The Life of Voltaire

Portraits of the thinkers around Voltaire: d'Alembert, Diderot, Galiani, Vauvenargues, d'Holbach, Grimm, Helvétius, Turgot and Beaumarchais. This is the book where the quote 'I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it' first appears.

S. G. Tallentyre

John Morley's classic critical study weighs Voltaire as a thinker, historian and enemy of the Church. A sharp Victorian reading of what the Enlightenment owed him, still quoted by scholars today.

John Morley

A short, lively introduction to Voltaire's life and battles, followed by a selection of passages from his writings. A good first step before tackling the longer biographies.

J. M. Wheeler and G. W. Foote