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Don Quixote
Don Quixote | Miguel de Cervantes
"Don Quixote is practically unthinkable as a living being," said novelist Milan Kundera. "And yet, in our memory, what character is more alive?" Widely regarded as the world's first modern novel, Don Quixote chronicles the famous picaresque adventures of the noble knight-errant Don Quixote de La Mancha and his faithful squire, Sancho Panza, as they travel through sixteenth-century Spain. This Modern Library edition presents the acclaimed Samuel Putnam translation of the epic tale, complete with notes, variant readings, and an Introduction by the translator. The debt owed to Cervantes by literature is immense. From Milan Kundera: "Cervantes is the founder of the Modern Era. . . . The novelist need answer to no one but Cervantes." Lionel Trilling observed: "It can be said that all prose fiction is a variation on the theme of Don Quixote." Vladmir Nabokov wrote: "Don Quixote is greater today than he was in Cervantes's womb. [He] looms so wonderfully above the skyline of literature, a gaunt giant on a lean nag, that the book lives and will live through [his] sheer vitality. . . . He stands for everything that is gentle, forlorn, pure, unselfish, and gallant. The parody has become a paragon." And V. S. Pritchett observed: "Don Quixote begins as a province, turns into Spain, and ends as a universe. . . . The true spell of Cervantes is that he is a natural magician in pure story-telling."
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dabbe
Don Quixote | Miguel de Cervantes
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#Two4Tuesday
@TheSpineView (thanks for the tag! 😘 You, too @The_Penniless_Author! 🤩)
1. Cursive (it's a dying art), how to do your taxes/manage money, time management, how to be social (especially after the Covid years), how to live without your damn phone for 5 seconds, the value in failing, thinking of others before yourself, living without drama every nano-second ...
2. DON QUIXOTE.

Play? @AmyG @Catiewithac @TheLudicReader @TheBookHippie

TheBookHippie My son teaches cursive- it‘s a side gig 🙃 (he‘s 17) - at our local bookshop. 2d
TheSpineView All great answers! Thanks for playing 2d
TheSpineView @TheBookHippie Hard to believe that cursive is no longer taught. It is a lost art. 2d
See All 13 Comments
TheBookHippie @TheSpineView it‘s taught in the private and parochial schools here but not public school… 😵‍💫 2d
dabbe @TheSpineView As a former high school teacher, I couldn't keep the sarcasm out of my voice. 🙄🤩😂 2d
dabbe @TheSpineView It's unbelievable to me ... it is such a fabulous skill to hone one's creative side. Now the kids just type on their tablets--well, like I'm doing now! 😂 2d
dabbe @TheBookHippie If yours are like ours, the private schools don't have to follow the state department's requirements like the public schools do. Don't get me started on what an outrage that is since they still get state dollars. #oytotheinfinitevey 🙄 2d
dabbe @TheSpineView 💙💚💙 2d
AmyG Thanks for the tag! 😘 2d
UwannaPublishme 🙌🏻🙌🏻🙌🏻 2d
dabbe @AmyG 😘 1d
dabbe @UwannaPublishme 💚💙💚 1d
41 likes13 comments
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AroundTheBookWorld
Don Quixote | Miguel de Cervantes
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review
BarbaraJean
Don Quixote | Miguel de Cervantes
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Mehso-so

This quote made me laugh, nod my head, and think of Don Quixote.😂 I hurried to finish this at the beginning of January, but have definitely not hurried in posting a review.🤦🏻‍♀️

I first read Don Quixote in grad school & thought it was fascinating: Cervantes uses very modern/postmodern techniques & themes—in a 16th-century text! I also remember it being hilarious. When I saw it on @TheAromaofBooks #RandomClassic list, I was in for a re-read.⤵️

BarbaraJean (Cont‘d) But I was a little disappointed this time around. The humor is there—so many of Sancho‘s lines had me laughing out loud. And the metafictional elements are there—DQ‘s self awareness of being a character in a story, breaking the fourth wall, beating up the guy who misrepresented the first half of his story—but they were far less prominent this time around, and didn‘t feel nearly as interesting. DQ as a character was oblivious & charming ⤵️ 2mo
BarbaraJean (Cont‘d)… but he and his escapades got old quickly. It‘s an episodic story, and felt very repetitive—I got tired of all the tricks people kept playing on both DQ and Sancho. These ranged from good-natured to mean-spirited, but the formula wore out for me after the first couple times. I just wanted someone to “get” DQ and be on his side for once! I‘m not sad I re-read it, but it was so interesting to have such a different reaction this time around. 2mo
Tamra Agreed, the repetitive escapes became monotonous and so I didn‘t finish. 2mo
BkClubCare I have said something similar to that quote!!! LOL 2mo
45 likes4 comments
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TheAromaofBooks
Don Quixote | Miguel de Cervantes
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Pickpick

Well! It will be weird to eat breakfast without don Quixote's company tomorrow, as he has been my steadfast companion for that meal since the beginning of November! I didn't exactly enjoy this one, but I'm glad to have read it. I definitely preferred Vol. 1 where more of DQ's adventures were from his own imagination than Vol. 2 where it just felt like everyone was making fun of him constantly. In the end, I liked DQ himself and that's what got ⬇

TheAromaofBooks (cont'd) me through. I'm glad to have read it... but it's a soft pick. I don't see myself ever tackling this one again!!

Thank you all SO MUCH for reading with me!!
@BarkingMadRead @Librarybelle @Smarkies @wanderinglynn @TheBookHippie @SamAnne @BarbaraJean @BookingitwithSandra @Daisey @janeycanuck @meshell1313 @jenniferw88 @LaraS @Cuilin @eeclayton @readingrainb0w @Bluebird @Larkken
2mo
Cuilin Thanks for hosting, it was my third attempt and I finally finished it!!! Yeah, soft pick for me too. 2mo
janeycanuck I‘m so behind!! But also confused… I‘ve got something like another 74 chapters but I‘m on 40 already. Did you speed read the second part? 2mo
See All 17 Comments
Librarybelle Yay!! 2mo
Meshell1313 Thanks for hosting! We did it! What did you think of the ending?? I was quite sad about it! I didn‘t expect it to end with his death even after all that! 2mo
TheBookHippie I‘m glad I did it but WHEW the Opera is better the musical is better and I think I‘d recommend an adapted version which is so unlike me… 2mo
Smarkies Thanks for organising this @TheAromaofBooks . I don't think I would have had the drive to get through it if not. 😅 2mo
Bluebird I fell off the wagon…too many other books were calling out to me. 2mo
TheAromaofBooks @janeycanuck - According to the “official“ schedule we should have been through chapter 52 (of volume 2) by the end of the year. But I only had 74 chapters in Vol. 2 altogether. I had someone else tell me they had a different number of chapters in Vol. 2 than I did, so I'm not sure what that means 😅 2mo
TheAromaofBooks @Cuilin @Smarkies - Reading it with the group really did keep me going!! This was my third attempt as well and I'm pleased to have finally conquered!!! 2mo
TheAromaofBooks @Meshell1313 - I was expecting his death only because of the chapter title lol But I was really sad that in the end he renounced everything and agreed that he'd been crazy to pursue his dreams. I didn't feel like his life was a waste, but it seemed like that was what he thought about himself on his deathbed, and that made me sad. 2mo
TheAromaofBooks @Bluebird - No worries!! This was a tough one!! 2mo
TheAromaofBooks @TheBookHippie - I feel the same way! It's rare for me to think “I should have read an abridged edition“ but I did think about it for this one 😂 The only other book I've really felt that way about was freaking Moby Dick - I barely survived that one, too! 2mo
Meshell1313 @TheAromaofBooks that‘s exactly it- after over 900 pages it was all for nothing? I wanted a happily ever after for him. 2mo
janeycanuck @TheAromaofBooks Hmmmm… I really fell off the wagon somewhere, then, because I‘m only about 1/3 of the way through. But I have a First Part (consisting of Parts 1-4) with 52 chapters and a Second Part with 74 chapters (but no Parts). So confusing! I‘m enjoying, though!! 2mo
TheAromaofBooks @janeycanuck - I also think different translations may be editing things differently or something. Along similar lines, I have two copies of Robinson Crusoe, one of which has chapters and the other just... doesn't??? They SEEM to be the same text, but I'm so confused! 😂 2mo
janeycanuck @TheAromaofBooks I guess I should have just learned Spanish to read the original!! 😂🤣😂 2mo
93 likes17 comments
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Librarybelle
Don Quixote | Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra
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Pickpick

