Voltaire Almighty: A Life in Pursuit of Freedom

by Roger Pearson

With its tales of illegitimacy, prison, stardom, exile, love affairs, and tireless battles against his critics, priests and king, Roger Pearson’s Voltaire Almighty brings the father of Enlightenment to vivid life.

Voltaire Almighty provides a lively look at the life and thought of one of the major forces behind European Enlightenment. A rebel from start to finish (1694-1778), Voltaire was an ailing and unwanted bastard child who refused to die; and when he did consent to expire some eighty-four years later, he secured a Christian burial despite a bishop’s ban.

During much of his life Voltaire was the toast of society for his plays and verse, but his barbed wit and commitment to human reason 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 colorful as his intellectual life. Of independent means and mind, Voltaire never married, but he 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 the last twenty-five years of his life. The consummate outsider; a dissenter who craved acceptance while flamboyantly disdaining it; author of countless stories, poems, books, plays, treatises, and tracts as well as some twenty thousand letters to his friends: Voltaire lived a long, active life that makes for engaging and entertaining reading.

Genres: Biography, History, Philosophy, Nonfiction, France, Biography Memoir, Historical

384 pages, Hardcover

First published November 7, 2005

Reviews

[Mikey B. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Voltaire as philosopher, playwright, natural scientist and man of letters – and constantly agitating.

French and European society was segmented in Voltaire’s era. The elite group that Voltaire belonged to was a small minority of intellectuals and royalty, who exchanged ideas and books, as well as spouses. Voltaire wanted rights, but not necessarily for the common man; for example universal education was not on his agenda, or anyone else’s for that matter. Voltaire fought authority, believed in God (he was a deist), and was a rationalist. He was diametrically opposed to the beliefs of the Catholic Church and the belief in Biblical texts. France was Catholic and ruled by Catholic monarchs; none of which sat well with him. Voltaire was also a pacifist and abhorred physical punishment which was very common in his day. He made public the violent persecution of Huguenots (French Protestants) and aided in ending their maltreatment.

It should be added that Voltaire had no problem with intelligent and independent women. One of his mistresses was translating the mathematical works of Isaac Newton into French. During his long life (he lived to 83) Voltaire also lived in Holland, England, and Germany. He was in exile to escape possible arrest in France for his heretical views on the Church and Monarchy. Even in France he had to avoid Paris.

I found this book lengthy with a lot of name-dropping. Admittedly this is due to my ignorance, as the 18th century is unfamiliar terrain for me. The descriptions of Voltaire’s numerous plays were tedious; simply explaining their significance would have been adequate. Voltaire had several parts to his name – Francois, Arouet and Zozo – the author had the annoying habit of switching back and forth between these.

[John Taylor · Rating 3 out of 5]

After the fall of Constantinople to the Muslims in 1453 AD, Greek and Roman manuscripts became popular in Europe. Especially were they important when Gutenberg's experiments with printing made books available to the merchant class, large groups of successful and curious entrepreneurs who were very curious about Renaissance Italy. Gradually Greek and Roman thought about politics, individual rights, freedom and democracy began to be published and discussed in coffee houses and salons; and one of the major voices in this period of enlightenment, a new Age of Reason, was Voltaire. Famous for his poetry and plays (most of which today are no longer read or performed) he was widely praised in his time for his championship of science, religious tolerance, individual rights and freedoms, and for his criticism of the grievances of absolute monarchies and the materialism, dictatorship and immorality of religious institutions. Reason, he hoped, would eventually enlighten the monarchy (he did not advocate revolution, although he lived to befriend Benjamin Franklin and to witness the American Declaration of Independence). And reason, he hoped, would slowly replace Judaism, Christianity and Islam, making the world a safer, more prosperous and peaceful place. I enjoyed Roger Pearson's book: Voltaire Almighty: A Life in Pursuit of Freedom. The book shows what a fine line Voltaire had to walk to keep out of prison for his writings. He did not know it (he died in 1778) but his thoughts greatly influenced Franklin and other founders of the American Revolution, including Jefferson; and Voltaire's political ideas, derived from the Enlightenment taking place all over Europe, deeply underscored the French Revolution in 1789. The violence and the terror of it all would have appalled him, but the movement toward life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness for everyone would have thrilled him. As I said, I liked this book. On the other hand, I do not believe most readers will want to plow through page after page and chapter after chapter to dig out the golden nuggets buried under the vast details about his poetry and his plays, which no longer appeal to us. His one masterpiece, however, still sings out to us powerfully. "Candide" clearly calls for reason to promote progress against the false optimism of ignorance and absurd religious beliefs. Wars over religion are a plague. Somehow we must bring them to an end. This is not the best of all possible worlds for Voltaire, but we can all work to make it better. Surely peace and prosperity and reason and science will someday flower for people everywhere.. Everyone should read Candide. Not everyone may enjoy books about Voltaire, however, if they distract us too much with his defunct writings.

