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| Candide (Dover Thrift Editions) | 
 enlarge | Author: Voltaire
Creator: Francois-marie Arouet
Publisher: Dover Publications
Category: Book
List Price: $1.50
Buy Used: $0.01
You Save: $1.49 (99%)
New (45) Used (231) Collectible (4) from $0.01
Avg. Customer Rating:  24 reviews
Sales Rank: 2256
Media: Paperback
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 112
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2
Dimensions (in): 7.9 x 5.1 x 0.4
ISBN: 0486266893
Dewey Decimal Number: 843.5
EAN: 9780486266893
ASIN: 0486266893
Publication Date: January 1, 1991
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Condition: Millions of satisfied customers and climbing. Thriftbooks is the name you can trust, guaranteed. Spend Less. Read More.
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Product Description
Witty and caustic, Candide has ranked as one of the world's great satires since its first publication in 1759. In the story of the trials and travails of the youthful Candide, his mentor Dr. Pangloss, and a host of other characters, Voltaire mercilessly satirizes and exposes romance, science, philosophy, religion, and government.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 19 more reviews...
 Voltaire So-So... August 30, 2008
Okay; So Candide's biography of a 20 something manages to address the breadth of Humanistic concerns that we all think about, i.e., The Meaning Of Life, Morals, Religion, Character, Fate, Destiny, Etc... And yet, I still feel empty handed having read it. Outside of it's mediocre "entertainment value" of story telling, the take away was (and is) weak. His Great Pearl and Coveted Gem at the end? (which no reviewer wants to reveal, but I will here...), Is This: Voltaire says: "If you work hard and are honest Everyday, you will AVOID Unhappiness..." What?!!! BFD! R U KIdding Me??? AND I care NEVER to hear the protagonist's names REPEATED, ad nauseum, over AND OVER AND OVERRRRR AGAIN!!!! The names "CUNEGUNDE" and "CACAMBO"!!!!!! They were mentioned HUNDREDS of times! (I.E./"My Dear Sweet Cunegude," Or "MY Loyal Cacambo"- WE GET IT VOLTAIRE! ENough). >Poor Form<. Ubiquitous and trite already!
I was hoping to be "Enlightened" after all the hype... I felt more like I was patronizing a Classic book just because of it's street credit. I discovered it was a fantastic chore delight to finish Candide... Nothing New here... NEXT! So, Voltaire is not telling me something I don't AlREADY Know??? My time is more valuable than that!
~Jay-Zackal.
~The Jackal.
 Is our world the best of all possible worlds?? August 18, 2008
At a time that followed witch hunts and religious persecution, Voltaire wrote Candid as a scream in the face of church's authority and nobility's arrogance.
Candid is a simple Pollyannaish young man who mirrored all the views of his tutor Pangloss, who has the optimistic belief that this world is "the best of all possible worlds", and despite all the misfortune he endures he remains faithful to his optimism. Pangloss obviously is an exaggerated character, who symbolizes the overly optimistic Enlightenment philosophy.
When Candid is expelled from his adopted childhood home, he starts a journey around the world pursuing peace and looking for the love of his life, Cunegonde. During the journey, Candid encounters many different characters, who have symbolic importance, like the baron who has homosexual tendencies, Cacambo; Candid's close friend, whose practicality opposes any philosophy, the Grand Inquisitor, whose hypocrisy points clearly to religious leaders, and Martin, the cynical scholar, who is blinded by his pessimism.
The long journey was a series of chaotic incidents that bring to the forefront significant controversial topics, like the uselessness of philosophical speculation, hypocrisy of religions, political and religious oppression, and resurrection.
In Candid, Voltaire, artistically displays his objections to the school of optimism that argues rational thought restricts evil committed by human beings. Voltaire also criticizes the philosophy of enlightenment that couldn't stop the fear and chaos caused by religious persecution. He ends the novel by presenting us with an unexpected gift, his philosophical meaning of life.
Candid is simply a great work, worth the time.
 Felt like a Ben Stiller movie May 7, 2008
0 out of 1 found this review helpful
Holy crap - we get it already - you dislike Leibniz.
I can appreciate satire - I love satire. But Candide is essentially a collection of horrific happenings each told as a separate joke ending in the exact same punch-line each time: "blah, blah, blah - but I guess it can't be so bad since this is the greatest of all possible worlds."
This is really satire at its lowest point. I give it two stars only because the book is a classic (albeit undeserving of the title). I've never been so relieved to be done with a book as when I finished this one.
Great Read April 26, 2008
This is a timeless story. It is one I have not read before but I recommed it to all who who want humor and insight in a story.
Best of all Worlds March 9, 2008
1 out of 2 found this review helpful
From an optimist point of view, this book is simply in supportive of Leibniz's Best of all Possible Worlds theory. However, this book is a Voltaire's satire to Leibniz's theory. It is comical and gruesome but in the end, you learn to deal and live peacefully. You do get some interesting insight into life from this, for ex. you'll find out what the greatest vice of men is.
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