Saturday, March 12, 2011

Next Up: Don Quixote

Title: Don Quixote
Author: Miguel de Cervantes
Published: 1605

According to Bauer, the best edition is the Penguin Classics Paperback translated by John Rutherford in 2000. She says that it's "readable" but tries to stay true to the original Spanish text. Unfortunately my library does not have this copy, so I'll be reading the 1957 unabridged translation by Walter Starkie.

I know nothing about this book. I even had to go online to find out how to pronounce "Quixote." So I really have no idea what to expect. I refuse to read the synopsis in Bauer's book; I've heard they tend to be full of spoilers. She also instructs the reader not to read the foreword or any notes unless they're written by the actual author until after reading the actual book. So I have nothing to go on.

Don't judge a book by its cover. That's what I have to keep telling myself when I look at Don Quixote sitting on my desk. It looks really thick and big and . . . old. Well, of course it's old; that's why I'm starting with it. I keep wondering if it's so well known because it's the first modern novel ever written, or because it's actually good. I do hope it's the latter.

I can't seem to get myself excited or even interested in starting this book. But I have to read it. How pathetic would it be to quit on the very first book?

Here goes.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

It's the first novel ever written? I've never even heard of it. How old is it?

Raina said...

It was published in 1605. As for it being the first novel ever, I guess it depends on who you ask. The more I read about it the more I'm not sure. Before Don Quixote there were histories, poetry, and romances. Cervantes wrote Don Quixote as a way of making fun of those romances and people's reactions to them.

Anonymous said...

Oh, it is old! It sounds like it could be interesting. I can't wait to see what you think about it :)

Michelle said...

How's the book coming along? I hope you enjoy it as much as the first one.

Raina said...

I'm about a fifth of the way through it. I am enjoying it more than I thought I would, but at this rate it's going to take me forever!

Michelle said...

Hey, I'm back. I just watched "The Next Three Days" with Russel Crowe and it mentioned Don Quixote in it. It made me think of you. :)