Miguel de Cervantes (1547–1616)

Edit: I apparently didn't read the author bio carefully enough - I think it noteworthy that Cervantes spend 6 years as a prisoner of the Turks in Algiers. [a:Eric A. Kimmel|2602|Eric A. Kimmel|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1507394162p2/2602.jpg], the folklorist, speculates that Sancho Panza was inspired by Joha aka Nasreddin Hoja. I wouldn't be surprised.
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Every time I pick this up I fall immediately asleep. It's easy to read, at least in the Starkie translation, with bits of cleverness, but way too much naming of the (obscure to us) texts that it's mocking, and the speeches are long-winded every. single. time. I might be happier with a careful abridgement, taking off maybe 15%.

Shakespeare might be harder to read, but at least he is concise and to the point.

I've worked my way through the adventure at the inn, in the nighttime with the moll Maritornes and all the cudgel work. So much violence! Do fans of this also like Three Stooges?

But at XVIII I'm switching to the advice of the author of [b:Beowulf on the Beach: What to Love and What to Skip in Literature's 50 Greatest Hits|6113032|Beowulf on the Beach What to Love and What to Skip in Literature's 50 Greatest Hits|Jack Murnighan|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1320516870l/6113032._SY75_.jpg|6291046]: "Part I, Chapters I-VIII (getting to the windmills) and LII (the last chapter); then read Part II, I-V and the scenes of Sancho governing the 'island,' Chapters XLV, XLVII, XLIX, LI, and LIII. All told, that's less than two hundred pages."

Granted, if I had done that at the beginning, I would have missed the feminist speech by the beautiful Marcela, which would be a shame. And don't get me wrong; if you have time and energy there's a lot to like about this book, including women and servants who are people (!).

Oh, and the windmill scene? Much too short.
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So, I'm almost done with Murnighan's selections now, and reading in between those chapters in the second part. Again, it's the voices of the women I'd lose if I had skipped them... I'm having doubts of the trustworthiness of Murnighan....
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As I skimmed onward to the end, having decided that I can't just abandon the book at LIII of book two, I found even more of interest. The false Arcadians, like Marie Antoinette and her entourage playing at being shepherdesses, all 'back to nature.' And the tragic fate of the Moriscos. And more of Sancho's Solomon-like wisdom. And a charming twist ending.

All told, I've wound up reading probably almost 1/2 of the book, which imo isn't bad! There really is a lot here to enjoy.

But what do I see promoted by the publisher in the last pages of this book? Three classic stories of knights & chivalry! According to the preface, Cervantes other works, including [b:The Dialogue of the Dogs|305888|The Dialogue of the Dogs|Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1328728959l/305888._SY75_.jpg|21734139] and [b:Galatea|33873670|Galatea|Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1484616863l/33873670._SX50_.jpg|2338085], should be the first 'further readings' to be recommended. I am interested in them myself, if they are more concise than this!

January 2021… (more)

Don Quixote proved to be a surprisingly humorous and a very enjoyable read, and one I would recommend to anyone who has ever shown an interest in reading it. However, I feel compelled to offer a word of caution before starting this work. My copy's translation (the Everyman's Library) is by P. A. Motteux. After having delved deep into this text, I can unequivocally say that this is not the translation for me. Do yourself a favor and take some time to compare the translations that are available. Choose the one that best suits your tastes; for believe me, a good translation greatly affects the enjoyment of your reading. I recommend looking at John Rutherford or Edith Grossman. Both of these are very good translations. I ended up picking up a copy by Edith Grossman half-way through and I do not regret my decision.… (more)