The Portable Voltaire

"One of the protean minds produced by Europe, Voltaire left his mark on almost every branch of literature, producing essays, stories, plays, tracts, history, poetry, novels. In his writings the eruptive eighteenth century found a clarion voice that shook the thrones of princes and prelates. His works repeatedly banned, himself periodically exiled and reinstated, he was ultimately laureled like an Olympian deity before his death at eighty-four. This collection encompasses a varied representation of Voltaire's most enduring and vital work: Candide (Part I complete); three of his finest stories; a cross section of his brilliant letters; more than 70 articles from the unique Philosophical Dictionary; a number of the wide-ranging essays; and the long poem, 'The Lisbon earthquake.'"--Page 4 of cover.