Throughout history, some books have changed the world. They have
transformed the way we see ourselves - and each other. They have inspired
debate, dissent, war and revolution. They have enlightened, outraged,
provoked and comforted. They have enriched lives - and destroyed them. Now
Penguin brings you the works of the great thinkers, pioneers, radicals and
visionaries whose ideas shook civilization and helped make us who we are.
Voltaire's short, radical and iconoclastic essays on philosophical ideas
from angels to idolatry, miracles to wickedness, make wry observations
about human beliefs, and mock hypocrisy and extravagant piety - his call to
his fellow men to act with reason and see through the lies they are fed by
their leaders has provided inspiration to freethinkers everywhere.