[kingshearte · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm sad to say that I haven't ready very much Voltaire. Candide as part of a French Lit class during my first degree is pretty much it, I think. And yet, I've always been intrigued by him, and everything I'd ever heard about him made him seem quite appealing. Given my feelings on free speech, religious tolerance, and, frankly, the general principle of "An it harm none, do as ye will," my admiration for this man should perhaps not come as a big surprise.

Pearson's biography of him read pretty well, and had enough of a bibliography to come across as well researched, so I'll assume that it was. I learned lots of things about Voltaire, not the least of which is that I really really should read some more of his work.

I also learned, to my chagrin, that the statement so frequently attributed to him: "Though I may disagree with what you say, I will defend to the death your right to say it," was never in fact said by him. It is instead someone else's paraphrase of his general attitude as expressed in defence of someone else's banned work. Nonetheless, even if he didn't say it explicitly like that, that attitude was certainly very present throughout his life, and remains a reason to admire him.

I also found his views on religion very appealing. I struggle with faith. I don't really have it, but I think it must be nice to have it, and there's definitely a part of me that envies those who do. But even if I ever do come around to believing in one or more deities, I don't think I'll ever likely get behind organized religion, and that's where Voltaire and I can agree. Frequently touted as one of the most famous atheists, he was in fact nothing of the sort. He was an extremely devout and fervent deist; he simply had no use whatsoever for the hypocrisies of the Church:

A barbarian's religion consists in offering up the blood of his enemies to his gods. A poorly educated Christian is scarcely more righteous. Observing a few pointless customs while failing to carry out his real duties as a human being; saying prayers but not renouncing his vices; fasting while simultaneously hating, plotting, and persecuting: that is his religion. Whereas the religion of a true Christian is to regard all men as his brothers, to do well by them and to forgive them their evil. (133, from the preface to Alzire)

Many quotations in this book appealed to me, but this one particularly resonated, especially in light of the current political climate, which I find intensely distressing. It's a somewhat more elegant way of saying something else I read once: Sitting in a church doesn't make me a Christian any more than sitting in a garage makes me a car.

Anyway, I really enjoyed this book, and I really must go find Les lettres philosophiques or something, and read some more Voltaire. You should too.

[Mr_wormwood · Rating 3 out of 5]

Voltaire is one of my personal heroes. The only other Enlightenment philosopher whom i greatly admire is Diderot, and its funny to read here of one of their rare encounters, near the end of Voltaire's life, when both bored the other silly with their endless loquaciousness. I remember reading John Ralston's Sauls "Voltaire's Bastards: The Dictatorship of Reason in the West" years and years ago, and being impressed by his argument. But after reading this I'm more convinced that its specious to place Voltaire, with his irreverent wit, his subversion of religious and political authority, his Rabelaisian love of humour, and above all his attitude of earthy pragmatism rather than metaphysical idealism, at the heart of all that's inhuman and irrational about the Western Enlightenment. Nevertheless, if Voltaire and his influence created all that is wrong with the Western Enlightenment, surely it is his life and the values embodied above which can be looked to in order to best oppose today's 'Dictatorship of Reason'

[Frank Peter · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enlightening, of course, but a little too detailed for my purpose and liking. (It has really small print.) Basically every documented step Voltaire ever took is in here. Pearson also suffers a bit from 'literary professor speak', making his writing sometimes difficult to follow. (For me at least.)

[Daniel Kukwa · Rating 3 out of 5]

There is an enormous amount of information in this volume...and while the writing style is very easy to digest, it is simply too much detail, especially for the page count. The entire volume will make you believe that Voltaire's life is nothing more that traveling from one destination to another, escaping destinations, finding sanctuary...only to eventually scratch an itch to leave for pastures new and old. This is all in between the making of money, and the shacking up for periods of time with any number of women. Somewhere in here are his thoughts and works...but it's ironic that it all has to be distilled in the epilogue, which is more straightforward and analytical than the rest of the book that preceded it.

