Classic
Candide
by Voltaire
Summary
The naive young Candide is expelled from his sheltered home and dragged through war, earthquake, slavery, and betrayal while his tutor Pangloss keeps insisting that all is for the best in this best of all possible worlds. Voltaire uses the relentless string of disasters to mock the optimism of contemporary philosophy and the cruelty of the institutions around him. The short, fast moving tale ends with Candide's famous, deceptively modest advice to cultivate one's own garden.
”
Historical Context & Significance
Voltaire wrote the book quickly and published it in 1759, and it was banned and burned in several countries within weeks. Its brisk satire has kept it a staple of philosophy and literature courses ever since.