Book Review: Candide by Voltaire

Candide by Voltaire

Voltaire was a popular author in his day (mid to late 1700s). He involved himself in politics, which led to exile from his native France. Being of a literary bent and somewhat anti-authoritarian, he became a satirist. His most famous satire is Candide, the story of a young gentleman in Germany who is taught by the fictional philosopher Pangloss. Pangloss follows the idealism of Rousseau and constantly comments that life in their German province is the "best of all possible worlds." Candide is also naively optimistic, a trait that is constantly mocked as the story moves on. He's interested in Cunegonde, the daughter of the local Baron. When he expresses his affection, Candide is tossed out. He then embarks on an incredible journey to the New World and back in his efforts to reunite with his one true love. He runs afoul of the Inquisition, pirates, deposed rulers, and other miscreants as he slowly discovers that maybe this isn't the best of all possible worlds. 

The satire is sharp and merciless, focused on religious and philosophical traditions that Voltaire found intolerable. The bit where he winds up in El Dorado, the famed "golden country" in the New World, was especially good. The book is very funny and Voltaire was admired by Jonathan Swift (of Gulliver's Travels fame) and Alexander Pope (of Rape of the Lock fame). This work is similar in tone and enjoyability, assuming you enjoy Swift and Pope. I'd put this in between the two, with Gulliver's Travels being the best.

Recommended, though read Swift first if you haven't yet (don't accept the truncated and bowdlerized children's versions, written or animated).