About this title: 'If this is the best of all possible worlds, then what must the others be like?' Young Candide is tossed on a hilarious tide of misfortune, experiencing the full horror and injustice of this 'best of all possible worlds' - the Old and the New - before finally accepting that his old philosophy tutor Dr Pangloss has got it all wrong. There are no grounds for his daft theory of Optimism. Yet life goes on. We must cultivate our garden, for there is certainly room for improvement. Candide is the most famous of Voltaire's 'philosophical tales', in which he combined witty improbabilities with the ...
read more
Note: This is a general synopsis. Each listing is described below.
Description: Good. Shows some signs of wear, and may have some markings on the inside. Shipped to over one million happy customers. Your purchase benefits world literacy! read more
Description: Acceptable. Former Library book. Shows definite wear, and perhaps considerable marking on inside. Shipped to over one million happy customers. Your purchase benefits world literacy! read more
Description: Acceptable. Trade paperback. Acceptable condition-only fair due to highlighting on internal pages. In sealed plastic protection. 2006. Trade paperback. read more
Binding: Paperback
Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA
Date Published: 1998-07-16
ISBN-13:9780192834263ISBN:0192834266
Description: Very Good. Text is clean and bright. No names, no remainder marks, no stickers. Binding is tight and square. Light edge and corner wear. Light creasing in cover. Cover is slightly soiled on back. Careful packaging and fast shipping. We recommend EXPEDITED MAIL for even faster delivery! read more
Binding: Paperback
Publisher: Oxford University Press, New York, New York
Date Published: 1990
ISBN-13:9780192834263ISBN:0192834266
Description: Used Very Good. Book is in good condition, there is minimal marking on the last page otherwise text is clean, cover has light shelf wear. read more
Binding: Paperback
Publisher: Oxford University Press, New York, New York
Date Published: 1990
ISBN-13:9780192834263ISBN:0192834266
Description: Used Very Good. Book is in excellent condition, text appears clean, cover has light shelf wear, there is a black line on bottom outer edge near binding. read more
Binding: Hardcover
Publisher: Everyman's Library
Date Published: 1992
ISBN-13:9780679417460ISBN:067941746X
Description: Fine in Very Good jacket. Book Seller # BBRD123, 5.2 inches by 8.25 inches, 307 pages. Minor wear only but No Tears to the unusual dust jacket which is a paper sheet with a front flap that covers only the front board; a plastic dust jacket covers that sheet along the entire book. Good hinges, good binding and a clean interior and exterior. Dark green cloth with a sewn binding and a ribbon page marker. Printed on acid free paper. read more
"I have never read Voltaire in English, which is strange considering how much I like Candide. I am too convinced (or stubborn) that the great wit and humor of this novel will be lost in translation. I haven't much to say for a review, but those who love this book know why they do. As classics go, it is well worth a try."
"Candide is a satirical story about optimism. Voltaire poses the question,"Are evil and tragedy part of a cosmic plan that mere humans are blind to? Should we just accept our fates with the belief that everything happens for a good reason, that we live in " the best of all possible worlds"?"
"loved candide. i couldn't put this book down and i read it in one night. i have a bad habit of giving my favorite books away. i should have kept it. this story is amazing and the character's unrelenting faith in human decency is a frigging riot. this book cured me of my faith in human decency."
"After seeing Houdon's bust of Voltaire at the Louvre Exhibit in Atlanta, I felt the need to learn more about him. There was just something about Voltaire's face that made me think, "That man has something to share!" so I went to the library and got this book.
I enjoyed Candide a lot. The story was a little crazy and hard to believe at times, but the moral was clear and the story held my interest. I felt a connection between the words and the bust I had seen. There was a lot of smirk included in this story, I felt.
Over all, Voltaire's style of writing appeals to me in that he is rather direct and does not include a lot of unnecessary imagery, so the reader must imagine the details. I love quirky, and Candide was quite quirky, and it is my impression that Voltaire was probably a quirky man.
Voltaire's Philosophical Letters were less appealing to me than Candide since Candide was meant to entertain and Philosophical Letters was not, but I felt it worth the read. His letters proved insightful as to who Voltaire was. I thoroughly enjoyed the last topic concerning religion, and I found his views on vaccines quite interesting."
We guarantee every item's condition, as described on Alibris. If you are not satisfied that an item is as described, return your purchase for a refund.
rating
