{"title":"Voltaire","description":null,"products":[{"product_id":"candice","title":"Candide","description":"\u003cp class=\"x12ofw9d\"\u003e\u003c!--comp--\u003e\u003c!--for--\u003e\u003c!--it--\u003e\u003c!--if--\u003eFirst published anonymously in 1759, \u003c!--\/if--\u003e\u003c!--\/it--\u003e\u003c!--it--\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003c!--comp--\u003e\u003c!--for--\u003e\u003c!--it--\u003e\u003c!--if--\u003eCandide, or Optimism\u003c!--\/if--\u003e\u003c!--\/it--\u003e\u003c!--\/for--\u003e\u003c!--\/comp--\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c!--\/it--\u003e\u003c!--it--\u003e\u003c!--if--\u003e is Voltaire’s brilliantly irreverent philosophical tale, following a sheltered young man whose faith in the goodness of the world is tested by a succession of extraordinary misfortunes. Expelled from his comfortable home, Candide travels across Europe and the Americas, encountering war, religious persecution, natural disaster and human cruelty, while searching for his beloved Cunégonde. His tutor, Pangloss, insists that everything happens for the best, even as experience repeatedly exposes the absurdity of this comforting philosophy. Through swift-moving adventures, biting wit and startling reversals, Voltaire questions the authority of organised religion, the pretensions of philosophers and the ease with which suffering is justified in the name of optimism.\u003c!--\/if--\u003e\u003c!--\/it--\u003e\u003c!--\/for--\u003e\u003c!--\/comp--\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003c!--\/it--\u003e\u003c!--it--\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"x12ofw9d\"\u003e\u003c!--comp--\u003e\u003c!--for--\u003e\u003c!--it--\u003e\u003c!--if--\u003eA defining work of the French Enlightenment, \u003c!--\/if--\u003e\u003c!--\/it--\u003e\u003c!--it--\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003c!--comp--\u003e\u003c!--for--\u003e\u003c!--it--\u003e\u003c!--if--\u003eCandide\u003c!--\/if--\u003e\u003c!--\/it--\u003e\u003c!--\/for--\u003e\u003c!--\/comp--\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c!--\/it--\u003e\u003c!--it--\u003e\u003c!--if--\u003e combines the energy of an adventure story with the precision of political and philosophical satire. Written in the shadow of the Lisbon earthquake of 1755 and amid the conflicts of eighteenth-century Europe, it challenges abstract systems of thought with the stubborn realities of violence, injustice and grief. Voltaire’s lightness of touch makes the criticism all the sharper, allowing comedy to expose the cruelties that solemn argument can obscure. Its enduring conclusion turns away from grand theories towards practical work and shared responsibility, leaving readers with a question that remains urgent: how should we live in an imperfect world?\u003c!--\/if--\u003e\u003c!--\/it--\u003e\u003c!--\/for--\u003e\u003c!--\/comp--\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003c!--\/it--\u003e\u003c!--it--\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 class=\"x1ll2q23 x1a4oops\"\u003e\n\u003c!--comp--\u003e\u003c!--for--\u003e\u003c!--it--\u003e\u003c!--if--\u003eFrom the book\u003c!--\/if--\u003e\u003c!--\/it--\u003e\u003c!--\/for--\u003e\u003c!--\/comp--\u003e\n\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003c!--\/it--\u003e\u003c!--it--\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"x12ofw9d\"\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\n\u003cspan\u003e“That is well said,” replied Candide, “but we must cultivate our garden.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c!--\/if--\u003e\u003c!--\/it--\u003e\u003c!--\/for--\u003e\u003c!--\/comp--\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c!--\/it--\u003e\u003c!--\/for--\u003e\u003c!--\/comp--\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003c!--\/it--\u003e\u003c!--it--\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"x12ofw9d\"\u003e\u003c!--comp--\u003e\u003c!--for--\u003e\u003c!--it--\u003e\u003c!--if--\u003e— Voltaire, \u003c!--\/if--\u003e\u003c!--\/it--\u003e\u003c!--it--\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003c!--comp--\u003e\u003c!--for--\u003e\u003c!--it--\u003e\u003c!--if--\u003eCandide\u003c!--\/if--\u003e\u003c!--\/it--\u003e\u003c!--\/for--\u003e\u003c!--\/comp--\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c!--\/it--\u003e\u003c!--\/for--\u003e\u003c!--\/comp--\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003c!--\/it--\u003e\u003c!--it--\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 class=\"x1ll2q23 x1a4oops\"\u003e\n\u003c!--comp--\u003e\u003c!--for--\u003e\u003c!--it--\u003e\u003c!--if--\u003eOn \u003c!--\/if--\u003e\u003c!--\/it--\u003e\u003c!--it--\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003c!