Folio Archives 300: Candide by Voltaire LIMITED EDITION 2011

Candide or Optimism by Voltaire LIMITED EDITION 2011

When it was first released in 2011, this became the fastest selling Folio Society book at that time, lasting only three weeks before all copies were sold. Today that title is held by The Haunting of Hill House limited edition which sold all its 250 copies in just over one hour!

Candide is one of the world’s literature classics. It is the story of a French gentleman who is dealt a poor hand by fate, but who still clings desperately to the belief that he lives in "the best of all possible worlds." Although outwardly humorous, it is actually an entertaining, savage and outrageous satire against religion and optimistic philosophy. He discusses these matters constantly with his companion and pedantic tutor, Panglos.

Voltaire was born in Paris in 1694 but was forced to move around Europe because of his political beliefs. He wrote Candide in Geneva in 1759.

This 205 page limited edition is translated from French by Tobias Smollett and introduced by Julian Barnes. It is signed and illustrated by Quentin Blake who contributed 17 colour and 28 black & white illustrations. It is printed on Modigliani paper and bound in luxuriously tactile maroon Nigerian goatskin blocked on cover and spine with a gilt title design. The endpapers are dark green and the grey slipcase (27.4x23.2cm.) is emblazoned with a gilt title across all sides. The page tops are gilt. This edition was limited to 1000 copies (my copy is number 995) and initially sold for £195. It now fetches a far higher price on the secondary market.

There have been two other editions of Candide published by the Folio Society :-

1948 Candide or The Optimist by Voltaire. Translated by Henry Morley and with seven colour lithographs by Kenneth Hobson. It was quarter-bound in black buckram with marbled paper covers and a colour printed yellow dust-jacket. This edition has been reviewed here.

2015 This was a standard edition of the limited edition that is reviewed here. The contents are identical to the limited edition but in a different binding and slipcase. It was bound in grey cloth, cover blocked with a design in black and white by the artist (see below).

2015 EDITION



2011 LIMITED EDITION




Wrap-around montage of slipcase
















































































This 300th. review marks nearly six years of posting a pictorial review of a Folio Society book in my collection every week. As no-one seems to be complaining, I will continue to do this for as long as I can.

An index of the other illustrated reviews in the "Folio Archives" series can be viewed here.

>1 wcarter: not only are we not complaining, we are thankful for all the hard work, resources, and insight you provide to this forum!

>1 wcarter: I've referred to the archives of these reviews in judging second hand buys many times. Invaluable resource. Many thanks for your efforts.

Please continue, its very much appreciated. Like >3 A.Godhelm: I use them as a reference and enjoy your thoughts on the book reviewed. Last weeks William Trevor review bumped it right up my wish list. I also very much enjoy your reviews on the Fine Press forum.

Candide has been on my wish list for quite a while but I can never decide which one to get. Do I save for the lavish leather bound edition or am I just as well getting the also attractive fine edition. I jump from the one to the other periodically. One of these days I will decide. >1 wcarter: As usual your review gives me food for thought.

>4 assemblyman: The fine cloth edition is indeed beautiful. My only slight criticism for both editions is the paper as it’s kind of glossy (Arctic Volume Ivory paper), but it’d be a miss if you let that dissuade you.

Personally i’d use the difference for something else - the cloth edition is already a gem, better matches Blake’s humorous style and looks more apt next to other FS Blake volumes.

>1 wcarter: A wonderful review as ever. As nice as the LE appears this is one of my most strongly disliked reads and so not one I wish to own in a beautiful edition, though you do make it tempting!

>1 wcarter: Thanks very much, this series of reviews has been and continues to be an invaluable resource!

For anyone interested in the 2015 standard edition, I made a review here. It's a nice edition, but I don't like the semi-gloss paper bacchus referred to.

>1 wcarter: Thank you for yet another great review; they have enabled me several times...

>5 bacchus.: "the cloth edition is already a gem, better matches Blake’s humorous style and looks more apt next to other FS Blake volumes."

I think the LE looks pretty good next to two of the other Blake LEs too: The Golden Ass and Fifty Fables of La Fontaine 😊

I also love these Archives, and use them to research second-hand purchases, so please keep it up!

The character of Pangloss made it into the title of a famous paper by the evolutionary biologist Stephen Jay Gould—“The Spandrels of San Marco and the Panglossian Paradigm”—which criticized the assumption that every feature or characteristic of living beings must have evolved just for the purpose to which that feature or characteristic is currently put.

Dr. Pangloss believes that (I’m quoting from the Wikipedia page for the paper) “Everything is made for the best purpose. Our noses were made to carry spectacles, so we have spectacles. Legs were clearly intended for breeches, and we wear them.”

Gould’s point is that some things evolved for other reasons, or are mere by-products (“spandrels”, in his terminology).

>8 Dr.Fiddy: That Arion Press Don Quixote looks okay too :).

>8 Dr.Fiddy: Beautiful arrangement. I’ve put my thumb over the Arion but the end effect is the same - I stand corrected ;)

Some FS books sit so well with others. It’d be nice to have a thread with various combinations FSDs come up with…

Thank you, Warwick. I also use your archives to help me when I am purchasing second-hand copies. So informative and please keep them coming...I look forward to each new delight!