Candide
is the most famous of Voltaire's "philosophical tales," in which he combined witty improbabilities with the sanest of good sense. First published in 1759, it was an instant bestseller and has come to be regarded as one of the key texts of the Enlightenment. What
does for chivalric romance, the other tales in this selection--
Micromegas, Zadig, The Ingenu
, and
The White Bull
--do for science fiction, the Oriental tale, the sentimental novel, and the Old Testament. The most extensive one-volume selection currently available, this new edition includes a new verse translation of the story Voltaire based on Chaucer's
The Wife of Bath's Tale: What Pleases the Ladies
and opens with a revised introduction that reflects recent critical debates, including a new section on Candide.
About the Series:
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Oxford World's Classics
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