Happy Birthday, Voltaire!

François-Marie Arouet (21 November 1694 -- 30 May 1778), was better known by his pen name of "Voltaire." Voltaire was a French Enlightenment writer whose satiric and caustic style won him much admiration -- and earned him many enemies. He supported civil liberties and spoke up for religious freedom during his long career as an essayist, playwright, novelist, philospher, and much more. Voltaire was an active letter writer, too, and composed more than 20,000 letters during his lifetime.

Check out some Voltaire in your library!

Read aboutVoltaire @ Wikipedia:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Voltaire.

Here are some Voltaire quotations to enjoy:

• All murderers are punished unless they kill in large numbers and to the sound of trumpets.
• All styles are good except the tiresome kind.
• All the reasonings of men are not worth one sentiment of women.
• Anyone who has the power to make you believe absurdities has the power to make you commit injustices.
• Anyone who seeks to destroy the passions instead of controlling them is trying to play the angel.
• Anything that is too stupid to be spoken is sung.
• As long as people believe in absurdities they will continue to commit atrocities.
• Behind every successful man stands a surprised mother-in-law.
• Better is the enemy of good.