Book Review: "Micromegas and Other Short Fictions"

After reading Passionate Minds (review) recently I decided I needed to brush up on my Voltaire a bit, since it had been a few years since Candide. I had a copy of Micromegas and Other Short Fictions on my shelf so I've been making my way through it for the past few days. It is fascinating how well Voltaire's wry, ironic style has held up across the centuries; these stories are excellent examples. I particularly enjoyed "The Consoler and the Consoled" (message: time heals all wounds, but they still hurt like the dickens) and "Dialogue Between the Cock and the Hen." Deeply allegorical at times, but also funny and provocative, Voltaire's stories are certainly worth a read and some contemplation of the human spirit.