[Chandi Neubauer · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was really awful. I only gave it two stars because it has some interesting tidbits about the life of one of my favorite writers. Now, for anyone who's read Voltaire's works, you know that he was writing incredibly subversive things during a turbulent time in history. This book reads like a text book. It's awful. How anyone could make such an obviously fascinating man so incredibly boring is beyond me. I fall asleep at least once everytime I pick this book up, and I've decided that I'm putting down after getting half way through. I'm very disappointed. But seriously, if you cannot sleep, this book is the answer to your prayers. Better luck next time, I guess. Awful, just awful.

[Carrie Mansfield]

Back in school, when I was a history major, I had a professor who warned us against "list books" - books where authors go from fact to fact with no analysis.

Ultimately, that is what this book because.

I think Voltaire is such a complex figure that even trying to do a high level summary like this is just too much for one book. Instead we basically get "Voltaire did X, pissed off Y and resolved the situation Z" again and again and again.

And that made me a sad history buff unable to finish this.

[Steven H · Rating 5 out of 5]

AN EXCELLENT AND INSIGHTFUL VIEW OF THE WRITER'S LIFE

François-Marie Arouet (1694-1778) was known by his pen name "Voltaire"; he was a famed French Enlightenment writer, historian and philosopher famous for his wit, his attacks on the established Catholic Church, and his advocacy of freedom of religion and freedom of expression. Roger Pearson is Professor of French at Oxford, and the author of other books such as 'Stephane Mallarme' and 'Stendhal's Violin: A Novelist and his Reader.'

Pearson points out that a younger Voltaire made a great deal of money by forming a syndicate to purchase lottery tickets; "Voltaire could now live and write as he pleased, no longer dependent on royal pensions or watches, theatre takings or the elusive proceeds of book publication. He engaged a cook and a valet and went to live in rented accommodation..." (Pg. 86-87) Pearson notes, "Voltaire never did say, 'I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it.' But he did tell Frederick of Prussia: 'I am a tolerant man, and I consider it a very good thing if people think differently from me.'" (Pg. 409) Pearson clarifies, "The phrase originates ... as a paraphrase of Voltaire's attitude..." (Pg. 431)

After his mother's death, "Voltaire the philosophe may have refused to believe in an immaterial soul... But now in the very absence of the person he had loved more than any other---or ever would---he beheld an ineffable human essence that transcends corporeal reality and lives on in the memory of those who are left behind." (Pg. 208)

When he had torn down a dilapidated church that was blocking the view from his house, but then rebuilt it, "here in his refurbished church the new Lord of the Manor would attend Sunday Mass and even---on Easter Sunday 1761---take communion... And each time he left at the end of the service he would glance at the tomb he had built for himself, outside the church and yet against its wall ... half in and half out, a place of deist compromise." (Pg. 275) In 1769, "he had resolved once more to take Easter communion... Rather than take communion in church, he decided that he would feign terminal illness and secure it---in the form of the last rites---at his own bedside." (Pg. 330)

Voltaire famously wrote in 'To the author of the Trois Imposteurs,' "'If God did not exist, it would be necessary to invent him.' But for Voltaire there was no need to invent God. Evidence of the intricate intelligent workings of His creation were everywhere to be seen." (Pg. 337-338) Once, while viewing a magnificent sunrise, "he repeated with apparently unironic fervor; 'Almighty God, I believe!' Whereupon he got to his feet, replaced his hat, and dusted dirt from his elegant breeches... and added, 'As for Monsieur, the son, and Madame, his mother, that is quite another matter.'" (Pg. 359-360)

When nearly on his death bed, he wrote in his own hand, "I have said my confession to [a priest]; and that if God disposes of me, I shall die in the holy Catholic religion into which I was born, hoping that God in His divine mercy will deign to forgive me all my errors; and that if I have offended the Church I beg forgiveness of God and of it.' ... But he was mistaken if he thought he had done enough to secure a Christian burial." (Pg. 376-377; he was denied Christian burial, but his friends managed to bury his body in the Abbey of Scellières.) But he later refused communion and repulsed his confessor's question, "Monsieur, do you recognize the divinity of Jesus Christ?" "Voltaire shoved the priest away. 'Let me die in peace,' he said and turned over on his side." (Pg. 387)

This is a fascinating and detailed treatment of this seminal Enlightenment intellectual and artistic figure.

