Cover of Zadig

Zadig

by Voltaire

First published
1749
Reading level
Plain English
Price
Free

About the book

"Zadig; Or, The Book of Fate" by Voltaire is a philosophical novella published in 1747. It follows Zadig, a Babylonian philosopher whose life swings wildly between fortune and misfortune. From lost loves and false accusations to royal favor and forced slavery, Zadig experiences life's unpredictability firsthand. His journey through ancient Babylonia and Egypt raises timeless questions about destiny, justice, and whether humans control their fate. This celebrated Enlightenment work explores how nothing is simply good or bad without comparison, challenging readers to reconsider the nature of fortune itself.

  • Manners and customs
  • French literature
  • Political fiction, French

Updated September 2026. Public domain in the USA. Text and summary from Project Gutenberg eBook #18972. Zadig on Wikipedia.

More free books by Voltaire

About Voltaire