--comp--\u003e\u003c!--for--\u003e\u003c!--it--\u003e\u003c!--if--\u003eCandide\u003c!--\/if--\u003e\u003c!--\/it--\u003e\u003c!--\/for--\u003e\u003c!--\/comp--\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c!--\/it--\u003e\u003c!--\/for--\u003e\u003c!--\/comp--\u003e\n\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003c!--\/it--\u003e\u003c!--it--\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"x12ofw9d\"\u003e\u003c!--comp--\u003e\u003c!--for--\u003e\u003c!--it--\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003c!--comp--\u003e\u003c!--for--\u003e\u003c!--it--\u003e\u003c!--if--\u003e“The novel itself remains as fresh and pertinent as ever.”\u003c!--\/if--\u003e\u003c!--\/it--\u003e\u003c!--\/for--\u003e\u003c!--\/comp--\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c!--\/it--\u003e\u003c!--\/for--\u003e\u003c!--\/comp--\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003c!--\/it--\u003e\u003c!--it--\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"x12ofw9d\"\u003e\u003c!--comp--\u003e\u003c!--for--\u003e\u003c!--it--\u003e\u003c!--if--\u003e— Julian Barnes, The Guardian\u003c!--\/if--\u003e\u003c!--\/it--\u003e\u003c!--\/for--\u003e\u003c!--\/comp--\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003c!--\/it--\u003e\u003c!--\/for--\u003e\u003c!--\/comp--\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Gardner's EU","offers":[{"title":"ENG- English \/ Paperback","offer_id":63949007028554,"sku":null,"price":0.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true},{"title":"ENG- English \/ Hardcover","offer_id":63949007061322,"sku":null,"price":0.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":false},{"title":"Dual Language \/ Paperback","offer_id":63949007094090,"sku":null,"price":0.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":false},{"title":"Dual Language \/ Hardcover","offer_id":63949007126858,"sku":null,"price":0.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1028\/0389\/8698\/files\/candide-voltaire-english-bookstore-paris.png?v=1791564336"},{"product_id":"philosophical-dictionary","title":"Philosophical Dictionary","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eFirst published anonymously in Geneva in 1764, Voltaire’s \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan\u003ePhilosophical Dictionary\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e is one of the defining works of the French Enlightenment, a collection of concise, provocative essays arranged alphabetically rather than presented as a systematic philosophical treatise. Moving from entries on religion and morality to politics, history and human nature, Voltaire uses wit, irony and pointed argument to challenge the authority of the Church, expose religious intolerance and question the institutions that sustain injustice. Its lively, accessible style makes philosophy a public affair, inviting readers to examine familiar beliefs rather than accept them unquestioningly.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eWritten amid the intellectual ferment of eighteenth-century Europe, the work champions reason, freedom of thought and religious tolerance while attacking superstition and dogmatism. Its apparent simplicity conceals a radical purpose: beneath the form of a pocket reference book lies a sustained challenge to intellectual and political authority. Repeatedly revised and expanded throughout Voltaire’s life, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan\u003ePhilosophical Dictionary\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e remains a landmark of Enlightenment thought and a testament to the power of sharp prose to unsettle established ideas.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eFrom the book\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan\u003e“Prejudice is a dangerous thing, for it often takes the place of reason.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003e— Voltaire, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan\u003ePhilosophical Dictionary\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eOn \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003ePhilosophical Dictionary\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan\u003e“Its non-linear, abridged form allows Voltaire the freedom to express himself.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003e— Voltaire Foundation\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Gardner's EU","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":64150487335242,"sku":null,"price":0.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":false}]}],"url":"https:\/\/thelamppostparis.com\/collections\/voltaire.oembed","provider":"The Lamp-Post Library \u0026 Bookshop","version":"1.0","type":"link"}