Wow…just wow. I‘m proud of myself for completing this, and thanks to @TheAromaofBooks of leading us through this #RandomClassic . I feel so sad for Don Quixote and the variety of tricks played on him in his adventures. There is also quite a lot of superfluous words in the text, making it at times a bit of a bog to wade through. Yet, I liked this. Don Quixote remained a chivalrous “knight” on his many escapades, and his kindness is his strength.

Ruthiella Congratulations on finishing such a tome! 👏👏👏 I‘ve tried it but failed myself. 3mo
AnnR 👍📘👏 3mo
Deblovestoread Well done! 🎉 3mo
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Meshell1313 Woo hoo! 🎉🙌 3mo
BarbaraBB Wow! What an accomplishment 👍🏽 3mo
TheAromaofBooks Lovely review!! I completely agree - I actually ended up rather fond of DQ and admired his determination to stick to his values, even if they didn't always make a lot of sense 😂 I have two chapters left so I should finally finish tomorrow!! Thank you so much for reading along with me!! 2mo
Librarybelle @TheAromaofBooks Thank you!!! Don Quixote is such a lovely guy. This was a lot of fun! 2mo
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BarbaraJean
Don Quixote | Miguel de Cervantes
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“…this painter reminds me of Orbaneja, from Ubeda, because when they asked him what he was painting, he‘d answer: ‘Whatever comes out,‘ so if by chance he painted a rooster, he‘d write underneath it: ‘This is a rooster,‘ so no-one would think it was a fox.”

Follow Orbaneja of Ubeda for more art tips. 😂

#RandomClassic

TheAromaofBooks I follow Nathan Pyle on Instagram and he has a similar comic where he says if you draw something and you're afraid people won't know what it is, draw a little speech bubble and have it introduce itself 😂 3mo
tpixie lol 😂 3mo
BarbaraJean @TheAromaofBooks 😂😂 I thought of that same Nathan Pyle comic when I read this quote! 3mo
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BarbaraJean
Don Quixote | Miguel de Cervantes
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Reading goals tonight: finish all three of these. 😬 I‘m clearing the decks as much as I can before heading out tomorrow to visit family for two weeks!

🫏 I have 6 more chapters of Don Quixote & don‘t want to lug it to Oklahoma.
🎄My Advent/Christmas devotional finishes tomorrow, on Epiphany, and I don‘t want to rush through the final reading before leaving for the airport.
🚣‍♀️ I only have 80 pages left in Keeper and I really want to finish it!

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TheAromaofBooks
Don Quixote | Miguel de Cervantes
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(thru ch51) - I've lost track of where I'm supposed to be in this story, what with holidays and illness 😂 I think I'm still a few chapters behind! Several of you have already finished, but if writing up a schedule for our remaining chapters would be helpful, please let me know!!

I still can't decide how I feel about this duke and duchess playing these involved tricks on DQ and Sancho. Some of them feel so mean! But some of them are also ⬇

TheAromaofBooks (cont'd) rather funny. However, I'm kind of ready for our heroes to move on - I kind of miss the adventures of imagination that comprised many of the earlier stories. Any thoughts?

#RandomClassic

@BarkingMadRead @Librarybelle @Smarkies @wanderinglynn @TheBookHippie @SamAnne @BarbaraJean @BookingitwithSandra @Daisey @janeycanuck @meshell1313 @jenniferw88 @LaraS @Cuilin @eeclayton @readingrainb0w @Bluebird @Larkken
3mo
BarkingMadRead While the antics of the Duke and duchess are fun to read, they are so so mean! I really want Don Q and Sancho to move along and live their own lives again! 3mo
Librarybelle The Duke and the Duchess were so awful! Poor Don Quixote and Sancho Panza! 3mo
TheBookHippie I finished and now I have a cold 😅🤧😵‍💫😂🤦🏻‍♀️ …oy. 3mo
jenniferw88 I'm so behind I've DNF'd it - I was skimming it anyway 😂 3mo
55 likes5 comments
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Cuilin
Don Quixote | Miguel de Cervantes
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Pickpick

16th century, a village in Spain a man cosplays as a knight errant. Misfortunes abound. At times camp and hilarious other times tedious and repetitive. An entertaining and philosophical masterpiece.

This was not the longest book I‘ve read but some days it felt like it. It really needed some editing. I‘ve never said this before but maybe read the abridged version 😆

TheAromaofBooks Yay!!! And I am not usually someone who recommends the abridged edition but... there is definitely space for that argument for this one 😂 Thanks for reading with me!!! 3mo
Cuilin @TheAromaofBooks I tried twice before and never finished so thanks so much for hosting. 3mo
dabbe I ashamedly gave up after the first part. Maybe I should try the abridged version. 😂 3mo
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Cuilin @dabbe I will be recommending the abridged version of this from now on. #LifeTooShort 3mo
BarbaraBB I agree 😀 3mo
dabbe @Cuilin @BarbaraBB Do you know of any specifically that you'd recommend? 😍 3mo
TheBookHippie I agree read the abridged!!!! Oy. 3mo
BarbaraBB @dabbe Unfortunately not, I‘d be interested too! 3mo
63 likes8 comments
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AroundTheBookWorld
Don Quixote | Miguel de Cervantes
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review
Smarkies
Don Quixote | Miguel de Cervantes
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Mehso-so

I am sorry to say I did not enjoy this as much as I thought I would. I think it was a little too episodic for me and it moved a little too slowly at times, with very little character development. At the end of the day, I just really felt sad for DQ but I did appreciate Sancho a whole lot more. Glad that @TheAromaofBooks organised this readalong and it is finally off my shelf.
#chunkster

TheAromaofBooks I still have a few chapters to go, but am feeling the same way. Parts of this have been really entertaining, but a lot of it drags and/or feels mean spirited. 3mo
30 likes1 comment
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BarbaraJean
Don Quixote | Miguel de Cervantes
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Another time when I‘m glad I checked the footnote—here we have Dr. Pedro Harsh Omen from the town of GettheHellOut. Naturally, Sancho tells him to get the hell out… 🤣

