A picaresque novel written by French satirical polemicist and philosopher Voltaire, Candide blatantly attacks the ideology of philosopher Leibniz. Candide follows the series of unfortunate events encountered by the young, yet blindly optimistic Candide. Shifting from one adventure to the next, Voltaire’s signature piece does not cease to grip its audience with its humorous criticism of power, wealth, love, religion, philosophy and especially optimism. The novel begins with the introduction of the protagonist Candide, who lives in the castle of an influential German Baron, along with the Baron’s daughter Cunégonde, and tutor Dr...

Candide vivait paisible et innocent chez le baron de Thunder-ten-tronckh, en Westphalie. Dans son château, le précepteur Pangloss (« qui discourt de tout » en grec), représentation de Gottfried Leibniz, professait un optimisme béat. Candide partageait cette plénitude d’autant plus qu’il était amoureux de Cunégonde, fille du baron. Un jour, ce même baron surprend leurs amours et chasse Candide à coups de pied « dans le derrière ». (Résumé par Wikipédia) This novella tells the tale of a young man, Candide (meaning “ingenuous”), who has been indoctrinated with Leibnizian optimism but becomes disillusioned after witnessing and experiencing many great hardships.

Zadig, ou La Destinée, (”Zadig, or The Book of Fate”) (1747) is a famous novel written by the French Enlightenment philosopher Voltaire. It tells the story of Zadig, a philosopher in ancient Babylonia. The author does not attempt any historical accuracy, and some of the problems Zadig faces are thinly disguised references to social and political problems of Voltaire’s own day. The book is philosophical in nature, and presents human life as in the hands of a destiny beyond human control. It is a story of religious and metaphysical orthodoxy, both of which Voltaire challenges with his presentation of the moral revolution taking place in Zadig himself...

Der satirische Roman “Kandid oder die beste Welt” (Candide ou l’optimisme) erzaehlt die abenteuerliche Geschichte des naiven Juenglings Kandid. Voller Witz, Spott und Ironie handelt der Roman gleichzeitig von der Ueberheblichkeit des Adels, der Grausamkeit der kirchlichen Inquisition, von Krieg, Sklaverei, von der naiven Sehnsucht des einfachen Manns nach einem sorglosen Leben und von der Unverbesserlichkeit der Menschen.

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.

Ever since 1759, when Voltaire wrote "Candide" in ridicule of the notion that this is the best of all possible worlds, this world has been a gayer place for readers. Voltaire wrote it in three days, and five or six generations have found that its laughter does not grow old. - Summary by Philip Littell

"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.