Candide

Voltaire's "Candide" is a satirical novella that chronicles the misadventures of its eponymous protagonist as he navigates a world rife with suffering and absurdity. Written in 1759, the book employs a sharp wit and a vibrant prose style, influenced by the Enlightenment's emphasis on reason and skepticism. Through a series of exaggerated misfortunes, Voltaire critiques the prevailing optimism championed by philosophers like Leibniz, encapsulated in the phrase "all is for the best in the best of ...