#RandomClassic

Cuilin Love it!! Do you know what chapter we should be reading? The holidays have me 🫤 3mo
BarbaraJean @Cuilin Same—I‘m several days behind! Yesterday was chapters 51-52 and today and tomorrow are catch up days. This is from chapter 47. 3mo
Cuilin @BarbaraJean thank you, 🙏 3mo
TheAromaofBooks Just when I'm kind of over Cervantes, he pulls something like this and has me cracking up again 😂 3mo
27 likes4 comments
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BarkingMadRead
Don Quixote | Miguel de Cervantes
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Did I bring this chunkster to the theater and read during intermission? Yes! #wintergames #snowflakesquad #tbrread #wintercosy #goforawalk #BINGO #wgwordsearch #atozbingo #Q #BINGO

Ruthiella That‘s true dedication! 👏👏👏 3mo
AnnR Wow!! 3mo
5feet.of.fury I saw the Beetlejuice Musical over the spring & it‘s coming back around me soon & im really debating going again, it‘s so fun! Enjoy!! 3mo
BarkingMadRead @5feet.of.fury it was amazing! We had a really great time! 3mo
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review
Daisey
Don Quixote | Miguel de Cervantes
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Mehso-so

I finished listening to this a few days ago. Although I really enjoyed it at the beginning, it was becoming difficult for me to stay focused and I was no longer enjoying it as much as expected, so I decided to push through to the end for now. I moved on from this to listening to Amadis of Gaul which I hope will give me a greater appreciation for it so that I can revisit it again sometime in the future.

#audiobook #1001books #translated

Amiable Congrats for making it through! 3mo
TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!! I'm also feeling a little fatigued by this one. 3mo
50 likes2 comments
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TheAromaofBooks
Don Quixote | Miguel de Cervantes
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(thru ch42) - Somehow I thought I was behind but ended up ahead 😂 So it's probably a good thing I'm checking this schedule!!! We have a few catch-up days built in this month, and hopefully will pick back up with chapter 43 on Wednesday.

Very interesting to me that Cervantes has decided to give DQ his adventures through trickery instead of DQ's imagination (although that helps). I can't decide if I like this or not. The duke and duchess's ⬇

Librarybelle I think I‘m a little ahead because the 15th and 16th are not on the graphic…but, I think the whole ploy of the Duke and Duchess is mean-spirited! 3mo
Librarybelle My part two has 70 chapters…I cannot remember. Did we talk about reading this into January? Maybe my book is the only one with more than 52 chapters??? 3mo
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TheAromaofBooks @Librarybelle - HA that is probably how I ended up ahead when I thought I was behind! 😂 Not sure how I skipped two days of the month! I have 74 chapters in Part 2, so we will be carrying into January a little, but hopefully finishing before mid-month. There are more chapters but fewer pages in Part 2, so it's felt a little more manageable to me! 3mo
Librarybelle Sounds good! I just wanted to make sure I didn‘t miss anything! Thanks for leading this! 3mo
Daisey I expected to really enjoy this book, but I‘ve been struggling to stay focused and have some other long reads planned (including Amadís of Gaul), so I powered through listening to the rest these past few days. I plan to revisit again another time later, and maybe I‘ll appreciate it more. 3mo
BarkingMadRead I‘m a little ahead as well, we are getting so close! I‘m not sure how I feel about all the trickery, it‘s so mean spirited, but Sancho is cracking me up! 3mo
janeycanuck I‘m starting Chapter 22 tonight - so not as far behind as I thought I was! I‘m really enjoying it so far, I keep snickering out loud. 3mo
Cuilin I thought I was completely behind, but I‘m up to chapter 60 so now I‘m curious if I‘m ahead. 12/29 3mo
40 likes9 comments
review
Meshell1313
Don Quixote Deluxe Edition | Miguel de Cervantes, Edith Grossman
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Pickpick

#RandomClassics @TheAromaofBooks What a ride! Thank you so much for hosting this great read. I would have never finished without you. I‘m glad to have finally read this classic. I loved the sarcasm and found myself laughing out loud quite a bit. Some parts should have been cut out! The best scenes were the ones of just Don & Sancho. Hilarious. I was very surprised and saddened by the ending. It was not what I had hoped for or expected. ⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2

TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!! I'm very interested to see how this one ends - so many things going on! 3mo
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BarbaraJean
Don Quixote | Miguel de Cervantes
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“I tell you, when it comes to asking stupid questions and giving crazy answers, I don‘t need to go looking for help from my neighbors.”

Another winner from Sancho!

Tamra 🤣🤣🤣 3mo
Lcsmcat I loved Sancho 3mo
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BarbaraJean
Don Quixote | Miguel de Cervantes
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“I used to think all he knew about was knighthood and all that, but damn it if there‘s anything he hasn‘t put his pecker into or stirred around with his spoon.”

😂😂 I love Sancho‘s comments more and more the longer this goes on! Sancho‘s choice of words has me cracking up—and also makes me super curious how his comments are rendered in other translations. #RandomClassics

TheBookHippie Seriously saving some of these lines for family holiday party 😅👀🤣🤣🤣 3mo
TheAromaofBooks I don't remember this line 😂 What chapter is it? I'm curious to look it up and see if I just glazed over it or if it was translated differently in mine!! 3mo
BarbaraJean @TheBookHippie Please report back on the results of using said lines 😂😂 3mo
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BarbaraJean @TheAromaofBooks I‘ll have to double check when I get home, because I‘m behind schedule but I don‘t remember how far behind! I think this was around chapter 21-22? Right around/ just after the cave of Montesinos section. 3mo
TheBookHippie @BarbaraJean WILL DO!!! 😅🤣 3mo
BarbaraJean @TheAromaofBooks I checked - it's in chapter 22, while they're with the newlyweds, before heading off to Montesinos' Cave. 3mo
TheAromaofBooks Ahha! My edition is much milder - “May the devil take you, you knight-errant - you know so much! I thought in my soul that he only knew about things relating to knight-errantry, but there's nothing he doesn't nibble on and he puts his spoon into everything“ 😂 3mo
BarbaraJean @TheAromaofBooks Hahaha—much less spicy!! 3mo
TheAromaofBooks My translator must be concerned about the kiddos watching at home 😂 3mo
29 likes9 comments
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Daisey
Don Quixote | Miguel de Cervantes
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There haven‘t been many weird and interesting words catching my attention lately, but this one did today in Don Quixote. I saw some contradictory spelling while looking it up, and it‘s now considered obsolete.

longinquous: (adjective) long, far off, distant, remote

#WeirdWords #WeirdWordWednesday

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TheAromaofBooks
Don Quixote | Miguel de Cervantes
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(thru ch26) I can't decided if I feel bad for don Quixote or not. He's obviously delusional and so sincere in what he believes is true. On the other hand, one of those things is believing that he himself is an awesome knight doing great things, which makes him happy. I also can't exactly decide what a happy ending for this story would look like. Any thoughts?

