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Summary: Essential Reading for Thinking Readers
Review: I have kept this book by my bedside at many points in my life. I should first acknowldege that I also refer to the Bible occasionally, so I tend to draw strength and inspiration from dispirate sources. Voltaire was one of the true intellectual giants of his age, as well-read, erudite and witty as any personage in literary history. This book represents a distillation of all his writings, his "encyclopedic" entries, his treatises, his histories, etc. Reading these musings, you will well understand his occasional need to flee France for more liberal principalities (Prussia and Geneva, primarily). Voltaire (the pen-name for Francois-Marie Arouet (1694-1778), like Gibbon, is no champion of Christianity. As a case-in-point, the Emperor Julian, who attempted unsuccessfully to restore the ancient cults in early Byzantium, and opposed the newly state-sanctioned "cult" of Christ, was Voltaire's paragon. For those readers interested in an interesting account of Julian's rule and of this era, Gore Vidal's "Julian" is a very well-written, but slightly flawed (in terms of its scholarship) account of the 4th Century ruler. I particularly love Voltaire's take on "enthusiasm,": "Or was that word enthusiasm, from disturbance of the entrails, first given to that Pythia who, on the tripod at Delphi, received the spirit of Apollo through a part which seems made only to receive bodies?...It is the rarest of thing to unite reason with enthusiasm." No doubt the religious wars and persecutions that were a part and parcel of his era and French history for the preceeding two centuries no doubt had some bearing on his analysis. To me, Voltaire is the precursor of Nietsche. In fact, Nietsche, though he rarely acknowledges Voltaire, makes practically the identical points that Voltaire makes here in his "The Anti Christ" and "The Twilight of the Idols." They were definitely on the same page in defining faith, vs. skepticism. There are term-papers and research papers galore out there waiting to be explored in this area. In response to my erudite German friend, Nietsche does in fact speak in glowing terms of Voltaire and even goes as far to say that he is his most admired French philosopher, so my comparison is not inappropriate. This is not the only area that Voltaire investigates in this wide-ranging book. Ever wonder about the account of Gog, Magog, of which you might be only vaguely familiar? Voltaire is here to explain it to you. World Religions, the "Chinese Catechism," "Miracles," "Anthropophages," "Liebniz," "the souls of animals," "the tower of Babel," "Apis," "The Great Flood," and "The Spanish Inquisition;" all are covered and much more. If you do not complete this book marvelling at how truly encyclopaedic a mind you are dealing with (who better, together with Diderot to compile the first truly meaningful one in the Western World?), then you might not be as open-minded as you think. Even though some of Voltaire's statements of fact are dubious in light of subsequent discoveries, one must still marvel at the range of his intellect and curiosity.
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Summary: Ever Evolving Dialogue
Review: It is humbling and therefore difficult to even think about rating a piece of work by Voltaire. Nevertheless, it was an amazing experience revisiting this book recently after reading it some 10 years ago. Much has changed over such a decade -- my own life, our surroundings, my beliefs, and, therefore, the ways I relate to literature. In that sense, it is not surprising THAT the same text would now take on rather different meanings. What fascinates me is HOW -- much of the text managed to touch me deeply both times, via totally different angles through the prism of life. It is interesting enough that the insights would evolve with one's personal development; what is even more amazing is that the ideology would also be applicable in an era nearly 300 years after the book was written -- a demonstration of what a classics is really all about.
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Summary: Great read!
Review: One of the best books I ever read. It changed the way I looked at the world. This man was a genious pure and simple. He also had great literary skills and a good sense of humour too.
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Summary: GENIUS PANAPLY
Review: The title "Philosophical Dictionary" might lead you to expect something quite different from Voltaire's actual book: Far from being a systematic overview of the most important philosophical terms of his time, irreverent Voltaire included anything which could be used as the subject of a polemic article. It is not by chance that Voltaire has come to be known as Christianity's or Catholicism's most famous adversary, for almost half of the entries are about the Bible and Christianity; in these, Voltaire is busy pointing out faults or absurdities. With regard to these articles I can only stress what is my general view of Voltaire: He is mostly right about what he says, but not all of it is as entertaining today as it may have seemed to his contemporaries. The other half of the dicitonary consists of the truly philosophical entries; and these, too, are as different in form as could be: little stories, dialogues and fairly abstract and ordered expositions. Some of these are masterpieces and tell us a lot about philosophy in the 18th century. All in all, however, this book proves once again that Voltaire was more of a journalist and a writer than a truly original philosopher. (Comparing him to Nietzsche, that most original of philosophers, is hardly appropriate.)
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Summary: Any man who loves freedom should read this book.
Review: This book is about man's freedom: freedom of thought,freedom of worship, freedom of the mental encroachments that make a man think he has the right to despise, oppress, kill a fellow human being because he is different. This book is about the power of Reason,about the absurdity of racism, war, greed and violence. Voltaire was the father of modern man. His errors were the errors of his age: his wisdom is the wisdom of the better part of man.
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Summary: Voltaire's masterpiece!
Review: This volume is the great culmination of Voltaire's beliefs. The humor, honesty, cynicism, and perspective that Voltaire is noted for comes shining through in this excellent work. It is a series of articles on subjects important to philosophers of Voltaire's time, such as religion, humanism, and ethics. This book is about 350 pages in Penguin's typical trade-paperback format. I treasure my copy of this book, and I think you will too if you at all like philosophical discussion.
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Summary: Philosophical Dictionary
Review: Voltaire is one of the greatest philosophers that ever lived on earth. Even today his writings are so relevant and they surely make to much sense still so there's nothing old-fashioned or unfamiliar in any page!
Candide is his masterpiece but for a start I would reccomend you this lovely essays book that will certainly make you wiser once you finish reading them.
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Summary: Even relevant now
Review: While many claim that Candide is Voltaire's masterpiece, I prefer this collection of essays that are arranged as a dictionary. Reading this book is like sitting in an elegant 18th century salon and listening to one of the great minds of the age declaim on a variety of subjects, both ancient and modern. While Voltaire will occasionally bend scholarship to make a point, he does it so well and with such wit and style that the things that he gets wrong really don't matter. If you were shipwrecked on a desert island, this would probably be one of the books that you should have packed before leaving.
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