Sarcastic, satirical, irreverent -Voltaire s Candide is French literature at its cheekiest. Raised in an idyllic world where hope and positivity come easily, a young Candide is stripped from his sheltered existence and thrust into a horrifying world that tests his optimism to its very limits. Despite misadventures in which he is exposed to the worst humanity has to offer, Candide clings to his conviction that his is the best of all possible worlds. A brilliant satire, Candide is Voltaire s unforgettable critique of the political, social, and moral philosophies of the Age of Enlightenment