CandideCandide
Score Classic
What it's about
Candide is raised in a powerful baron's household by a tutor, Pangloss, who teaches him that 'all is for the best.' When his love for the baron's daughter is discovered, he's thrown out into the world.
Why it's worth reading
It's on the Guardian's list of 1,000 novels everyone must read. It's one of the great satires.
You'll love it if you liked
The Three Musketeers
A Confederacy of Dunces
Decline and FallGood to know
It's a translation from French.
By the numbers
- Readers25 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics30 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Bestseller32 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
Why it made the list
Reads as
Thought-provoking
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Quick answers
Is Candide worth reading?
Yes. It's on the Guardian's list of 1,000 novels everyone must read. It ranks #2,525 of the 3,056 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 60.1 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is Candide about?
Candide is raised in a powerful baron's household by a tutor, Pangloss, who teaches him that 'all is for the best.' When his love for the baron's daughter is discovered, he's thrown out into the world.
How long does it take to read Candide?
About 5 hours (208 pages), or about 10 days at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after Candide?
If you liked it, try The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas, A Confederacy of Dunces by John Kennedy Toole or Decline and Fall by Evelyn Waugh.