One of the towering geniuses in literary and intellectual history, Voltaire personifies the Enlightenment. Recognized by his witty quotes and critical writings, which are characterized by brevity and lucidity, he is one of the best known French philosophers.
Born Francois-Marie Arouet in Paris in 1694, he later changed his name to Voltaire after a stint in the Bastille for his poetry and satires against French officials. Due to his habit of writing exactly what he thought, his numerous writings were the cause of much outrage. …
