Candide (The Bedford Series in History and Culture)

Candide, Voltaires biting portrayal of eighteenth-century European society, is a central text of the Enlightenment and essential reading for history students today. Preserving the texts provocative nature, Daniel Gordons new translation enhances Candides read-ability and highlights the texts wit and satire for twentieth-century readers. The introduction places the work and its author in historical context, showing students how the complexities of Voltaires life relate to the events, philosophy, and characters of Candide. A related documents section with personal correspondence to and from Voltaire gives students another lens through which to view this influential thinker. Helpful editorial features include explanatory notes throughout the text and a chronology of Voltaires life.