Voltaire (November 21, 1694 – May 30, 1778) was the nom de plume of French writer, philosopher and historian François-Marie Arouet.  Voltaire was a prolific and versatile writer, producing over 2,000 poems, plays, pamphlets, essays, novels, and historical and scientific non-fiction works.  He was famous for his wit and his outspoken advocacy of freedom of expression, freedom of religion and the separation of church and state. His critiques of government and religion resulted in numerous exiles and imprisonments in a time of strict censorship laws. His life was eventful and colorful: his books were banned and burned; he carried on a long-lasting relationship with a married noblewoman before marrying his niece; he maintained friendships with notables as diverse as Frederic the Great, Adam Smith, Casanova, Edward Gibbon, and James Boswell.  His wit and defiance stayed with him until his dying day, when he reportedly responded to a priest at bedside asking him to renounce Satan with the last words, “Now is not the time for making new enemies.”