The novella has never been out of print and has been translated into every conceivable language. The text of this Norton Critical Edition remains that of Robert M. Adams's superlative translation, accompanied by explanatory annotations.

This edition also includes: A full introduction by Nicholas Cronk; Five background studies of Enlightenment ideas and themes (by Richard Holmes, Adam Gopnik, W. H. Barber, Haydn Mason and Nicholas Cronk), four of these new to the third edition; Eight critical essays-six of them new to this edition-representing a wide range of approaches to Candide. Contributors include J. G. Weightman, Roger Pearson, Dennis Fletcher, Robin Howells, James J. Lynch, Philip Stewart, Erich Auerbach and Jean Starobinski. A revised and expanded Selected Bibliography is also included.