#RandomClassics

BarkingMadRead At this point living would be a great happy ending 🤣 he seems doomed for an early death 3mo
Cuilin I do feel sorry for him in a way, as he does want to be a knight and attempt to do something good in the world no matter how foolish he looks. I think there‘s a lesson in there somewhere. But for the love of god Cervantes why no editing???? Anybody else‘s skill of speed reading improved lately? lol 3mo
See All 13 Comments
Librarybelle Today‘s reading - oh my! The puppets! 😂 3mo
BarkingMadRead @Cuilin it‘s very Dickensian, or I guess Dickens was very deCervantesian? Very loquacious 🤣 3mo
Meshell1313 I totally agree- I find myself wanting him to be truly knighted and married to his lady! 🤣🤷🏼‍♀️ 3mo
TheBookHippie @Cuilin edit edit edit and yes I‘m reading much faster ….. 3mo
TheBookHippie @BarkingMadRead 🤣🤣🤣🤣 3mo
TheBookHippie I just want a happily ever after 🙃 poor soul… 3mo
BarbaraJean I'm behind but catching up! There are a couple of catch-up days this weekend, correct? If so, I'll be on track by next week. 🎉 I've gotten to the point where I find DQ endearing rather than frustrating, especially the back and forth with Sancho. But @Cuilin YES EDITING. It all feels very repetitive at this point. I keep waiting for the interesting metafictional parts that I remember from my previous read, but they haven't materialized yet! 3mo
Smarkies I finally caught up (ish)! I now realise why the main things people talk about mainly the events in the first book i.e. the windmill... cos very few really gets past the first quarter. But perhaps the puppets should be included too! 3mo
TheBookHippie @Smarkies oh I bet you‘re right!! 3mo
45 likes13 comments
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Cuilin
Don Quixote | Miguel de Cervantes
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TheBookHippie 👏🏼yay 4mo
Meshell1313 🙌 love it! 4mo
Ruthiella Loved Nick Kershaw in the‘80s! ❤️ 4mo
See All 7 Comments
Cuilin @Ruthiella me too. 4mo
Bookwomble I used to work with somebody who had the mondegreen "Donkey José" for this song ?? 4mo
Ruthiella @Bookwomble 🤣🤣🤣 4mo
37 likes7 comments
review
eeclayton
Don Quixote | Miguel de Cervantes
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Mehso-so

I should probably start by saying that I didn't read the chunkster original but an abridged version (just over 400 pages). At first I was disappointed that I had only been able to track down this copy, but now I'm perfectly okay with having read this version. In my view, the story was more sad than funny, and I had enough of random people making fun of poor DQ.
Thanks for hosting the buddy read @TheAromaofBooks 🙂

TheAromaofBooks Thanks for joining me! This one is definitely a mixed bag for me 😂 I think it will probably end up in the “I'm glad I read it but once is plenty“ pile LOL 4mo
eeclayton @TheAromaofBooks with all the repetition, it must feel like you've read it at least twice already! 😁 4mo
19 likes2 comments
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TheAromaofBooks
Don Quixote | Miguel de Cervantes
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(thru ch14) Hey friends!! Sorry I haven't posted earlier. This turned into a very bizarre week. But don Quixote and his faithful Sancho are back on the road. The beginning of this volume was very dull with lots of conversation, so I was excited to finally get to bit of action today!

Cervantes is really leaning into this whole “I discovered this book that someone else wrote and now I'm just telling you what it said“ thing, which as a narrative ⬇

TheAromaofBooks (cont'd) device can be a little confusing but entertaining. I'm still overall enjoying this one, but I'm also in a weird headspace this week lol What do you all think? Are you keeping up okay? #RandomClassics

@BarkingMadRead @Librarybelle @Smarkies @wanderinglynn @TheBookHippie @SamAnne @BarbaraJean @BookingitwithSandra @Daisey @janeycanuck @meshell1313 @jenniferw88 @LaraS @Cuilin @eeclayton @readingrainb0w @Bluebird @Larkken
4mo
Librarybelle I‘m a day behind, but will hopefully catch up today! 4mo
Cuilin I‘m a bit behind. I do wish he had a done just a little self editing. It can get rather tedious. Looking forward to more adventures. 4mo
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TheBookHippie Catching up today this needed a wee bit of an edit 🙃🤣😅 am still enjoying it though! 4mo
Daisey I am working on catching up today as well and agree with the comments so far. 4mo
reading.rainb0w I'm definitely wayyy behind lol but I'm enjoying it whenever I dive in. It all feels like something straight from Monty python 🤣 4mo
Cuilin @reading.rainb0w yes, I get Monty Python, Holy Grail vibes. 4mo
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BarbaraJean
Don Quixote | Miguel de Cervantes
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“…animals have frequently put humans on notice and taught them a great many important things, as for example: enemas, taught us by storks; vomiting and gratitude, taught us by dogs; watchfulness, taught us by cranes; foresight, taught us by ants; chastity, taught us by elephants; and loyalty, which we learned from horses.”

Um. Enemas? Vomiting & gratitude? Apparently VERY different qualities were attributed to animals in 16th century Spain. 😂

dabbe Yowza! 🤩🤣😃 4mo
willaful *boggle* 4mo
RaeLovesToRead 🤣🤣🤣 4mo
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Megabooks Some dogs will vomit when they get excited. Perhaps that was interpreted as happiness, but I can‘t explain the enemas!! 😳😂😂 4mo
rubyslippersreads Cats would like a word—they invented hairballs. 😹 4mo
Ruthiella 😂😂😂 4mo
TheAromaofBooks Some of these sent me. I was also like, I do NOT want to know how elephants teach us chastity 😂 4mo
28 likes7 comments
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TheAromaofBooks
Don Quixote | Miguel de Cervantes
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Woohoo!! We made it to the end of Volume 1!!! Which actually puts a little over halfway for the entire book!

My goodness, the end of this volume was a whirlwind of romantic entanglements! I was honestly cracking up by the time we got to the inn with this entire parade of people! Did any of these stories strike you particularly (other than all the coincidences? 😂) My understanding is that Cervantes was actually held in Algiers awaiting ransom,⬇

TheAromaofBooks (cont'd) so some of those aspects of the story were somewhat based on his experiences, and some of the people he mentions were real-life individuals that he met. It kind of felt like don Quixote himself got a little overshadowed by all these other stories for a while. What do you think about his neighbors‘ plan to basically kidnap him and force him to return home? Do you think DQ is harmless or a danger to himself and others? ⬇ 4mo
TheAromaofBooks (cont'd) On that note, I have to share the footnote my translation had concerning DQ whacking another character with a loaf of bread – “This is clearly not Wonder bread. I know from experience that Manchegan bread can be heavy, hard crusted, and with jagged points on the top, a weapon to be feared in close combat.” And now I‘m wondering if I should start carrying a loaf of bread for self-defense!! ⬇ 4mo
TheAromaofBooks (cont'd) Thank you SO much for sticking with me this far, friends!! We‘ll start Volume 2 on Friday. My understanding is that a few years passed between Cervantes‘s publication of Vol. 1 and Vol. 2, and in the meantime someone else published their own sequel!! So I guess some of Vol. 2 is Cervantes setting the record straight LOL

Side note: Vol. 2 also has an author‘s prologue, and we will be reading that on December 1, along with chapters 1-2.
4mo
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BarkingMadRead I‘m still playing catch up! I‘ll check back when I‘m caught up! 4mo
Cuilin That was a whirlwind and a whimper. Not sure I‘m enjoying all the extra stories. As for the incel goat herder. 😖 4mo
Librarybelle For awhile, I had a hard time keeping track of the various side stories, the love entanglements, and then the solutions to everything. Ready for volume 2! 4mo
TheBookHippie I cooked for a literal week! I am almost caught up but am loving it! (edited) 4mo
Daisey I‘ve had a hard time staying focused sometimes. A few times I‘ve been listening and suddenly realized I have no clue what is happening, so I have to go back a chapter. So many rather random stories! 4mo
janeycanuck I‘m SOOOO behind… here‘s hoping I can catch up!! 4mo
jenniferw88 I'm very behind and in Vienna... without the chunkster of the book 😆 Will catch up Monday/Tuesday! 4mo
Meshell1313 Just finished part 1! I love how they all meet up and I can‘t wait to see if he returns home. He is absolutely a danger to himself and others and needs to just stay home with his books! 🤣 So interesting about the publication of part 2 years later! Can‘t wait to see how this ends! 4mo
45 likes12 comments
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BarbaraJean
Don Quixote | Miguel de Cervantes
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“I‘ve got just as much soul as the next man, and maybe even more body.”
—Sancho Panza

