Candide is the story of a gentle man who though pummeled and slapped in every direction by fate clings desperately to the belief that he lives in "the best of all possible worlds." On the surface a witty bantering tale this eighteenth-century classic is actually a savage satiric thrust at the philosophical optimism that proclaims that all disaster and human suffering is part of a benevolent cosmic plan. Fast funny often outrageous the French philosopher's immortal narrative takes Candide around the world to discover that -- contrary to the teachings of his distinguished tutor Dr. Pangloss -- all is not always for the best. Alive with wit brilliance and graceful storytelling Candide has become Voltaire's most celebrated work.
