Zadig ou la Destinée (Zadig, or The Book of Fate; 1747) is a novel and work of philosophical fiction by the Enlightenment writer Voltaire. It tells the story of Zadig, a philosopher in ancient Babylonia. The author does not attempt any historical accuracy, and some of the problems Zadig faces are thinly disguised references to social and political problems of Voltaire's own day. It was originally published as Memnon in Amsterdam (with a false imprint of London given) and first issued under its more familiar title in 1748.