😂😂

TheAromaofBooks Just read that line this morning 😂 For some reason, I was expecting Sancho to be the intelligent guide (I think because I've heard people say things like, “You can be my Sancho Panza and show me the way!“ which implies that SP is a purposeful guide??) but instead he's just as or even more ridiculous than don Quixote himself! I'm here for it 😆 4mo
27 likes1 comment
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Cuilin
Don Quixote | Miguel de Cervantes
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“the style is fatiguing, the action incredible, the courtesies clumsy, the battles long, the language foolish, the journeys nonsensical”

Well I laughed when I read this!!! This novel can be so tedious at times but I‘m hanging in there. @TheAromaofBooks #randomclassics

ChaoticMissAdventures It was much too long. So many of these older books needed a good editor! But I did enjoy it overall, glad you are finding pieces to like. 4mo
Cuilin @ChaoticMissAdventures it definitely needed a good editor. 4mo
TheAromaofBooks haha that's a FANTASTIC description! 😂 I feel a little behind the last couple of days but am catching back up. This is quite the crowd we've gathered at the inn! 4mo
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Graywacke Glad you‘re hanging in there. Some day I‘ll give this a try. 4mo
Cuilin @TheAromaofBooks right? crazy eclectic group. 4mo
Cuilin @Graywacke thanks it‘s more entertaining than not. 4mo
46 likes6 comments
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TheAromaofBooks
Don Quixote | Miguel de Cervantes
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I am posting this a little early so we can chat about whether it works for everyone haha We will be finishing Volume 1 on November 27, with 28-30 as catch-up days. I am thinking we can start Volume 2 on December 1, continuing with our 2 chapter/day method, but taking a little break for Christmas and then having two catch-up days at the beginning of January. I don't know about all of you, but my life does get a little crazy over those two weeks!! ⬇

TheAromaofBooks (cont'd) This will have us finishing the entire book mid-January. So let me know if you think this is too much time off, not enough off, or if you don't care, you just want to finishing this crazy book someday 😂

Speaking of which (thru ch. 38), any thoughts? We've had a lot of complicated romances going on these last few chapters! 😆 I will admit that I have skimmed over some of the more lengthy speeches. The whole story with the friend having⬇
4mo
TheAromaofBooks (cont'd) having his friend flirt with his wife definitely had a Shakespearean tragedy flavor to it! I can't say that I'm loving this book, or that I'll read it again, but it's entertaining in spots and overall more readable than I was anticipating from my past attempts. However... sometimes it is still rather boring!

Let me know how you all are doing, and how you feel about this December schedule!!
#RandomClassics
4mo
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Cuilin Same on all points. It gets a giggle out of me every now and then and I definitely speed read through certain parts. Overall I enjoy it. 4mo
Meshell1313 I think the schedule for part 2 sounds perfect! I‘m excited that we are almost done with part 1! I‘m laughing out loud at many parts but reading it together with this group has definitely made it more manageable. I would not be able to get through it without you all! 4mo
BarkingMadRead Sounds good to me!! 4mo
Librarybelle Sounds good to me! 4mo
Smarkies Works for me. I will definitely need the catch up days!😅😅 4mo
40 likes8 comments
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reading.rainb0w
Don Quixote | Miguel de Cervantes
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Casually reading 3 copies of Don Quixote nbd 🤣
I have an audiobook from Hoopla as well but I'm finding it easier to digest in print.

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BarbaraJean
Don Quixote | Miguel de Cervantes
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“…for a knight errant to go crazy for good reason, how much is *that* worth? My idea is to become a lunatic for no reason at all, and to ask my lady, seeing what I do without cause, what she imagines I might do if I really had one?”

I… well… okay, Don Quixote. You do you.
#RandomClassic

TheAromaofBooks I love the way that even Cervantes is like, you know what, let's let don Quixote do his own thing for a while and we'll go check in on some other characters 😂 4mo
willaful That makes me think of a line from Vonnegut, Mother Night I think -- “it offered me an opportunity to go crazy in a way I found irresistible.“ 4mo
BarbaraJean @TheAromaofBooks Hahaha, yes! Don Quixote starts doing his half-naked somersaults, annnnnd, over to Sancho. 😂 4mo
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TheAromaofBooks
Don Quixote | Miguel de Cervantes
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(thru ch24) - Is everyone keeping up okay? I am finding 2 chapters a day pretty manageable at this point. Poor DQ can't seem to catch a break, although a lot of his misadventures are because of his own wacky way of viewing the world 😂 I appreciated in this chapter that his love for books is what got him into trouble LOL

A few footnotes about “discrepancies“ in the text. In ch 19, when DQ busts up the funeral procession, the man who broke his ⬇

TheAromaofBooks (cont'd) leg very clearly rides away, yet on the next page he suddenly tells DQ that he's excommunicated for attacking a holy person. My footnote says that in the original, there is no notation of the fellow returning, he just reappears, says his line, and then is gone again. Do you think this is carelessness on Cervantes's part, or is he just messing with his readers?

Ch23 starts what is apparently one of the big controversies of Cervantes's ⬇
4mo
TheAromaofBooks (cont'd) book - The Mystery of When the Donkey Got Stolen 😂 According to my footnotes, when DQ and SP camp for the night towards the beginning of the chapter, the SECOND edition states that one of the freed criminals comes back and steals the donkey. Yet in various other places in this chapter, the donkey is mentioned. So my question is - do your editions mention the donkey being stolen in ch 23?

Any other thoughts on this genuinely fun but ⬇
4mo
TheAromaofBooks (cont'd) ridiculous story? I have found some of it a little repetitive, but the smaller chunks are actually helping me stay with the story. I think I would be more aggravated with DQ if I was trying to read this book all in one go.

