Voltaire

A Beginner's Guide to the quintessential Enlightenment philosopher and satirist and his relentless crusade for reason, freedom of speech, and religious tolerance.Alex Omberg

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Length1h 28m

About this audiobook

His real name was François-Marie Arouet, but the world would come to know him as Voltaire—a name that became a synonym for intellectual rebellion. This guide introduces the most famous, feared, and funny philosopher of the Enlightenment. Voltaire was not a man who built quiet, abstract systems; he was a warrior who used his pen as his sword. You will journey with him from the prisons of the Bastille to the royal courts of Europe and witness his lifelong battle against his great enemy: "l'infâme", the toxic mix of religious fanaticism, intolerance, and superstition that he believed plagued humanity. You will dive into his hilarious and devastating satire, Candide, and see how he used razor-sharp wit to demolish philosophical naivety. Most importantly, you will follow his real-world crusade for justice in the tragic Calas Affair, a fight that made him the conscience of Europe. This is the story of a man who weaponized reason and laughter to change the world.

Audiobook details

Rating★★★★ 4.5 (2)

GenreBusiness and Economics, Biography and Memoir

Length1 hr 28 mins

Narrated bySelect Your Own

FormateBook with Audio

Publish dateOct 9, 2025

LanguageEnglish

1Title Page

8Chapter 7: A God Without Dogma

2Chapter 1: Inventing Voltaire

9Chapter 8: The Right to Be Wrong

3Chapter 2: The English Awakening

10Chapter 9: The Case for Coexistence

4Chapter 3: Letters from the Future

11Chapter 10: Rewriting the Past

5Chapter 4: The Funniest Tragedy Ever Written

12Chapter 11: The Sage of Ferney

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6Chapter 5: "Crush the Infamous Thing!"

13Chapter 12: The Enduring Flame of Reason

7Chapter 6: From the Pen to the Sword

About the author

Alex Omberg

I publish audiobooks dedicated to philosophy and the biographies of literary giants. Also known as "The Philosophy School," my work focuses on substance and clarity. I aim to provide professional, thorough overviews that explain ideas and lives simply, without talking down to the listener. Whether exploring Stoicism or the world of Virginia Woolf, you will find reliable narratives here. To stay updated on new releases, please subscribe to my mailing list using the link in the personal website section.View all by Alex Omberg