltaire

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Candide ou l'Optimisme est un conte philosophique de Voltaire paru à Genève en janvier 1759. Il a été réédité vingt fois du vivant de l’auteurn, ce qui en fait l'un des plus grands succès littéraires francophones. Seulement un mois après sa parution, six mille exemplaires avaient été vendus. Ce nombre est considérable pour l'époque

Candide. (2021, May 10). In wikipedia. https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Candide

Candide, ou l'Optimisme (/kɒnˈdiːd/ kon-DEED,French: [kɑ̃did] (About this soundlisten)) 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: 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 by his mentor, Professor Pangloss.The work describes the abrupt cessation of this lifestyle, followed by Candide's slow and painful disillusionment as he witnesses and experiences great hardships in the world. Voltaire concludes Candide with, if not rejecting Leibnizian 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. (2021, May 30). In Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Candide

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Suggested by 1 French learners

I love this satire as it constantly contrasts great tragedy with comedy, and is filled with wit and a parodied adventure-romance plot. It's definitely a great book to dig your teeth into, and will provide the full range of feeling you'll want in any French book.

Noah