Candide (Norton Critical Editions)

I picked this up for classics bookclub. I had been told that it was funny in a satirical way. I didn't find it funny, though. There were a lot of topics that made me uncomfortable. I think, though, that it was satire, but it didn't age well.

I look at this as a book that I've read, but don't have to ever read again. It really didn't stand the test of time.

He gave us eyes to see them,
And lips that we might tell
How great is God Almighty,
Who has made all things well.
refrain from, "All Things Bright and Beautiful"

Mario Vargas Llosa referred to “Candide” as the perfect example of literary insolence. What authors are writing "insolent" fiction these days? Is it even possible? Anyway, you probably have heard of Dr. Pangloss, and this quote in particular:

"..all things have been created for some end, they must necessarily be created for the best end. Observe, for instance, the nose is formed for spectacles, therefore we wear spectacles."

Reminds me of the Banana Fallacy:

"Behold, the atheists' nightmare. Now if you study a well-made banana, you'll find, on the far side, there are three ridges. On the close side, two ridges. If you get your hand ready to grip a banana, you'll find on the far side there are three grooves, on the close side, two grooves. The banana and the hand are perfectly made, one for the other. You'll find the maker of the banana, Almighty God, has made it with a non-slip surface. It has outward indicators of inward contents — green: too early; yellow: just right; black: too late. Now if you go to the top of the banana, you'll find, as with the soda can makers have placed a tab at the top, so God has placed a tab at the top. When you pull the tab, the contents don't squirt in your face. You'll find a wrapper which is biodegradable, has perforations. Notice how gracefully it sits over the human hand. Notice it has a point at the top for ease of entry. It's just the right shape for the human mouth. It's chewy, easy to digest and its even curved toward the face to make the whole process so much easier. Seriously, Kirk, the whole of creation testifies to the genius of God's creation."

Wow! Fast-paced, biting, makes-you-wonder-why-you-had-to-be-a-part-of-humanity satire. Read it. It won't take long. Just don't listen to the musical version first.

Satire. Though I agree with Voltaire's premise, satire is best kept short as it makes for bad fiction. This was short but not nearly short enough. The first few chapters would have been enough to refute the idea that we live in the best possible world (and that no, everything does not happen for a reason).