4mo
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Bookwormjillk I‘m going to bail on this one. Just not my thing. Thank you though! 4mo
CatLass007 I had to bail on this one also. I found the first couple of chapters amusing but as chapters progressed I just started feeling sad. DQ is described as a 50 year old man, which makes him 11 years my junior. He is obviously suffering from some mental illness or maybe dementia. We have a history of mental illness in my family and I was caregiver for my mother who had late onset Alzheimer‘s. It‘s just not good for my mental health to continue DQ. 4mo
Cuilin I‘m loving it. It‘s definitely a lesson in letting stuff go. I just read the text and let it flow. I think I‘m a day behind but home sick so should catch up. I think it‘s interesting to see the world through DQ‘s mad mind and Sancho trying to reveal reality but his powerlessness means he can‘t affect change. 4mo
TheBookHippie I‘m only a day behind catching up today but enjoying it! I‘m doing better this go round I‘m confident I‘ll stick with it. It is ridiculous but I find it easy to manage this way and to take it as it is. I‘ll report back about the donkey. So far nothing. 4mo
eeclayton I'm going back and forth between two abridged versions I found, one of them mentions the stolen donkey, the other one doesn't.
I agree that the 2 chapters/day pace is well suited to this book, but I guess you all read much more than I do, because at points, my copies simply summarise a chunk of text in a few sentences, and move on. Even so, this amount of DQ is perfectly enough for me 😁
4mo
Larkken I‘m still behind but that‘s ok! Mmmm I want a blizzard now too. 4mo
Librarybelle I‘ve not read today‘s section yet. I‘m liking it, not as laugh out loud at the moment as it was earlier in the book. 4mo
Meshell1313 Ok just catching up- the 2 chapters a day is great and makes catching up easy if I fall a day or 2 behind! And yes- my version‘s footnote explains how Gines does steal the donkey and says it might not be mentioned in the 1st edition due to the book printer error? So crazy! 4mo
Meshell1313 But I‘m still loving it- I mean throwing up in each others mouths?? I‘m dying! I‘m really hoping there are scenes coming up where he meets the lady who he does everything in her honor for. It‘s just a series of unfortunate events! (edited) 4mo
Meshell1313 Also, my favorite quote of the whole thing so far that really explains DQ‘s delusions is when Sancho explains what an adventuring knight is: “an adventuring knight is someone who is beaten and then finds himself Emperor.” 🤣🤣🤣 4mo
Smarkies Am plodding along though I have a feeling that this may not be one of my favourite classic book. It is a little repetitive in the last few chapters but I am holding on... trying to have faith that cervantes would shake it up soon. 4mo
TheAromaofBooks @Bookwormjillk @CatLass007 - No worries, not every book works for every person!! 4mo
BarbaraJean So interesting—there‘s no mention of them camping for the night or of a stolen donkey in my chapter 23. And there are plenty of mentions of Sancho riding the donkey! The 2 chapters/day pace is working well for me; the chapters are usually so short. But it is getting repetitive/formulaic and I‘m eager for something new to happen! 4mo
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BarkingMadRead
Don Quixote | Miguel de Cervantes
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My husband came in and said he made me a book reading fire 🤣🤣 the dude knows how to get me to come out and hang with him 🤣

DGRachel Love it! That cover is gorgeous, too! 4mo
Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks So pretty 😍 4mo
5feet.of.fury Awww 🥰 4mo
Clare-Dragonfly That is love! 😍 4mo
57 likes5 comments
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TheBookHippie
Don Quixote | Miguel de Cervantes
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My new feminist ICON Marcela ✊🏼

#randomclassics with @TheAromaofBooks

TheAromaofBooks 🎉 🎉 🎉 5mo
dabbe 🧡🖤💜 5mo
Smarkies Definitely! 4mo
51 likes3 comments
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TheAromaofBooks
Don Quixote | Miguel de Cervantes
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(thru ch16) - Had a crazy few days at work, so I am just getting caught up on some Litsy stuff!!!

I feel like don Quixote gets beat up a lot 😂 But how about Marcela's speech?? It felt pretty progressive for 1605! Any other highlights? I'm hoping that don Quixote and poor Sancho get a little bit of rest before their next beatdown!! 😆

#RandomClassic

Larkken I'm not caught up yet, and I'm already impressed by the number of beat-downs! 5mo
Bookwormjillk Jumping on his bruised ribs made me curl up in a ball. Ouch. 5mo
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TheBookHippie I love her. Marcela. Love love love. 5mo
TheBookHippie @Bookwormjillk holds self while reading 😵‍💫🥴 5mo
Cuilin @TheBookHippie that speech could be copied and read out today to men who think they‘re entitled to women‘s bodies. Amazing. 👏 Cervantes! 5mo
TheBookHippie @Cuilin I was thinking the same thing!!!! 5mo
BarbaraJean @TheBookHippie @Cuilin Marcela is my new hero. SUCH a good speech and still so relevant—unfortunately!! 5mo
TheBookHippie @BarbaraJean SO RELEVANT ! 5mo
Cuilin @BarbaraJean Agree. 5mo
Bklover I am so far behind could you just drop me from this one? I am so sorry - if I catch up at some point I will let you know 😕❤️ 5mo
TheAromaofBooks @Bklover - No worries!! We'll have some scheduled catch-up days at the end of the month, so if you end up wanting to jump back in for Part 2, just let me know!! 5mo
Bklover I will do that!! 5mo
63 likes13 comments
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TheAromaofBooks
Don Quixote | Miguel de Cervantes
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(thru ch10) - So just to clarify, we are reading Part 1 this month, but Part 1 is also subdivided into four parts 😂 So we finished Part 1 of Part 1!

I find Cervantes mixture of “I'm the author“ and “I discovered this stuff already written“ to be slightly confusing but still entertaining. I'm also remembering that the reason I've bailed on this book in the past is partially because of all the names he throws at us, of various heroes, authors, ⬇

TheAromaofBooks (cont'd) poets, etc. - people who don't actually have anything to do with the story directly but are just being used for reference. While I don't read all my footnotes concerning these names, it helps to have them there just because it reminds me that, in a weird way, this name isn't really important, if that makes sense!

We've finally picked up Sancho, too!!

#RandomClassic
5mo
Cuilin I‘m loving it. Sancho saying “this is going to be worse than the windmills” made me lol and also the the footnote that said the the chapter introduction is wrong. This is the lighthearted read that I need right now. 5mo
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Bookwormjillk Yeah I skimmed some of those name dropping parts but glad to see Sancho. 5mo
Librarybelle I‘ve enjoyed it so far! 5mo
BarkingMadRead This is hysterical, I‘m loving it. How did I not know this was funny? I feel like I would have read it sooner 🤣 5mo
TheBookHippie I‘m enjoying this and laughing a ton -also is this the original name dropper???? 5mo
dabbe At least the name-dropping (so far) is pretty much literary. In THE ILIAD, all the name-dropping were either people getting slaughtered or people in their clans lining up for the next battle. I remember students would get frustrated and ask, “Do we need to know all these people?“ And I'd say, “If they're introduced and die within the same stanza, NO.“ 🤩 5mo
Cuilin @dabbe 🤣🤣🤣 5mo
Bklover @dabbe 💛🤣💛 5mo
Bluebird @dabbe 😂🤣😂🤣 5mo
Meshell1313 @BarkingMadRead totally agree! I‘m laughing out loud and had no idea that‘s what we were in for! 5mo
dabbe @Cuilin 🤩🤣🤗 5mo
dabbe @Bklover 🤩🤣🤗 5mo
dabbe @Bluebird 🤩🤣🤗 5mo
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BarbaraJean
Don Quixote | Miguel de Cervantes
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“Don Quijote sought out a farmer, a neighbor of his and a good man (if we can use that term for anyone who‘s poor) but not very well endowed from the neck up.”

😬😂

I quite like the description “not very well endowed from the neck up.” 😂 #RandomClassic

TheAromaofBooks Oh, that's so much better than my translation, which goes with the very boring “but not very smart“ 😂 My footnote also says that there was an old proverb that went, “poor man and honest, this cannot be“ so that's the kind of attitude Cervantes was accustomed to! 5mo
marleed I kind of love that! 5mo
Smarkies This translation is so cute! Mine says something like "but without much in the way of brains" 5mo
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Meshell1313 Love!! 5mo
BarbaraJean @Smarkies It's so interesting to compare translations! For this passage, I definitely prefer this one (even though he's # 9 on the list 😆)! @TheAromaofBooks Your footnote is fascinating--I took that particular comment as ironic, since the intro to my edition made a point of how Cervantes lived much of his life in poverty. But I suppose that doesn't mean he didn't have that same attitude toward the poor! 5mo
TheAromaofBooks Yes, I'm not sure if he said it sarcastically because so many people felt that way and he thought it was dumb, or said it sincerely because so many people felt that way including himself! 😂 5mo
BarbaraJean @TheAromaofBooks Haha, yeah - it could go either way! So much of this reads ironically that I feel like it must be the former, but honestly either way works with the sense of humor coming across throughout the text. 5mo
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BarbaraJean
Don Quixote | Miguel de Cervantes
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“…it wouldn‘t take much, once my uncle is cured of his knighthood sickness, to start reading these books and feel like becoming a shepherd, and then go around in the woods and meadows, singing and playing a flute and, even worse, writing poetry, which everyone knows is an infectious disease for which there‘s absolutely no cure.”

