Voltaire Almighty

Name: Voltaire Almighty
Brand: Allen & Unwin
SKU: 9780747579571
Price: 36.99 NZD
Availability: InStock

A Life in Pursuit of Freedom

By Roger Pearson

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3.89

( 212 ratings, 30 reviews)

Summary

Voltaire Almighty is a vivid biography of the famed 18th-century writer and philosopher Voltaire, whose sharp wit and steadfast commitment to reason earned him both acclaim and adversity. Jailed twice, eventually banished by the King, and an outspoken critic of religious intolerance, Voltaire led a life rich with dramatic episodes including illegitimacy, prison, stardom, exile, and passionate affairs. Roger Pearson brings this complex figure to life, exploring his intellectual battles and colourful personal relationships that defined his enduring legacy.
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Format: Paperback / softback

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Voltaire Almighty

$36⁹⁹

Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

This biography is ideal for readers interested in history, philosophy, and literary figures, especially those fascinated by the Enlightenment era and the intersection of intellectual bravery with colourful personal drama.

With its tale of illegitimacy, prison, stardom, exile, love affairs and tireless battles against critic, priest and king, Roger Pearson's brilliant biography brings the father of Enlightenment vividly to life

A remarkable and turbulent life - a lively and irreverent biography

Description

During much of his life, Voltaire's plays and verse made him the toast of society, but his barbed wit and commitment to reason also got him into trouble. Jailed twice and eventually banished by the King, he was an outspoken critic of religious intolerance and persecution.

His personal life was as colourful as his intellectual one. Voltaire never married but had long-term affairs with two women: Emilie, who died after giving birth to the child of another lover, and his niece, Marie-Louise, with whom he spent his last twenty-five years.

With its tales of illegitimacy, prison, stardom, exile, love affairs, and tireless battles against critics, Church, and King, Roger Pearson's brilliant biography brings Voltaire vividly to life.

Voltaire Almighty is a captivating account of an extraordinary figure who managed to leave an indelible mark on both society and intellectual thought.

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

A. C. Grayling in Literary Review praises it as an "admirable achievement" with a compelling narrative of Voltaire's multifaceted genius and the complexity of 18th-century France. The Observer calls it "excellent, acidly witty," structured like a picaresque novel with sensational twists. The Sunday Telegraph finds it "a lively and erudite tribute," while the Sunday Times describes it as "sparklingly witty and eminently readable."

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9780747579571

Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing PLC

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 06 November 2006

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Bloomsbury Publishing PLC

Edition: New edition

Illustration: Illustrations

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Width: 129.0mm

Height: 198.0mm

Weight: 250g

Pages: 480

Collections

Biography & Memoir History & Military Musicians, Movie Stars & Creative Biographies Non-Fiction Roger Pearson

About the Author

Roger Pearson is Professor of French at the University of Oxford and a Fellow of Queen's College. He has translated and edited Candide and Other Stories for Oxford World's Classics and is the author of The Fables of Reason: A Study of Voltaire's Contes Philosophiques. His other publications include books on Stendhal and Mallarme.