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Title: Candide

Author: Voltaire

Narrator: Kevin Kollins

Format: Unabridged

Length: 3 hrs and 1 min

Language: English

Release date: 01-10-18

Publisher: Kevin Kollins

Ratings: 5 of 5 out of 2 votes

Genres: Classics, European Literature

Publisher's Summary:

"Candide is a French satire first published in 1759 by Voltaire, a philosopher of the Age of Enlightenment. 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, painful disillusionment as he witnesses and experiences great hardships in the world. Voltaire concludes with Candide, if not rejecting 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 is characterised by its sarcastic tone as well as by its erratic, fantastical, and fast-moving plot. A picaresque novel with a story similar to that of a more serious coming-of-age narrative (Bildungsroman), it parodies many adventure and romance clichés, the struggles of which are caricatured in a tone that is mordantly matter-of-fact. Still, the events discussed are often based on historical happenings, such as the Seven Years' War and the 1755 Lisbon earthquake. As philosophers of Voltaire's day contended with the problem of evil, so too does Candide in this short novel, albeit more directly and humorously. Voltaire ridicules religion, theologians, governments, armies, philosophies, and philosophers through allegory; most conspicuously, he assaults Leibniz and his optimism.

"As expected by Voltaire, Candide has enjoyed both great success and great scandal. Immediately after its secretive publication, the book was widely banned because it contained religious blasphemy, political sedition and intellectual hostility hidden under a thin veil of naïveté. However, with its sharp wit and insightful portrayal of the human condition, the novel has since inspired many later authors and artists to mimic and adapt it. Today, Candide is recognized as Voltaire's magnum opus."

[Wikipedia]

Members Reviews:

Great book but atypical format for hardcover disrupts reading flow

Candide is an excellent story, a concise yet conceptually soaring diatribe that unblinkingly lampoons the stigmas and realities of Voltaires time. The book is packed with scenarios that will make you laugh and cringe at once. I give four stars because the formatting on the hardcover book is a bit weird due to extra spaces in between paragraphs. This extra spacing disrupts the flow of reading and seems as if the publisher was trying to make the book more pages than it actually warranted with respect to the typical font and format of a novel or novella.

The best of all possible reviews

I decided to revisit this book after almost 40 years since my high school French class. It's amazing what reading it again after such a long time does for your perspective. Glad I picked it up again.

Satirical Genius

Voltaire is a satirical genius, he leaves few stones unturned in this short novel. The critical responses are useful resources if you have to write a report for the book or need further insight into Voltaires mind.

A quick witty romp!

What a fun read! I thoroughly enjoyed it. It is relatively short and moves quickly, so it's great if you want something witty without much commitment.

hilarious

This book is a combination of genius, logical argument and humor. It is definitely hilarious.