😂😂

#RandomClassic

Aimeesue Poetry: a fate worse than death. 😂 5mo
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reading.rainb0w
Don Quixote | Miguel de Cervantes
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Quixotic goals while reading Quixote

#Classics #ReadUntilYouGoInsane #QuixoteQuote

TheAromaofBooks For real!! 😂 😂 😂 5mo
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Daisey
Don Quixote | Miguel de Cervantes
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In all the discussion of books in chapter 6, I found this one the most interesting and amusing. The author‘s own first book is included on the shelves. According to the footnotes in my print copy, he never wrote a second part.

#SerialReader #RandomClassic

jenniferw88 I lol'd at that part, too! 5mo
TheAromaofBooks Yes!! 😂 5mo
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TheAromaofBooks
Don Quixote | Miguel de Cervantes
This post contains spoilers
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(thru ch6) - Oh dear, poor don Quixote, stranded in the road like a turtle on its back! 😂 And on a more serious note - I don't think there are words to describe how nuclear I would go if someone went through my library and started throwing out and burning my books!!!!!!! Not cool!!!

But now that he has been “officially“ knighted, I'm curious to see where don Quixote goes next!

#RandomClassic

Cuilin I wanted to rescind my invitation to the book burning!!!! DQ is only going to be crazier. I know I would be if somebody went and burnt my books. Giving a guy a hard time because he wants to cosplay. (edited) 5mo
Librarybelle Not the books!!! 😭 5mo
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TheBookHippie NOTTHEBOOKS 😭😭😭😭 5mo
TheBookHippie @Cuilin I‘d lose my ever loving mind…😵‍💫 5mo
Cuilin @TheBookHippie though it was funny how many the priest did not want to burn 🤔 5mo
TheBookHippie @Cuilin 😂👀😂👀 5mo
BarkingMadRead Omg the burning of those books had me raging 🤣 5mo
BarbaraJean I vacillated between hilarity and indignation about the books!! Some of the commentary was so funny. My footnotes pointed out that they suggest giving one of the books a laxative (“a dose of rhubarb“) because its 2nd, 3rd, and 4th parts needed to be “purged of overflowing biliousness“ 😂 I started wondering what these might correlate to with contemporary books--what would they make of the library of a crazed Twilight fan? 😂 5mo
Bookwormjillk Never burn someone‘s books. So wrong 😑 5mo
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dabbe
Don Quixote | Miguel de Cervantes
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#FirstLineFridays
@ShyBookOwl

“Somewhere in La Mancha, in a place whose name I do not care to remember, a gentleman lived not long ago, one of those who has a lance and ancient shield on a shelf and keeps a skinny nag and a greyhound for racing.“

reading.rainb0w I am reading this tome as well! Taking my time with this one so I can fully engage, so far I'm working through the prologue and sonnets 😆 5mo
dabbe @reading.rainb0w I've always been intimidated by this one, but so far, I'm doing okay. Only 4 chapters in, though. 🤣 5mo
reading.rainb0w We got this!! 5mo
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dabbe @reading.rainb0w 🤩 5mo
TheBookHippie I‘m enjoying it so far! 5mo
dabbe @TheBookHippie The dude can be quite brutal, though! 🤣 5mo
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jenniferw88
Don Quixote | Miguel de Cervantes
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@TheAromaofBooks, any excuse to get another of my favourite editions of the classics! ❤️ the Macmillan Collector's Library!

TheAromaofBooks Ooooo I love this cover!! 5mo
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TheAromaofBooks
Don Quixote | Miguel de Cervantes
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(thru ch2) - Oh my gosh, I am actually loving this book so far! Highlights for me include a man who reads so many books that he is selling his property so he can buy more books 😂

So, how do you all feel about footnotes? I have mixed feelings about them. Sometimes it just feels like they interrupt the flow of the story, but other times I appreciate the added context. My edition definitely loves them, but so far I have found them engaging. ⬇

TheAromaofBooks (cont'd) For instance, Quixote, thinking about some of his favorite books, says that he “wasn't at all comfortable with the wounds that don Belianis inflicted and received, because he thought that no matter how great the doctors were who treated him, his face and body would have been covered with scars.“ My footnote helpfully explains that don Belianis was the hero of four books, who received 101 serious wounds in the first half of his saga ⬇ 5mo
BarkingMadRead Each page of mine is half footnotes 🤣 I‘ve been avoiding them, they mess with the flow. If I feel like I need them, I‘ll read them, though 5mo
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janeycanuck I‘m reading on Scribd so the footnotes are at the back and there‘s literally hundreds and hundreds of pages of them. The novel ends at page 1435 but the book has 2200+ pages. I don‘t know how much longer I‘ll keep clicking them. 5mo
janeycanuck I was laughing out loud a few times as I read. The scene where he was eating with his helmet stuck on his head?! So good!!! 5mo
Bookwormjillk Mine doesn‘t seem to have footnotes, but I wouldn‘t read them anyway. They annoy me. I‘m enjoying the read so far. 5mo
TheBookHippie I don‘t read footnotes til the end 😂 5mo
TheBookHippie This is supposed to be sarcasm yes? 5mo
dabbe On a side note, I started reading the author's prologue, until important plot events were given. I stopped and went right into the book. So far, so good! Quixote reminds me of Sir Pellinore in THE ONCE AND FUTURE KING who also had to have his helmet on on the time, and he and his horse kept running into trees and whatnot. I feel like we're on an adventure just for the fun of an adventure! Let's go! 🤩 5mo
AlaMich I took a Spanish class that included a man who was learning Spanish for the sole purpose of reading this in the original. (edited) 5mo
Librarybelle I‘m not really paying attention to the footnotes, though I guess with my edition they‘re endnotes. If they were on the page with the text, I‘d probably read them as I was reading the story. 5mo
BarbaraJean My mileage usually varies when it comes to footnotes. I like commentary or explanation if it‘s interesting or helpful, and not intrusive—so far it‘s been a mix of helpful and annoying! I love all the little ironic side comments from the narrator, though. And of course the cardboard helmet that DQ can‘t take off because he doesn‘t want to ruin the ribbons it‘s tied on with 😂 5mo
Smarkies I am picking which footnotes I read I.e. if it seems interesting enough. 😂 l love that the book has started at a brisk pace. 5mo
Bluebird I‘m reading by audio, so wasn‘t aware there were footnotes. I have an ebook also, so I may take a peek after I finish each chapter…or maybe not. 😂 5mo
Cuilin Yes it‘s fabulous. Skimming the footnotes. 5mo
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Cuilin
Don Quixote | Miguel de Cervantes
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Three times a charm for me. Found this on Reddit lol. For anyone who is still deciding.

