Voltaire - very candid in Candide

Advantages: Satire as an art form!
Disadvantages: Translations not always great, targets of some satire not recognisable.

...Gosh, this review has been a while in the making! I hope you enjoy reading it, and that it inspires you to go and read Candide, whether in the original or in translation. Candide, by French author Voltaire, was written in the aftermath of the Lisbon earthquake that happened in 1755 (yes, it's an old book!), and during the seven years war between France and Prussia, backed by England and taking place in the US. It's part of the "Enlightenment" works, a period when science and philosophy came to the fore and human reason was believed to be able to combat ignorance and superstition. The context that the book was written in is more important than usual, so I include these details (of which more later!). It's difficult to give a plot summary in this review, as plot is far less important in this work than you might suppose, especially...

xalala 01.07.2004 · Read review
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Review of Candide - Voltaire

Voluptuous Voltaire in hysterical heaven

Advantages: Funny, funny, funny and excellently written
Disadvantages: Old so may not be appreciated by some

...Candide by Voltaire is an absolute classic that transcends time. It was written in the 18th century and, I imagine, was as funny then, as it is now! It is one of the books you get for a £1 out of Bargain Books or such like - a Wordsworth classic and, as I am not a great reader of classic fiction, I was more than a bit hesitant at starting it. How wrong could I be? Once started, I could not put it down and I finished it off in one night (160 odd pages) as I was that engrossed in its originality, sharp dialogue, hilarious predicaments of its main character and its sheer, almost poetic genius. I didn't think I would appreciate 18th century humour (foreign humour as well), thinking it may be a little old and culturally as different as 200 odd years could be. But I was wrong!! It's just as relevant and acute now as it was then...

rvb13 11.07.2001 · Read review
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Review of Candide - Voltaire

Best of all possible editions...

Advantages: Great literature, great satire
Disadvantages: none

...According to many scholars, Voltaire (pen name for Francois Marie Arouet) was the embodiment of the Enlightenment. Born in Paris is 1694, he was well educated by the Jesuits, studying law prior to turning to writing as a profession. His lampoons and satires won him fame and infamy; he was imprisoned and exiled at various times for his writing. He was forced into exile from France to England; later, he was invited to work for Frederick the Great in Berlin (politics and his reputation blew rapidly in the ever-changing winds of Europe). Voltaire wrote 'Candide' shortly after this period, when he had moved to Geneva. In 1778, the year of his death, he returned to Paris, a triumphant celebrity -- many of his ideas served to strengthen the movements that would eventually culminate in the French Revolution. The story of 'Candide...

frkurt 14.07.2004 · Read review
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Review of Candide - Voltaire

Zadig

Advantages: Very great adventure, philosophical
Disadvantages: Not for everyone

...WHY AM I WRITTING A REVIEW FOR A BOOK? Because I found that French authors were represented. I read the book in French, not in English. It's a classical, I've read it at school, so why not? ZADIG? CAN'T I MAKE A BETTER TITLE? A sober title for a great book. That's paradoxal but normal. I can't find anotther title. ZADIG? WHO IS HE? WHAT'S HIS STORY? Zadig is a young Babylonian. He has everything for him. But he is in quest of happiness. And he have some difficulties to reach it. One day, he's accused of the worst pains, the next day, he's considered like a messie. He is in love with the Queen Astarté.... VOLTAIRE IS THE AUTHOR. BUT WHO IS HE? François-Marie Arouet, aka Voltaire, is born on the 21st November 1694 in Paris. Her mother died in 1701. His education is classic and humanist, on the Jesuites College...

Spyke_Martin 23.07.2004 · Read review
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Review of Zadig - Voltaire

Writting: an art and a powerful weapon.

