Candide is the story of a gentle man who， though pummeled and slapped in every direction by fate， clings desperately to the belief that he lives in "the best of all possible worlds." On the surface a witty， bantering tale， this eighteenth-century classic is actually a savage， satiric thrust at the philosophical optimism that proclaims that all disaster and human suffering is part of a benevolent cosmic plan. Fast， funny， often outrageous， the French philosopher s immortal narrative takes Candide around the world to discover that -- contrary to the teachings of his distringuished tutor Dr. Pangloss -- all is not always for the best. Alive with wit， brilliance， and graceful storytelling， Candide has become Voltaire s most celebrated work.