Candide by Voltaire
"Candide" is a satirical novel that follows the adventures of a young man, Candide, who is living a sheltered life in an Edenic paradise and being indoctrinated with Leibnizian optimism by his mentor. When he is expelled from the paradise for kissing a baron's daughter, he embarks on a journey around the world, witnessing the horrors of war, natural disasters, and human cruelty. Throughout his journey, Candide maintains his optimistic philosophy, despite the constant hardships he faces, ultimately concluding that one must cultivate their own garden, a metaphor for taking control of one's own destiny.
The 62nd greatest book of all time
Ranking Details:
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This scoring system ensures that each book's ranking reflects both its presence on multiple lists and its positions within those lists, providing a comprehensive measure of its acclaim and popularity.
Since this book was first published in 1759, there is a penalty of 0%. The age adjusted score is 2610.0.
This is to prevent newer books from reaching super high on the ranked list of the greatest books of all time. The greatest books should also stand the test of time.
Total Points: 2610
This book was first published in 1759
30 Lists
- score: 150 -- The Top 10: The Greatest Books of All Time - 2007 (Weight: 150)
- score: 150 -- For The Love of Books - 1999 (Weight: 150)
- score: 144 -- 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die - 2006 (Weight: 144)
- score: 143 -- Top 100 World Literature Titles - 2017 (Weight: 138)
- score: 138 -- Världsbiblioteket (The World Library) - 1991 (Weight: 138)
- score: 132 -- William H. F. Lamont’s 100 Best Novels (1947) - 1947 (Weight: 132)
- score: 121 -- Pour une Bibliothèque Idéale - 1956 (Weight: 120)
- score: 120 -- The Guardian's Essential Library - 2002 (Weight: 120)
- score: 102 -- ZEIT-Bibliothek der 100 Bücher - 2009 (Weight: 102)
- score: 99 -- The New Lifetime Reading Plan - 1999 (Weight: 99)
- score: 96 -- 1000 Novels Everyone Must Read - 2009 (Weight: 96)
- score: 90 -- Best Books Ever - 2006 (Weight: 90)
- score: 84 -- 100 Best Books - 2010 (Weight: 84)
- score: 84 -- Select 100 - 2015 (Weight: 84)
- score: 84 -- As if You Don't Have Enough to Read, Best Non-Fiction from the NY Times Writers - 2011 (Weight: 84)
- score: 84 -- Inteliquest's World's 100 Greatest Books of All-Time - 1993 (Weight: 84)
- score: 78 -- The 500 best books of all time from Culture Café users - 2008 (Weight: 78)
- score: 75 -- Masterpieces of World Literature - 1991 (Weight: 75)
- score: 66 -- The Complete 500: OCLC - 2024 (Weight: 66)
- score: 63 -- From Zero to Well-Read in 100 Books - 2013 (Weight: 63)
- score: 63 -- The Graphic Canon - 2012 (Weight: 63)
- score: 57 -- The Novel 100: A Ranking of the Greatest Novels of All Time - 2004 (Weight: 57)
- score: 57 -- The Book of Great Books: A Guide to 100 World Classics - 2001 (Weight: 57)
- score: 57 -- One Hundred Best Books (1916) - 1916 (Weight: 57)
- score: 51 -- The College Board: 101 Great Books Recommended for College-Bound Readers - 2002 (Weight: 51)
- score: 51 -- Harold Bloom's The Western Canon - 1994 (Weight: 51)
- score: 45 -- The 100 Most Influential Books Ever Written - 1998 (Weight: 45)
- score: 45 -- Great Books of the Western World - 1990 (Weight: 45)
- score: 39 -- 1,000 Books to Read Before You Die: A Life-Changing List - 2018 (Weight: 39)
- score: 39 -- The 100 Greatest Books Ever Written - 1979 (Weight: 39)