Advantages: makes us think
Disadvantages: none

...1747- Voltaire is 53 year old and wrote «Zadig or the destiny». But why? Entertainment? No, Voltaire is decided to criticise the europeen justice and most of all the french one. It's an eastern philosophic story which contain references about Europe at that time. Like Moliere and many others writting stories ou plays is the only way to express themselves and criticise the society, the «justice», the attitude of many people before the king- Louis XV at that time; that way the king could'nt say anything because Voltaire is not directly talking about what he wants to criticise. THE STORY: In Babylon, Zadig is a young man full of life, beautiful, pretty and rich. He is in love with Semire and he's going to marrie her. Zadig, optimistic, is persuaded that happiness is possible. Unfortunately, deception behind deception will come...

sweet_baby 12.02.2005 · Read review
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Review of Zadig - Voltaire

eastern gags

Advantages: laughs galore
Disadvantages: slow

...This tale is slightly more serious (but not much) than Voltaire?s more famous work ?Candide?. It takes place in the middle east and concerns a young man Zadig whose intellect continually gets him into trouble and who is continually duped by women. The book?s main drive comes in the final chapters where Voltaire addresses the concept of Providentialism. This, though partially accepted, is rejected in line with Voltaire?s idea that all systematic beliefs should be rejected until they are subjected to empirical testing. It nevertheless remains an interesting work, but, for me, forever in the shadow of ?Candide?....

lewiscrofts 13.07.2000 · Read review
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Review of Zadig - Voltaire

anglophiles alert

Advantages: loads
Disadvantages: none

...In the early 17 hundreds Voltaire, the French enlightenment thinker, travelled to England and wrote 25 letters on the advanced state of the English nation and thereby satirised his native France and their backwardness. In this book Buruma looks at a series of great Europeans (artists, counts, kings, writers and even gardeners) all of whom saw something great and forward looking in England. He has managed to compile a book of Anglophiles through the ages and each time expresses what they thought and whether they were right or wrong. This is a fine look at England form the outside and one that anyone who has ever lived abroad and been forced to comment on England should read....

lewiscrofts 17.07.2000 · Read review
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Review of Voltaire's Coconuts - Ian Buruma

Should be in every 'top ten' of classic albums

Advantages: Still sounds modern 25 years on
Disadvantages: May be a bit harsh for some ears

...Red Mecca represents the high point of Cabaret Voltaire's career. The scratchy experimentalism of their early work (well worth seeking out) had yet to mutate into a rather embarrassing attempt to 'go disco' and garner mainstream success (something that always eluded them). This stunning lp shows a greater complexity than Mix Up or The Voice Of America, its immediate predecessors, yet retains their vital avant-garde spirit. A Touch Of Evil gets us into the mood with its strange horns and bongos combo, then Split Second Feeling kicks in, all primitive bass and whooshing sounds and we are drawn into the album proper. Vocals are heavily distorted and the lyrics are only fleetingly intelligible but this is all part of the Cabs' approach and adds greatly to the eerie quality of the music. The undoubted high point for me is A Thousand...

Drdad 22.08.2005 · Read review
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Review of Red Mecca - Cabaret Voltaire

The bible for usability (Don't Make Me Think! - Steve Krug)

Advantages: Full of seemingly obvious pointers
Disadvantages: Steve Krug isn't in my team

...the first read-thorough and more from using it as a reference book; dipping back in on occasion. It's separated into four main sections: 'Guiding Principals', 'What You Need to Get Right', 'Making Sure You Got Them Right' and 'Larger Concerns and Outside Influences'. Every one of the twelve main chapters contains a host of things that will make you thing, "Of course!" When you've read the book, you could be forgiven for thinking, "Yeah, but that's pretty all obvious, common sense really." But take a step back and look at some websites, user interfaces, devices, advertising even and think again... As Voltaire said, "Common sense is not so common."...

ManicMorFF 17.05.2009 · Read review
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Review of Don't Make Me Think!: A Common Sense Approach to Web Usability - Steve Krug

Theme music

Advantages: Excellent dance album
Disadvantages: None

...German musical culture, the orchestral tradition. That?s why we use our voices as sound, not really as singing. The words just slipped into the music. We always try to plant lyrics like clues, use them as codes.? Particularly interesting was Kraftwerk?s extensive use of found radio material (briefly prefigured on Autobahn), predating better known examples by people like Eno and Cabaret Voltaire....

dave27 10.10.2000 · Read review
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Review of Radio-activity [Remastered] - Kraftwerk