The White Bird: A Blue Tale

"You can keep Diderot longer; it is a wonderful book and speaks almost more to the poet than to the visual artist, although it often shines before the latter with a powerful torch." Schiller to Goethe, Weimar, December 17, 1796. A new translation of Denis Diderot's 1751 "What do you Think? A Philosophical Tale" (Qu’en pensez? Vous conte philosophique) from the original French manuscript into American English. This edition contains an afterword by the translator on Diderot's philosophic legacy, a timeline of his works and life, and a glossary of philosophic terminology utilized in his works. Diderot presents a fable-like story that explores themes of social hierarchy and the pursuit of power. L’oiseau blanc can be seen as a precursor to Diderot's later works, as it demonstrates his penchant for using imaginative storytelling to convey social and philosophical ideas.