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 distringuished 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.