In the title tale of this original collection, Voltaire addresses the social and political problems of his own day in an ancient Babylonian setting. Zadig challenges 18th-century religious orthodoxy by portraying life’s vicissitudes as the product of destiny rather than individual choices. Additional selections of the Enlightenment philosopher’s short fiction include Micromegas,
The World As It Is,
Jeannot and Colin, and other stories. AUTHOR: One of France’s most celebrated citizens, Voltaire (1694 1778) is best known for his satirical novel Candide. His political treatises, which frequently put him at odds with the church and state, continue to exercise enormous influence on political theorists, philosophers, educators, and historians. Dover’s other works by Voltaire include Candide and his Philosophical Dictionary and Philosophical Letters.