Candide, or Optimism Audiobook By Francois Voltaire, Michael Wood, Theo Cuffe cover art

Candide, or Optimism

 Preview
LIMITED TIME OFFER

3 months free
Try for $0.00
Offer ends July 31, 2025 at 11:59PM PT.
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
Premium Plus auto-renews for $14.95/mo after 3 months. Cancel anytime.

Candide, or Optimism

By: Francois Voltaire, Michael Wood, Theo Cuffe
Narrated by: Ben Lloyd Hughes
Try for $0.00

$0.00/mo. after 3 months. Offer ends July 31, 2025 at 11:59PM PT. Cancel anytime.

Buy for $13.07

Buy for $13.07

Confirm purchase
Pay using card ending in
Switch payment method
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use, License, and Amazon's Privacy Notice. Taxes where applicable.
Cancel

Brought to you by Penguin.

This Penguin Classic is performed by Ben Lloyd-Hughes, best known for Divergent, Me Before You and The Inbetweeners. This definitive recording includes an introduction by Michael Wood.

Brought up in the household of a powerful baron, Candide is an open-minded young man whose tutor, Pangloss, has instilled in him the belief that 'all is for the best'. But when his love for the baron's rosy-cheeked daughter is discovered, Candide is cast out to make his own way in the world. And so he and his various companions begin a breathless tour of Europe, South America and Asia, as an outrageous series of disasters befall them - earthquakes, syphilis, a brush with the Inquisition, murder - sorely testing the young hero's optimism.

Public Domain (P)2021 Penguin Audio Classics Funny Witty
Brilliant Satire • Classic Literature • Engaging Narration • Philosophical Insights • Witty Commentary
Highly rated for:
All stars
Most relevant  
Despite being very dark indeed, this is surprisingly fun and readable. Definitely the first I've binge read a work of classic fiction, much less philosophy!

Incredibly modern satire

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Had me laughing and the guys impressions are really funny. They story was a bit dramatic and pretty short

Its funny lowkey

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Amazing and amuzing reading. As for the plot, it shows a great lot of human nature, beliefs and behaviour.
I’m giving it 5 stars, because I couldn’t stop listening to it.

AMAZING!!!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
I read Candide in French many years ago and looked forward to this reading to remind myself of Voltaire's classic and hear Ben Lloyd-Hughes read it. He is very talented and, after seeing him in several captivating performances, I thought his expressive voice would "act" out this classic in an engaging way. I anticipated his reading would be excellent, but was drawn into it beyond what I expected. I hope Mr. Lloyd-Hughes will be persuaded to read other classics so I can brush up on my literature background in an entertaining way!

Ben Lloyd-Hughes Brings Candide to Life

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
It’s a superb satire and funny due to its big ideas. It isn’t dated - testament to its author. Having listened to numerous versions, this narrator stands out for his excellence. Just brilliantly told. Even the accents have just the right amount of satire.

Super narration of a superb and still funny tale

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
The narrator’s several voices as Candide, Cacambo, Martin, Cunegonde ,etc. were masterful. His was a brilliant display of Voltaire’s withering wit and observant eye of our failings as a species. Recommend listening and then reading this masterpiece!!!

An Absolutely Stunning Performance and Brilliant satire

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Great story told beautifully by Ben Lloyd Hughes. Placing the Introduction and Notes at the end was a good approach.

The narrator’s voice makes a great difference in the listener’s commitment to the tale.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
This was an excellent rendition of Candide. I read the book as a teenager but fell in love with Ben Lloyd-Hughes narration. I listened to it on my drive from Texas to Missouri! Greg way to pass the time.

I could listen to Lloyd-Hughes all day, and did.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
What an engaging narrator Mr. Lloyd-Hughes is! He reads Candide with such enthusiasm and charm that you would think it was his favorite book! He is adept at many different character voices and kept me engrossed the entire story! Highly recommend!

Ben Lloyd-Hughes is EXCELLENT!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Ben Lloyd-Hughes does an excellent reading of Candide. His pace, articulation and tone highlight his wonderful story-telling abilities; including providing wonderful voices for the characters, which created lovely imagery for me. I looked forward to listening to each chapter because of Mr Lloyd-Hughes’ engaging and expert presentation of Candide. Well done!

Excellent! Highly Recommended!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
See more reviews