Franklin Library: VOLTAIRE: CANDIDE or OPTIMISM: FRENCH 18TH CENTURY SATIRE

Description: Franklin Library leather edition of Francois Marie Arouet de Voltaire's "Candide or Optimism," Translated by Tobias Smollett, Illustrated by Sylvain Savage, a Limited edition, one of the 100 GREATEST BOOKS OF ALL TIME series, published in 1978. Bound in camel tan leather, the book has gold moire silk end leaves, hubbed spine, a satin book marker, acid-free paper, Symth-sewn binding, gold gilding on three edges---in FINE condition. François-Marie Arouet, who lived from 1694 – 1778, known by his pen name, Voltaire, was a French Enlightenment writer whose attacks on the established Catholic Church, and his advocacy of freedom of religion and expression and separation of church and state made him controversial. "Candide: or, Optimism" begins with a young man, Candide, who is living a sheltered life in an Edenic paradise and being indoctrinated with "optimism" by his mentor, Professor Pangloss. Candide is kicked out of paradise for kissing the Baron's daughter and slowly and often painfully experiences disillusionment as he witnesses and experiences great hardships in the world, searching for a "perfect place," but everywhere he finds man's greed, lust, violence, and indifference, even among church officials. Only in EL DORADO, a never-never land, does Candide find happiness, wealth, contentment, but after a month he cannot stand "paradise" because he says he does not have "Miss Cunegund." Candide's three mentors: Dr. Pangloss, Cacambo, and Martin---three men, one an optimist, one a realist, and one a pessimist---cannot provide him the answers to life. The author does not attempt any historical accuracy, and some of the problems Candide faces are thinly disguised references to social and political problems of Voltaire's own day. 215 pages. I offer Combined shipping.

Price: 24.95 USD

Location: Walnut Ridge, Arkansas

End Time: 2024-11-21T13:42:20.000Z

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