Ricochet Book Club Welcomes Voltaire
Finding myself unable to bear reading the news this morning--just unable to take even one more word--I thought perhaps I might retreat to the comforts of literature.
Thanks to Project Gutenberg, the full text of Candide is available online, in English translation. It's good to remember that we're not the first generation to ponder earthquakes, tsunamis, incessant war and unremitting human suffering, nor to wonder just what conclusions we're to draw from this.
We established yesterday that most of us devote at least half an hour every day to media consumption, so you may as well skip everything else and read it. The whole rotten world will still be there tonight whether or not you follow it on Twitter, and if it's not, at least you won't have spent your last day on this earth following the news on Twitter.
I've invited Voltaire to take Ricochet's questions. Please leave them in the comment thread.
"I know also," said Candide, "that we must cultivate our garden."
"You are right," said Pangloss, "for when man was first placed in the Garden of Eden, he was put there ut operaretur eum, that he might cultivate it; which shows that man was not born to be idle."
"Let us work," said Martin, "without disputing; it is the only way to render life tolerable."
The whole little society entered into this laudable design, according to their different abilities. Their little plot of land produced plentiful crops. Cunegonde was, indeed, very ugly, but she became an excellent pastry cook; Paquette worked at embroidery; the old woman looked after the linen. They were all, not excepting Friar Giroflée, of some service or other; for he made a good joiner, and became a very honest man.
Pangloss sometimes said to Candide:
"There is a concatenation of events in this best of all possible worlds: for if you had not been kicked out of a magnificent castle for love of Miss Cunegonde: if you had not been put into the Inquisition: if you had not walked over America: if you had not stabbed the Baron: if you had not lost all your sheep from the fine country of El Dorado: you would not be here eating preserved citrons and pistachio-nuts."
"All that is very well," answered Candide, "but let us cultivate our garden."
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Comments :
Nov '10
Re: Ricochet Book Club Welcomes Voltaire
Anybody who drank up to 30 cups of coffee a day is OK by me...
Jun '10
Re: Ricochet Book Club Welcomes Voltaire
What does Voltaire think of Leonard Bernstein's Candide? I think it is a masterpiece and just saw it again a couple weeks ago when my son performed in his highs school's version. Does the musical capture the essence of Voltaire's work?
We're neither pure, nor wise, nor good
We'll do the best we know.
We'll build our house and chop our wood.
And make our garden grow...
Re: Ricochet Book Club Welcomes Voltaire
StickerShock: What does Voltaire think of Leonard Bernstein's Candide? I think it is a masterpiece and just saw it again a couple weeks ago when my son performed in his highs school's version. Does the musical capture the essence of Voltaire's work?
We're neither pure, nor wise, nor good
We'll do the best we know.
We'll build our house and chop our wood.
And make our garden grow... · Mar 30 at 3:57am
Voltaire agrees.
Oct '10
Re: Ricochet Book Club Welcomes Voltaire
Monsieur Arouet,
If you are able, please pardon my prose. I have none of your talent and much of your aspiration. A most unreadable combination indeed.
I was telling my friends, just this morning past, that literature contains a code to understanding assaults on our tidy, self-preserving explanations for the inexplicable. News, as I see it, is not so much current as it is transitional-events. Here today. Gone tomorrow. History forever. But you remind us that we must, regardless, cultivate our garden before everything else, good and bad, can matter at all.
And for that, merci.
Re: Ricochet Book Club Welcomes Voltaire
AngloCon: Monsieur Arouet,
If you are able, please pardon my prose. I have none of your talent and much of your aspiration. A most unreadable combination indeed.
I was telling my friends, just this morning past, that literature contains a code to understanding assaults on our tidy, self-preserving explanations for the inexplicable. News, as I see it, is not so much current as it is transitional-events. Here today. Gone tomorrow. History forever. But you remind us that we must, regardless, cultivate our garden before everything else, good and bad, can matter at all.
And for that, merci. · Mar 30 at 5:23am
Voltaire vous en prie.
Jan '11
Re: Ricochet Book Club Welcomes Voltaire
I thought to write a lengthy response, but now that I think about it, a better response would be to stop screwing around on Ricochet, and get back to work...
Re: Ricochet Book Club Welcomes Voltaire
Voltaire nods wisely.
May '10
Re: Ricochet Book Club Welcomes Voltaire
Rousseau or Talleyrand?
Mar '11
Re: Ricochet Book Club Welcomes Voltaire
Will you do my U.S history book review for me? I'd do it myself but I'm too busy reading Candide.
Actually, I lied. I'm reading Milton ;).
Re: Ricochet Book Club Welcomes Voltaire
Voltaire cannot believe you asked this.
May '10
Re: Ricochet Book Club Welcomes Voltaire
Bernstein's Overture to Candide is an ear worm. Just looking at the post set me off.
Mar '11
Re: Ricochet Book Club Welcomes Voltaire
Bach agrees. :P
Edited on Mar 30, 2011 at 6:04pm