Was Don Quixote published in three parts?

That's a great question, but it's a little tricky! Here's the breakdown:

* Cervantes wrote two parts: The original *Don Quixote* was published in two parts, in 1605 and 1615.

* A "Third Part" was added: After Cervantes' death, a third part was published in 1617, but it was not written by him. It was written by an author named Alonso Fernández de Avellaneda, and it is considered a poor imitation of Cervantes' work.

* Cervantes' second part is considered "complete": While the third part exists, it is not generally accepted as canonical. Cervantes' second part is considered the true conclusion to the story.

So, while there are three published parts, only the first two are considered authentic and written by Cervantes.