[Arianne X · Rating 5 out of 5]

An Eighteenth-Century Millennial

Through his great wealth, Voltaire was able to set himself up as an independent sovereign over of his own estates. He fashioned himself as an international champion of human rights before it became fashionable. He turned a remote and barren corner of France into a cultural focal point and an intellectual center outside the clutches of the various states by which he was surrounded. From here he could expose the three great impostors, Judaism, Christianity and Islam as well as their allies, superstition, fanaticism and intolerance. He was able to proceed on his crusade to “crush the infamous” rather than just tend the garden or toil in the vineyard. At his core was a sense of revolt against the prevarications of the State and the mendacity of the Church with a profound sense of disgust and outrage for their combined and mutually supporting policies of injustice, torture and inhumanity.

Voltaire was the French Enlightenment. No Voltaire, no French Enlightenment. Voltaire was the Enlightenment ambassador to France and he became both midwife and wet nurse to an Enlightenment almost still borne and only tortuously coaxed into existence, like most of us. The foundation for much of what is taken as given in our contemporary culture in terms of freedom of speech and reason-based deliberations, increasing rare in the U.S., was placed by Voltaire. Voltaire was the first French writer to really attack political intolerance, religion in the form of monstrous and monolithic Catholicism as it was in France, and to promote free thinking, representative government, empiricism and the scientific method as Newtonian physics supplanted Cartesian metaphysics. He was made a Fellow of the very British Royal Society in 1743. Voltaire helped to lay the foundation for what would become bourgeois liberal society, broad-minded thinking, innovative writing and prosperity. Voltaire was in favor of a free press and opposed to the tried true French tradition of book burning.

As with Descartes, it seems that the French of the early modern period could only appreciate their greatest thinkers when they were outside of France. This was the result of a hidebound repressive religion and an ossified political system. One thing the French Revolution did get right was to outlaw Christianity. But for all his Enlightenment credentials, he was not a progressive thinker in the way we might think of progressive thinkers, e.g., he did not favor mass education or universal suffrage. He was and remained every inch the aristocrat. But still, the monsters of religious intolerance and absolutist government had to be slain before any progressive agenda could be entertained. He was what we might call a bourgeois liberal with aristocratic tastes. Freedom and tolerance were in good taste and good for business. He was an intellectual of urbane charm and quick wit.

My Favorite Quote:

To state that Voltaire was one of the most quotable thinkers from the Enlightenment period is to state the obvious, but if I had to select the quote that resonates with me the most it would be, “Those who can make you believe absurdities, can make you commit atrocities” This is still true today as we see in the examples of religious fundamentalism and conspiracy theory beliefs. This quote illustrates the fundamental philosophical position that the metaphysics we adopt and the ontology we accept leads to the ethical values we employ which leads to the social world and cultural environment we create and the kind of people we are and thus to the type of politics we practice. Religious intolerance still has its fan base.

Voltaire in Contrast:

With Pascal:

An interesting contrast is between that of Pascal and Voltaire with the mathematical genius of Pascal being stunted by his commitment to life denying Christianity and the pain of metaphysical anguish suffered as a result of trying to reconcile faith and reason and choosing faith over reason. As Voltaire showed, for all of the real anxieties of free thought, it offers no artificial anxieties. Still, I have a warm spot in my heart for the Pascal who said, “that heart has reason that reason knows not”.

With La Mettrie and d’Holbach:

Though Voltaire was a relentless critic of Christianly and organized religion, he was not an atheist. He was the Enlightenment high priest of deism who saw evidence of God in the orderliness of nature, or the need for God to maintain the orderliness of society. This is what he meant by “if God did not exist, it would be necessary to invent Him” – to preserve social order if nothing else. I prefer the formulation of: If God is not dead, we should kill Him. But at one time he did at least call for the replacement of Christianity with the worship of God. d’Holbach and La Mettrie were the resident atheists of the Enlightenment and both were thorough going materialists. La Mattrie argued that Voltaire romantically mistook the psychological process created by the human brain for ethics, justice and the longing of the human heart

