Overview
We think of Voltaire as the archetypal figure of the enlightenment; in his own time he was also the most famous and controversial figure in Europe. This dazzling new biography celebrates his extraordinary life.
Davidson tells the whole, rich story of Voltaire’s life (1694-1778): his early imprisonment in the Bastille; exile in England and his mastery of English; an obsession with money, of which he made a huge amount; a scandalous love life; a long exile on the borders of Switzerland; his human-rights campaigns and his triumphant return to Paris to die there as celebrity extraordinaire. Throughout all of this, Voltaire’s life was always informed by two things: a belief in the essential value of toleration in the face of fanaticism; and in the right of every man to think and say what he liked.
It is rare to have such a vivid portrait of a great man.
Editorials
Sunday Times (London)
“A powerful and illuminating book.”Publishers Weekly
A new biography of Voltaire “the man”is long overdue, and Davidson (Voltaire in Exile) has done an admirable job in writing it.Voltaire, né Marie-François Arouet (1694–1778), the personification of the Enlightenment, is presented as a multifaceted and often contradictory individual whose devotion to tolerance and pluralism was frequently offset by his cowardice and self-concern. A child of privilege, he cemented his well-to-do status through involvement in a shady lottery scheme and celebrated life with a succession of mistresses before settling on his married niece as his mistress of choice. Voltaire’s ability as a playwright and writeris examinedas is his commitment to the rationalist Encyclopédie. His commitmentto human rights did not truly develop, according to Davidson, until he reached middle age, with his involvement in the Calas and de La Barre cases, miscarriages of justice thatmarked a turning point in French judicial history. Regrettably, the description of the first part of Voltaire’s life is a bit tedious, and overall this biography would have benefited from more information on French society as a whole during the 18th century. But Voltaire emerges from the story as a champion of civil liberties whose flaws weredecidedly human.16 pages of illus.; maps. (Oct.)Library Journal
Davidson (former chief foreign affairs columnist, Financial Times; Voltaire in Exile) has written an enthralling biography of the titan of the French Enlightenment, giving readers the first birth-to-death English-language life of Voltaire (1694–1778), born Francois-Marie Arouet, in at least 20 years. Davidson covers all the facets of this complicated man; his relationships included passionate affairs with many women, most especially Emilie du Chatelet, who died in childbirth in 1749, a friendship with Frederick, King of Prussia, and associations with emerging figures of the Enlightenment. He spent significant time in England in his young adulthood, well covered here, and later in Prussia at the court of Frederick, as well as over the border from France in Switzerland during his exile in his later years before a triumphal return to Paris. VERDICT Every page of Davidson's book is a pleasure to read: both the subject and the prose scintillate with anecdote and clarity. The results, capturing and interpreting Voltaire for a new generation, are highly recommended for general readers and specialists alike.—Bob T. Ivey, Univ. of MemphisKirkus Reviews
From the author of Voltaire in Exile: The Last Years, 1753–1778 (2004), a psychologically intimate biography of the great writer and philosopher.
While it's important to recognize Voltaire (1694–1778) as symbolic of the French Enlightenment, it's also vital, writes Davidson, to understand Voltaire's motivations as an entertainer. At heart, whether the medium was fiction, poetry, polemic or history,he was a storyteller. Drawing from Voltaire's correspondence and other sources,the author's chronological narrative creates a complex, nuanced portrait of his subject and the times. From young adulthood, Voltaire resisted conformity, choosing to spite his father's demand that he go into the family law practice. His decision to pursue a literary career ultimately propelled him to immense celebrity and wealth, social advantages that allowed him to take risks in his work, which often resulted in imprisonment or exile. But Voltaire was an ardent defender of free speech and religious tolerance and was not deterred. In 1733, after spending almost three years in exile in England (where he learned to speakEnglish), Voltaire publishedLettres philosophiques(Letters concerning the English Nation), which became one of the most important and provocativepieces of the 18th century. Soon after, the French regime, insulted by Voltaire's intimations that British society was more respectful of human rights, issued another arrest warrant for Voltaire, and he was forced to flee. In the ensuing years, many of which were spent in Switzerland,Voltaire embarked on many love affairs, discovered the joys of scientific exploration, developed a relationship with Frederick the Great and continued to produce an astounding number of written works.Not untilthe end of his extraordinary life was he able to return to France, but he did so as a hero. Davidson's precise languagecapturesVoltaire in every facet, leaving the reader with renewed appreciation for his talent and humanity.
Unflinching and illuminating.