Showing results by author "Voltaire" in All Categories

Brought to you by Penguin. This Penguin Classic is performed by Ben Lloyd-Hughes, best known for Divergent, Me Before You and The Inbetweeners. This definitive recording includes an introduction by Michael Wood. Brought up in the household of a powerful Baron, Candide is an open-minded young man...

Candide, is a French satire written in 1759 by Voltaire, a philosopher of the Age of Enlightenment. One of the finest satires ever written, this lively tale follows the absurdly melodramatic adventures of the youthful Candide, who is forced into the army, flogged, shipwrecked, betrayed, robbed, separated from his beloved Cunégonde, and tortured by the Inquisition. As Candide witnesses calamity upon calamity, he becomes disillusioned and discovers that all is not always for the best....

Pangloss would have been right at home in a post-truth, social media world. You can imagine the tweets, “I was hanged and survived #soggyrope,” or, “#nosyphilisnochocolate.” Candide, written in 1759, was never more relevant than today. Blind obeisance and denial, barbarous villainy, greed, and rapacity, are all in a day’s toil for the young Candide. And this is in the best of all possible worlds!

The legendary ironic insightful classic by Voltaire, considered the greatest artistic genius of his era. Introducing the legendary, best-of-all-possible-worlds Pangloss. A whirlwind trip around the globe with irony, wit, insight, genius, and more at each stop.

If we were as tiny as ants to another being, what would they make of our philosophies? The great satirist Voltaire imagines alien visitors who have opinions. Bedtime stories are narrated by the world's most celebrated voices and written with no beginning, middle, or end so you don't stay up to hear what happens next. They're interesting enough to give your mind something to focus on, but delivered in a way that encourages sleep.

One of France's greatest writers, Voltaire was frequently persecuted for his ideas and as a result, spent time in the famed Bastille. He fled his native land for England in 1726, at which time he witnessed the differences between the two countries. His celebrated Letters on England was first published in that nation in 1733 and contained 24 succinct letters on subjects ranging from religion and politics, to trade, the arts, philosophy, and science.

L'Ingénu is a satirical novella by the French writer Voltaire, published in 1767. It tells the story of a Huron Indian transported to the sophistication of eighteenth century Paris, and satirizes religious doctrine, as well as the folly and injustices of French society. (Summary from Wikipedia).

Der freigeistige französische Aufklärungsphilosoph Voltaire (1694-1778) war der beredteste Vertreter des Aufklärungszeitalters...

These two classic coming-of-age stories by Voltaire parody the romanticism of his day with the ruthless wit that has made him the undisputed master of social commentary.

Voltaire's razor-sharp satire on philosophical optimism, Candide, is coupled here with another of the author's most celebrated works, Zadig. Both challenge the moral and philosophical orthodoxies of the day with humor and sly wit, while parodying the clichéd formulas of so many contemporary novels.

Voltaire spent his early thirties in England as an exile following the Bastille imprisonment for his satires. With passionate admiration, he then wrote this series of letters in English putting forward his views on the 18th century England, in contrast with the feudal society of his home country, encompassing aspects of religion, politics, sciences, and literature. The book was published in England and the free England received these philosophical, political, critical, poetical, heretical, and diabolical letters with delight, whereas in France, the book was denounced and publicly burnt in ...

Candide and his tutor Pangloss travel the globe trying to follow the philosophy "All is for the best in this, the best of all possible worlds". However, they are stung and let down at every turn, being robbed, tortured, and ridiculed, amongst other trials. On hearing about their often disasterous travels, a listener feels unfortunately less than empathetic, and can't help themselves laughing out loud at this very funny account of the trail our optimistic travellers take.

"there is no Evil under the Sun, but some Good proceeds from it:" -- this quote from this novel sums it up. One of Voltaire's most celebrated works, Zagig follows the plight of a young man, Zadig, as he embarks on matrimony. This tale is somewhat philosophical, suggesting that no matter how we act, we are confronted by bigotry, injustice and betrayal. Although set in Babylon, there is no attempt at historical accuracy.

The sharpest pen of the French Enlightenment, the author of Candide (1759)... and also a sci-fi writer two hundred years before the term existed. This volume brings together two forgotten gems from the 1750s, when Voltaire was at the height of his powers. Micromegas (1752): A...

Join us on a thought-provoking journey through Voltaires classic tale, Candide, where optimism meets reality in a world filled with absurdity and adventure. Discover the trials and tribulations of our naive protagonist as he navigates through a series of misfortunes that challenge his unwavering belief in a benevolent universe.

Les questions existentielles vous intriguent ou vous passionnent? Nous les passons au moulinet pour vous! Explorez avec nous un monde de réflexions et d'idées stimulantes, où les philosophes classiques rencontrent les théories les plus farfelues. Hébergé par Ausha. Visitez ausha.co/fr/politique-de-confidentialite pour plus d'informations.

Micromegas: A Philosophical History by Voltaire, in this illustrated edition, offers a satirical and philosophical journey through the cosmos. Originally written in 1752, this short story is a reflection of Voltaire's wit and Enlightenment ideals. The narrative follows the adventures of Micromegas, an extraterrestrial being from a distant star, as he travels through the universe. Micromegas encounters various civilizations, engaging in conversations that serve as a vehicle for Voltaire to critique human nature, society, and the limitations of knowledge.

Beccaria's treatise On Crimes and Punishments, which condemns disproportionate and irrational penalties in general as well as torture and the death penalty, is said to mark the peak of Enlightenment in Milan. Its translations were widely read by statesmen and policy makers in Britain, America and France. This translation also features the anonymous commentary, attributed to Voltaire.

Élevé par les Indiens du Canada et récemment arrivé en France, l'Ingénu s'efforce de comprendre une société qui ne cesse de l'étonner. "Car, n'ayant rien appris dans son enfance, il n'avait point appris de préjugés. Son entendement, n'ayant point été courbé par l'erreur, était demeuré dans toute sa rectitude. Il voyait les choses comme elles sont, au lieu que les idées qu'on nous donne dans l'enfance nous les font voir toute notre vie comme elles ne sont point." Adoptant le regard du héros, le lecteur est amené à remettre en question l'ordre social établi.

A obra reúne três poemas extraordinários do historiador, filósofo iluminista e poeta francês François-Marie Arouet, universalmente conhecido por seu pseudônimo: Voltaire. E mais: a poesia aqui selecionada teve a tradução de outro gênio: o poeta português Bocage. São estes os textos que o leitor encontrará neste volume: "O templo de amor", "Episódio de La Henriade" e "O combate de Ailly com o filho na batalha de Ivri".