Litwit Lounge discussion

Don Quixote, considered by many to be the "first modern novel", celebrated its 400th anniversary just a couple of years ago. It was then that I put it on my to-read list but it took many starts and stops before I finally dug in and mined it for all it's worth.

Have you read it? which translation? Any thoughts or comments you'd like to share?

A little excerpt from this review Poets & Writers/Don Quixote at 400:

“Don Quixote was the first modern novel and so gave birth to the genre that has dominated Western literature since the eighteenth century,” says Michael McGaha, a professor of modern languages at Pomona College in Claremont, California. “It is the first novel whose characters grow, develop, and influence each other. It was a highly self-conscious, experimental work; one of its major themes is how literature affects its readers, and, consequently, the writer’s ethical responsibility.”

The plot of Don Quixote goes something like this: An aging man of La Mancha, Alonso Quixano, is ruined by books, by reading too many chivalric romances, and under the weight of bad literature, goes mad. In an effort to heal him, the town’s barber and curate have his library walled off. On finding his books gone, Quixano takes up his true calling: the life of the errant knight. Don Quixote scrapes together a rusting suit of armor, imagines his old horse a magnificent steed, chooses a country woman he does not know to be his great “lady-love,” his Dulcinea. And, of course, turns Sancho, his “man-of-all-work,” into a faithful squire.

I had to read at least parts of it in Spanish in college but I cannot put my hands on the English version I have. Suffice it to say it is an old copy from the 1950's I bought in an used book store that had the wonderful smell I cannot find any longer, not with the self help books and people with their lattes waiting to be noticed and admired.
I liked the book because it had the dust jacket still on it and was well worn. I like the idea of books being passed on and I was glad to become a part of that.
I reread Don Quixote when I studied the Spanish Philosopher Jose Ortega y Gasset in graduate school. Studying philosophy in Spanish was very hard for me, mostly because it is so easy to misread or better, overlook the meaning in something expressed. Oretga's "yo soy yo... y mis circunstancias" comes directly from DQ. His book Meditaciones del Quijote or Meditations on the Quixote are seminal works of greatness which should be read by all students of 20th century culture. Of course, one must understand the spirit of the original first, I think.

I remember Mom reading parts of it and just laughing. Thanks for this reminder.

I definitely got some laughs out of it! Sometimes because of a humorous situation and other over the turn of words, usually Sancho's. I wish I owned my own copy, it would've been great to mark up all my favorite lines.

I've only read the Edith Grossman version, and while I can't make a comparison I felt very satisfied with the translation. It must be interesting to tackle a book in two different languages.

"yo soy yo... y mis circumstancias"

I had to look that up: "I am myself and my circumstances." It sounds tragic but very interesting. The further reviews at Amazon have really piqued my curiosity. So glad you mentioned this, Rhonda, I'd really like to read it -- in English! (my Spanish being nearly nil although on my goal list) I'll have to check the used bookstores since my library doesn't have a copy.

This morning I was thinking of the book I had to read in German and trying to remember the title of it. (was so long ago) It was a German western! LOL!

My classics group starts reading Don Quixote in February. So I will be reading part of Les Misérables and part of Don Quixote in February. This will be my several-th time of reading Don Quixote.

"-th" I like the way you described that number. ;-)

Don Quixote is one of my favorites but I've only read it once. If I re-read it, it might be just certain portions. And I'm most eager to read https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2... which I thought I had on my shelf, a book about Cervantes great novel.

What versions have you read? I read the Edith Grossman's and was quite content with it, but can't compare since it's only one I've read as well.

Yes Reggia, Ilan Stavans is the premier scholar of all things Don Quixote and of Spanglish. I have here within arm's reach that same Quixote: The Novel and the World. It is a good book, best read by those who are steeped in hispanic culture--not me. I am younger than the Mexican-American generations, and had to go to a university where the curriculum was heavily South Texas/hispanic centered.

I still have the book because it is worthwhile, because I hope to understand better each time I read the book--which I do.

This time I will also add either the audiobook--the only format--The Modern Scholar The Novel that Invented Modernity. I am usually good with accents within 2 minutes. Stavans is so compkex in his ethnicity--Mexican Yiddish and New England Jewish. His social group thinks of him as the Jew who speaks Spanish. He thinks of himself as hispanic. After all he is the premier hispanic scholar. I am letting you know so that you make decision about the audio. . . . .The audio is on sale at Audible. Last month it was 30+USD. Yesterday I paid just over 10USD. . . . . I have previously seen this audio at Hoopla. My library quit its subscription to Hoopla.

I stiill The Man Who Invented Fiction: How Cervantes Ushered in the Modern World by William Egginton which was written to be accessible to colkege students. . . . which Is no longer available on Everand/Scribd. I may try to borrow through ILL

For my secondary work, I have settled The Man Who Invented Fiction: How Cervantes Ushered in the Modern World. I have ordered the paper book and will use my credit at Audible for the audiobook. I listened to the sample and am hooked.

We at my classics group have got a desire to read long novels--
Don Quixote
Les Miserables
Middlemarch

We are encouraging each other to read as popular novels more than literary novels. So The Man Who Invented Fiction serves better than anything more scholarly.

All great choices... and I'm very curious about the Cervantes one, being that Don Quixote is often hailed as the first novel.