Bao Huo Lao Biographies Library · Giants 100 Biographies Series -- Voltaire

Author: Dai Jinbo
Publisher:
Publish Date: 1998-10-01
Features: We are delighted to recommend the "Giant Biographies Series" to young friends. At the turn of the century, having such a fine series as company is a joy for the mind. We believe that from the footsteps of these giants and masters, one can learn how to handle success and failure, comfort and hardship, joy and pain, smoothness and tribulation, understand how to face life, how to be a person, how to seek knowledge, how to shape oneself, and how to shape the future.
Principal of Peking University High School, Zhao Yulin; Secretary, Dong Lingsheng
Every great figure with global influence holds a deeply moving story within them. Their rich experiences and life lessons, their spirit of struggle and elements of success, their pursuit of excellence and ability to seize opportunities, undoubtedly have a great inspirational and educational role for today's youth.
Principal of Tsinghua University High School, Zhao Qinggang
Giants are the elite of humanity. They have made outstanding contributions to the progress and civilization of human society. Their spirit of struggle and extraordinary achievements are deeply admired by people, becoming models for others to learn from. Giants are human, not gods; they come from ordinary people yet surpass them. Their lofty ideals and belief in serving the motherland and humanity drive them to persevere and fear no difficulties.
Principal of Tianjin Nankai High School, Kang Xiuyan
To carefully read this series is like seeing their appearance, words, and actions, feeling their ideals, beliefs, ambitions, and moral character. This will help you learn how to be a person, how to pursue knowledge, and how to build a career.
Principal of Fudan University Affiliated High School, Cao Tianren
Voltaire (1694–1778) – French Enlightenment thinker, philosopher, historian, and writer. Voltaire's original name was Fran?ois-Marie Arouet. He was born on November 21, 1694, in Paris to a wealthy bourgeois family. During his studies, he was influenced by liberal thought, particularly the works of P. Bayle against religious fanaticism. After graduating from high school, he devoted himself to literary creation, publishing satirical poems that exposed court corruption and the tyranny of the church. He was imprisoned in the Bastille twice in 1717 and 1725 and was forced to flee to England in 1726. In England, he diligently studied the advanced ideas of the bourgeoisie, becoming a follower of I. Newton and J. Locke. He enthusiastically supported the Enlightenment movement of the Encyclopedists. He opposed feudal autocracy, advocated for rule by enlightened monarchs, emphasized bourgeois freedom and equality, and criticized the darkness and corruption of the Catholic Church. Voltaire's eloquence and sharp wit made him feared by reactionary churches and autocratic rulers, while freedom thinkers and progressive individuals admired and revered him. His extraordinary talent remains unmatched to this day. He spent his life in constant thought, relentless struggle, and tireless writing, leaving behind a wealth of invaluable heritage for future generations.