Zadig - Hardcover

by Voltaire (Author), William F. Fleming (Translator)

First published in 1747, Zadig is Voltaire's philosophical tale of fortune, misfortune, and the search for wisdom in an uncertain world.

Set in an imagined ancient Babylon, the story follows the virtuous and intelligent Zadig as he endures a series of reversals-betrayal, exile, imprisonment, and unexpected elevation. Through irony and episodic narrative, Voltaire explores questions of justice, providence, love, and the limits of human reason. Each apparent disaster becomes a lens through which philosophical doubt and moral inquiry are sharpened.

Written in the spirit of Enlightenment critique, Zadig blends satire with reflection. Its concise structure and allegorical tone anticipate Voltaire's later and more widely known Candide, yet it stands independently as a study in the unpredictability of life and the resilience of rational thought.

This Wilder Publications edition presents the complete text in English translation.