With Rousseau:

All the world was a stage for both Voltaire and Rousseau. But there was a fundamental divide between Voltaire and Rousseau. Rousseau was about the primacy of feeling over reason and Voltaire was about the primacy of reason over feeling. For Rousseau, this stage was the domain of the pretentious and the morally corrupt. For Rousseau, human beings were born free in the idyllic state of nature and then imprisoned themselves in civilization and corrupted themselves with property. Enlightenment and civilization were celebrated with enthusiasm by Voltaire and derided with criticism by Rousseau. For Voltaire, civilization and reason were a blessing while Rousseau would have us back in nature crawling on all fours. For Voltaire, the stage and theatre were a place where people came together and became more social in their dealings and more humane in their behavior.

For example, when it came to the Lisbon Earthquake of 1755, ironically on Sunday November 1st (All Saints Day) at 10:00AM (worship time), (I guess God does move in mysterious ways), Rousseau could see and feel the beneficent hand of an omnipresent God. Voltaire thought otherwise and memorably wrote as such in his semi-autobiographical account, the enduring and ubiquitous story about the humorously tragic human condition, Candide. Voltaire also witnessed how human inhumanity to humans made the Lisbon earthquake look like child’s play. Rousseau went so far in his disagreements with Voltaire as to declare his hatred for Voltaire. No wonder Voltaire thought Rousseau was mad.

With Voltaire:

Voltaire’s greatest contrast was with himself. First as a radical outsider, doubter of the king, caustic critic of country and hostile detractor from religion to that of consummate insider, courtier of the king, spy for the state, member of the Academy as well as good and ‘dear son’ endeared by the Pope. Some would say he was a simple sellout. He went so far as to disown some of his best work to become officially recognized. Fame and fortune do not often mix with safety and security. He was at various times exiled, imprisoned, celebrated and adored. At various times he craved acceptance and distained it. He most often lived on the outskirts of society while being at the center of the world. He went from radical outsider to consummate insider, back to radical outsider and then to that of out-of-touch conservative curmudgeon when it came to defending the traditions of the French theater and finally to revered god of the French Revolution. But he was always the consummate crusader for human rights, beneficent benefactor of humanity and a god like miracle worker in the cause of justice. Either way, Voltaire was a new phenomenon in the world, a permanent institution in a new world and a folk hero for all the world.

[ND · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Il faut cultiver notre jardin" are my favorite words from Voltaire.
This book is detailed look at the life of Voltaire and how events through out it both internal and external influenced his philosophy and writings.
I've always admired Voltaire for skills as a financièr, which is touched on (and sadly) very briefly. Much more than just a writer and thinker. Despite life challenges and a delayed inheritance, Voltaire was already wealthy by the time he did receive his inheritance. He seemed to establish pretty early that true freedom arises from having no party with the ability to influence the decisions one may choose to make. Though clearly, he also understood the importance of conditional freedoms vs unbarred absolute freedom.

I think this book is more for the lovers of the man, the era and how these ideas may have had some influence on the French and the American revolution and less for those of casual interest. Its a slog, unless you find interest in the mischievous adventures of François-Marie Arouet (later known by his nom de plume - Voltaire) and his actions to chase a life of freedom as he saw it.

[Michael James · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read the Kindle e-book edition. It is AWFUL!! Riddled with typos, ridiculous errors in French accenting ("Pâris" ?? Really, even in French there's no circonflex on the "a"! Fluent French speaker here), incorrect formatting issues - not unreadable, but hugely irritating. [Another example: the strange word "due" throughout for "duc" as in Duc de Chambéry or whatever. "Duchesse" is correct, but "les Ducs" deserve their due!] However this e-book got uploaded, something went awry. OR they uploaded a non-copyedited version. Voltaire's is a fascinating and important life, but I don't think this is the best edition of this biography to make that life vivid and compelling. Maybe stick with the print edition, and if that's riddled with errors too, then go elsewhere.

[Paul Dinger · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed Candide when I was in college. At some point, I bought a class set to read with my class. I was sidetracked by getting laid off and demoted. I read this then as research for my class. Wow, did I need to do that! Candide now isn't a good read as much as it is a history lesson. Good satire is about the time, just as good sci fi fantasy is. There is much I didn't know about Voltaire, how he made his money off the lottery, his many loves and friendships among the ruling elite. I was reminded of Victor Hugo in so many ways, but Voltaire didn't try his hands at politics.

