THE AGE OF LOUIS XIV (Annotated)
Enriched Edition. A Cultural History of the Sun King Era, French Classicism, and Seventeenth-Century European CivilizationBy Voltaire
Length21h 58m
About this audiobook
Voltaire's The Age of Louis XIV is less a conventional royal biography than a sweeping cultural history of seventeenth-century Europe, centered on France's political ascendancy and artistic brilliance under the Sun King. Written in lucid, elegant Enlightenment prose, it treats wars, diplomacy, administration, literature, philosophy, religion, and manners as interlocking expressions of civilization. In literary context, the work helped redefine historiography by shifting attention from dynastic chronicle to the progress of arts, ideas, and social institutions. Voltaire, the great philosophe of the French Enlightenment, brought to the book his lifelong fascination with reason, toleration, and the power of culture to shape public life. His experiences at court, his exile in England, and his admiration for intellectual freedom sharpened his comparative judgment. Though critical of fanaticism and political excess, he saw in Louis XIV's reign a moment when patronage, order, and genius combined to produce enduring achievements. This book is recommended to readers interested in Enlightenment history, French classicism, and the origins of modern cultural criticism. It offers not only a portrait of an age, but also Voltaire's persuasive argument that history should measure greatness by civilization as much as by conquest.
This enriched edition has been carefully crafted to add value to your reading experience.
- A succinct Introduction situates the work's timeless appeal and themes.
- The Synopsis outlines the central plot, highlighting key developments without spoiling critical twists.
- A detailed Historical Context immerses you in the era's events and influences that shaped the writing.
- An Author Biography reveals milestones in the author's life, illuminating the personal insights behind the text.
- A thorough Analysis dissects symbols, motifs, and character arcs to unearth underlying meanings.
- Reflection questions prompt you to engage personally with the work's messages, connecting them to modern life.
- Hand‐picked Memorable Quotes shine a spotlight on moments of literary brilliance.
- Interactive footnotes clarify unusual references, historical allusions, and archaic phrases for an effortless, more informed read.
Audiobook details
Rating★★★★ 4.4 (23)
Includes Amazon
GenreHistory
Length21 hrs 58 mins
Narrated byListen with 1,000+ voices
FormateBook with Audio
Publish dateMar 2, 2016
LanguageEnglish
Table of contents
1THE AGE OF LOUIS XIV (Annotated)
16Preface
2Introduction
17Early Life
3Synopsis
18Hegira To England
4Historical Context
19Examples From England
5Author Biography
20At Cirey
Show all chaptersShow less
6THE AGE OF LOUIS XIV
21“Candide”
7PART I (pt. 1)
22The Encyclopædia
8PART I (pt. 2)
23Last Days
9PART I (pt. 3)
24His Character And Services
10PART I (pt. 4)
25Tributes To Voltaire
11PART II (pt. 1)
26Selections From Voltaire’s Works
12PART II (pt. 2)
27Detached Thoughts
13PART II (pt. 3)
28Analysis
14PART II (pt. 4)
29Reflection
15VOLTAIRE: HIS LIFE AND WORKS (Biography)
30Memorable Quotes
The Sincere Huron (French Classics Series) (Annotated)Voltaire7h 47m$2 · $0.00
ZADIG - The Book of Faith (Illustrated) (Annotated)Voltaire8h 9m$2 · $0.00
Treatise on Tolerance (Annotated)Voltaire10h 25m4.3 (1.3K)$2 · $0.00
CANDIDE (French Classics Series) - Illustrated (Annotated)Voltaire11h4.1 (10.3K)$2 · $0.00
The Essential Works of Voltaire (Annotated)Voltaire211h 53m$2 · $0.00
Micromegas (Annotated)Voltaire2h 32m$2 · $0.00
Sarcasmos y agudezasVoltaire3h 15m3.4 (21)$10 · $0.00
