This biography traces the development and writings of one of the most influential philosophers of the Enlightenment. Using engaging narrative, it offers the reader a look inside the world of the eighteenth century and details the many ways in which Voltaire challenged the established order through his writings and through his personal advocacy against religious injustice. With primary source material and vivid images, it is an accessible analysis of Voltaire's ideas that looks at his plays, poems, and philosophy showing his influence on current thought.