[Peter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Engrossing

A captivating account of a remarkable personality who challenged the oppression, bigotry and superstition so prevalent in 18th century France and Europe. (The Kindle typesetting e.g. the circumflex on Paris etc is rather eccentric/annoying.)

[Robert · Rating 4 out of 5]

Will continue reading more about his writings..so much to know about our thinking..living. .opinions. .listening to utube about him which compliment my reading.

[Damon · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked up this book in Paris, figuring it would make some good airplane read. Well something else did, so I just finished it now.
Voltaire is the embodiment of the Enlightenment. In his lifetime he was the personification of the evils of reason without faith; and though he seems to be forgotten excepts as a post-modern punching bags, his expressed ideology keeps him in the same place. Thus we need to be reminded of who he was and what he said.
The best part of this book is that it focuses on his plays, which English speakers tend not to know anything about except one or two of their titles. Voltaire was mostly known during his lifetime as a play write and Pearson illustrates why this is so. Voltaire does lack many of the subtleties that we associate with Shakesphere, but since his goal was to express his heretical and treasonous ideas, subtlety is not called for. It is for his ideas that we now read him and in this Mighty Voltaire is lacking. His trip to England is covered in detail, but the generation of the ideology is kept very general. This is also lacking his ongoing argument with Rousseau, which is a disappointment.
The book covers the life of Voltaire very well, but could have easily used another 50 pages of though to include more of his thought, dispensed with a retelling of Candide, which we so sorely need now.

[Renee · Rating 3 out of 5]

For such a large book, this was actually a pretty quick read. With a timeline and a 'cast of characters' at the beginning of the book, even a reader with little to no knowledge of European History can follow along pretty well. Pearson gives an objective view of Voltaire's life, his trials and tribulations as well as two chapters at the end that help to shape and make sense of the vast amount of information on this prolific writer.

[Zach · Rating 4 out of 5]

A charmingly written account of a life so full I'm sure this book could have been many times longer. Its a bit heavy on facts and a bit light on analysis, but there are so many facts to go around and the analysis that is there is solid. And I do enjoy the style. And, of course, reading about the man who, more than anyone else, embodies the Enlightenment in all its progress, contradictions, and fundamental humanity.

[Jackie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not as reflective and analytical as what I would expect from a biography of a figure that intellectuals brag about knowing about. The author is obviously a huge fan of Voltaire's philosophy.

A challenging read because of the vocabulary, but this book is not as epic or as profound as what I expected at all.

[Nina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well-researched and well-written, this book, unfortunately, suffered some serious damage when it was converted into an ebook. The spelling, especially of French names and titles, is butchered in the ebook version due to formatting. Amazon should either take care of the formatting or reimburse those who purchased the Kindle edition of the book.

[Marc Fitten · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don't read many biographies, but there was no way I was going to take a pass on this one. I knew I was going to love it going in. It's a well researched book and a fairly easy read. The subject matter is great. I enjoyed it a lot!

[Steven Spector · Rating 3 out of 5]

The stomach ache that kept on giving. Climbing a mountain thick with prickers. I limped to the finish line bloodied and only partially fulfilled. His next bio already reads better and I'm only on page iii!!!

[Robert Denecker · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent historical reading about France, Europe and America's revolution wars with a detailed explanation who Voltaire was as one of the famous French philosphers during unstable times in the old and the new world.

[Roxandra · Rating 5 out of 5]

Interesting, easy to read, it made me love my hero more than ever.

[P! · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well researched bio on the one of the key figures of French Enlightenment, fun and fascinating.

[Jim · Rating 3 out of 5]

Tried to read again but the story telling style gets truly boring after 200 pages. Must save for later and try again.

[Maria Freeman]

I have read as much of this book as I ever will, but I've spent enough of my life on this that it counts as read. Note to self: when choosing books for school, pick a length not a subject.

[Byron Tully · Rating 5 out of 5]

entertaining and insightful, the author has a well-balanced perspective on the man and his time.

[Patrick · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this before a trip to Paris recently. Far better than any damn guidebook.

[Guido · Rating 4 out of 5]

Magnifieke biografie. Heel gedetailleerd. Misschien wat té gedetailleerd, maar machtig interessant.