Jeannot et Colin (Annoté)Voltaire2h 2m4.3 (11)$0.99 · $0.00
The Philosophy of Voltaire - Essential Works (Annotated)Voltaire121h 18m$2 · $0.00
VOLTAIRE'S TRAGEDIES: 20+ Plays in One Volume (Annotated)Voltaire36h 9m$2 · $0.00
Candide, ou l'OptimismeVoltaire4h 45m4.0 (336.8K)$1 · $0.00
Letters on EnglandVoltaire4h 7m3.6 (4.1K)$2 · $0.00
MicromegasVoltaire1h 57m3.9 (8.7K)$2 · $0.00
Zadig, ó el DestinoVoltaire4h 1m4.1 (31.8K)$1 · $0.00
Kaarle XII:n historiaVoltaire11h 39m3.9 (1.9K)$2 · $0.00
Zadig; Or, The Book of FateVoltaire4h 21m3.9 (5.7K)$1 · $0.00
Elémens de la philosophie de Neuton: Mis à la portée de tout le mondeVoltaire5h 57m4.0 (154)$1 · $0.00
Cándido, ó el OptimismoVoltaire3h 26m4.1 (706.9K)$1 · $0.00
Jeannot et ColinVoltaire1h 44m3.6 (467)$1 · $0.00
Frederick Douglass: All 3 Memoirs in One VolumeFrederick Douglass44h 9m4.7 (1.2K)$2 · $0.00
The Bark Canoes and Skin Boats of North America (Annotated)Howard Irving Chapelle, Tappan Adney13h 9m4.8 (150)$0.99 · $0.00
I've Been to the MountaintopMartin Luther King48m4.7 (1.4K)$11 · $0.00
RevolutionariesSanjeev Sanyal11h 23m4.6 (2.6K)$29 · $0.00
We Crossed a Bridge and It TrembledWendy Pearlman6h4.6 (5.2K)$24 · $0.00
Unbroken Bonds of BattleJohnny Joey Jones8h 31m4.6 (2.6K)$8 · $0.00
The Daughter of AuschwitzTova Friedman, Malcolm Brabant7h 54m4.6 (16.7K)$26 · $0.00
Lily's PromiseLily Ebert, Dov Forman8h 54m4.6 (16.1K)$29 · $0.00
Saving My EnemyBob Welch9h 11m4.6 (2.3K)$20
On Democracies and Death CultsDouglas Murray10h 38m4.6 (6.5K)$29 · $0.00
Across the RiverKent Babb11h 40m4.6 (927)$29 · $0.00
The Red Record (Annotated)Ida B. Wells-Barnett5h 19m4.8 (102)$0.99 · $0.00
Balcony Over Jerusalem: A Middle East Memoir - Israel, Palestine and BeyondJohn Lyons12h 37m4.6 (1.4K)$33 · $0.00
The Fire Next TimeJames Baldwin2h 25m4.6 (159.1K)$15
EnduranceAlfred Lansing6h 1m4.6 (40.8K)$20
LES MISERABLES (Illustrated Edition)Victor Hugo66h 17m4.6 (791.2K)$1 · $0.00
BeyondStephen Walker15h 39m4.6 (3.2K)$33 · $0.00
The Antiquities of the Jews (Annotated)Flavius Josephus59h 14m4.6 (2K)$3 · $0.00
Kings and PawnsHoward Bryant10h 9m4.6 (678)$29 · $0.00
No EscapeNury Turkel9h 30m4.6 (809)$28 · $0.00
You may also like
The American CrisisThomas Paine38h 18m4.3 (14.4K)$1 · $0.00
The American CrisisThomas Paine38h 16m4.3 (13.6K)$2 · $0.00
The Napoleon of Notting HillG. K. Chesterton6h 4m4.0 (14.3K)$17
The ShowmanSimon Shuster14h 27m4.3 (3.2K)$33 · $0.00
Common SenseThomas Paine2h 22m4.2 (59K)$14 · $0.00
William the ConquerorEdward A. Freeman6h 42m3.7 (1.3K)$2 · $0.00
The Collected Works of Thomas PaineThomas Paine77h 18m4.4 (1.8K)$2 · $0.00
Common Sense & The Rights of Man - The Voice of the American RevolutionThomas Paine41h 39m4.2 (18.9K)$1 · $0.00
The American CrisisThomas Paine38h 2m4.3 (2.1K)$2 · $0.00
1215 and All ThatEd West5h 49m4.3 (612)$17
The Rise of the DemocracyJoseph Clayton6h 5m$2 · $0.00
A Biography of the Signers of the Declaration of Independence, and of Washington and Patrick HenryL. Carroll Judson20h 24m$1 · $0.00
The Amazing History of England - Children's Book with Original Illustrations (Annotated)Charles Dickens33h 48m$2 · $0.00
A Short History of FranceMary Platt Parmele5h 54m3.5 (90)$1 · $0.00
Lives of the Signers to the Declaration of IndependenceCharles Augustus Goodrich18h4.3 (208)$2 · $0.00
The Age Of Louis XIV (Complete Edition)Voltaire21h 20m3.9 (129)$2 · $0.00
The Signers of the Declaration of Independence - Complete Biographies in One VolumeL. Carroll Judson20h 24m$2 · $0.00
The life of VoltaireEvelyn Beatrice Hall19h 46m$1 · $0.00
The History of the Reformation of Religion in ScotlandJohn Knox16h 47m4.0 (58)$1 · $0.00
The Apology of the Church of England (Annotated)John Jewel4h 46m4.1 (175)$2 · $0.00