"At this moment, there are a hundred thousand madmen of our species wearing hats killing or being killed by a hundred thousand other animals wearing turbans and that over almost all the face of the earth this has been the custom from time immemorial?" Voltaire speaking, possibly on the Iraq crisis?--In fact, Voltaire has something to teach us all on practically every subject I could think of in my free-wheeling literary comedy, 3A Visit From Voltaire,2 (amazon.co.uk) and this book was one of the most basic texts I could find in English before moving on to the French originals. It1s helpful to have read a biography of Voltaire--and Ben Ray Redman's introduction is one of the best quickie bios available with real insight into the man's personality--in order to put all these riches of Voltaire1s thoughts and writings into some kind of political context. I shamefully abused and excused the Wigged One's sayings and witticisms in my novel, but especially students need this delightfully condensed resource with a reliable feel for translation.
Dinah Lee Küng

With a shelf-full of books about the man to work from, this was my most dogged-eared English-language source for his many quips used and abused in my literary comedy, A Visit from Voltaire" (amazon.co.uk) because I needed to know how he actually sounded, to complement in-depth research into his struggle to Ecrasez-infame! It's well-organized, and checking the translations, I found they captured the spirit of Voltaire very well.
Voltaire afficionado
Dinah Lee Küng

This volume provides a wonderful introduction to the writings and thought of one of the great cynics of the ages. Voltaire exemplifies the age of reason in his questioning of both authority and the prevailing beliefs of his day. His writing as presented here is very accessable and this book can be picked up and opened to any selection and read with enjoyment. An excellent intro for the general reader.