@TheBookHippie @TheAromaofBooks

TheBookHippie Wait I first read that wrong....... so I have 1,3 and 4........OY VEY!! 5mo
jenniferw88 I've got #9 arriving tomorrow @TheAromaofBooks 5mo
dabbe I've got #1; who knew except you? Thanks! 🤗 5mo
See All 27 Comments
Bluebird Oh no! I checked out the audio read by Simon Vance. It‘s the Smollett version. Will take another look at the library options…😂. Thanks! 5mo
Cuilin @dabbe this my third attempt at this novel so I had to research translations. I‘m reading # 1 too. 5mo
dabbe @Cuilin Yowza. I hope I can get through. I still have 200 pages to go in WAR & PEACE. #theneverendingnovel 5mo
Cuilin @dabbe isn‘t it (W&P) fabulous? 5mo
TheAromaofBooks Oh how fun!!! My guy didn't even make the list! 😂 I do have an old edition translated by Jervas - that's the one I've never managed to make it through! 5mo
Cuilin @TheAromaofBooks I‘m on my third attempt, three times a charm, right? 5mo
BarkingMadRead Mine didn‘t make the list 🤣 5mo
Cuilin @BarkingMadRead well at least it didn‘t make the “avoid like the plague” list 😆 5mo
BarkingMadRead @Cuilin Crisis averted 🤣🤣 5mo
Librarybelle Mine is #4 - thank goodness I should not avoid this one! 😂 @Cuilin @TheAromaofBooks 5mo
Cuilin @Librarybelle phew 😌 5mo
TheAromaofBooks @Cuilin @BarkingMadRead @Librarybelle - I was also relieved mine didn't show up on the bad list!!! 😂 I didn't even realize I was in danger!! 5mo
janeycanuck Haha - I think I saw this when I was researching translations. I picked Grossman for a reason!! 5mo
Cuilin @janeycanuck The comment section was hilarious 😂 5mo
Bookwormjillk I picked the cheapest one available for kindle. Glad to see it ranked second! 5mo
BarbaraJean Alas, mine (Raffel) clocks in at #6. It makes me laugh, in his translator's note he seemed rather pompous, saying something about being inspired to do his own translation when he realized he couldn't find one he could recommend. 🙄 At least he's not on the avoid list!! @Bluebird I thought about using Smollett's translation! I had a professor who was writing something about him, so it caught my eye. But never mind! I didn't like her class anyway! (edited) 5mo
TheBookHippie This comment section is life giving 😂😂😂♥️ 5mo
Daisey Love all the discussion with this readalong already! I‘ve got an audio version of the Ormsby translation and will probably mostly listen, but I also have a print copy of the Starkie translation. 5mo
Bluebird @Cuilin @BarbaraJean smollett version returned to the library! There was no other good option via audio, so I was going to breakdown and use an audible credit to get the book. Lo and behold, the Grossman translation was already in my audible library. I forgot I bought it awhile ago. 🤦‍♀️ I really must break the habit of perusing the library for my next read instead of checking my own shelves 😜 5mo
Cuilin @Bluebird I have been known to buy a book I already own. Lol 5mo
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TheBookHippie
Don Quixote | Miguel de Cervantes
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The nerd in me is deciding between these three translations 😂🤷🏻‍♀️ #randomclassic

So far even after reading I can‘t decide 😂👀

Bookwormjillk I like the name Walter Starkie. 5mo
TheBookHippie @Bookwormjillk I like signet generally for Shakespeare and he is the signet one! I like the name too, it‘s fun! 5mo
TheAromaofBooks Hmmm, does one of the books feel “nicer“ to read? 😂 I'm actually curious - did it seem like there was a big difference between the different translations, or are they pretty similar? 5mo
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TheBookHippie @TheAromaofBooks Walter seems more intelligent- Edith easier to read -and of course neither of those are the print I like but yes there is some difference in language. Proper verses current language 😂 5mo
TheAromaofBooks Mine definitely feels more modern/casual. In some cases that would annoy me, but so far it kind of seems to fit since I don't get the impression that Cervantes was trying to be particularly scholarly when he wrote it! 😆 5mo
TheBookHippie @TheAromaofBooks I was under the impression this was sarcasm yes 😂 5mo
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BarbaraJean
Don Quixote | Miguel de Cervantes
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Tackling both of these in November/December may only be slightly less crazy than when I planned to read Once and Future King and Count of Monte Cristo in April/May. 🤪 #ChunksterChallenge2023 #RandomClassic

Amiable I‘m pretty sure I‘ve read the London one—I remember it going fairly quickly, despite its heft. Not sure about “Don Quixote,” though! 5mo
TheAromaofBooks Oh my, that's quite the combo!!! 5mo
BarbaraJean @Amiable I‘ve read Sarum by the same author, and really liked it—this one should be similar! And it will fulfill my last Chunkster category. 😊 Don Quixote is actually a re-read so I‘m not counting it for the Chunkster Challenge! I remember it being thoroughly enjoyable (like 20 years ago!), and I can‘t resist a good Litsy buddy read…😁 5mo
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TheAromaofBooks
Don Quixote | Miguel de Cervantes
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(thru the prologue) Well! Even though we've barely started, I'm encouraged by the sense of humor already presenting itself. Definitely sounds like Cervantes isn't taking himself terribly seriously 😂

What translators do your editions have? Mine is Tom Lathrop, and I really enjoyed reading his introduction as well. He says that Cervantes's “advertised objective“ was to “imitate and make so much fun of the ancient romances of chivalry ⬇

TheAromaofBooks (cont'd) ...that no further ones would be written,“ which in and of itself is a fantastic goal haha Lathrop also got into a bit about the inconsistencies in the text and the (scholarly) controversy surrounding them - was Cervantes a sloppy writer, or did he create the errors on purpose to add to the atmosphere/mockery of the chivalrous romances he was parodying? Lathrop falls into the “on purpose“ group, and also points out that some ⬇ 5mo
TheAromaofBooks (cont'd) translations choose to correct these errors/“errors“ so it may be interesting to see if we come across any such conflicts as we go along.

Tomorrow we start for real with chapters 1 and 2, and I'm genuinely excited to see where this #RandomClassic goes!!
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CatLass007 My audiobook doesn‘t list the translator. It may be an older edition because it‘s included in my Audible subscription. Thanks for sharing the comments of your translator. 5mo
Bookwormjillk My translator is John Ormsby. I didn‘t notice any errors but then again my kids had me up way too late last night and I read first thing in the morning so… 5mo
LaraS I have the Edith Grossman one, apparently my library has “unlimited copies” on the Libby app, which is very cool. It also has another introduction by Harold Bloom but I skipped that one - I have been burned before on serious spoilers on intros in classics! I may come back to it at the end. Also, I may have stayed up well past my bedtime squeezing in a few more hours on the #scarathlon, so there‘s only so much reading my brain can handle today 😆 (edited) 5mo
TheAromaofBooks @Bookwormjillk - I think the errors are supposed to be later in the text. The introduction didn't go into much detail, but said it was things like a secondary character's name changing, that sort of thing. 5mo
TheAromaofBooks @CatLass007 - It's such an old book, there are LOADS of translations!! 5mo
TheAromaofBooks @LaraS - I actually usually skip the introductions to classics as well - so many times they are basically just a synopsis of the plot! Why would I want that?! 😂 But this one was more about his philosophy behind his translating and that sort of thing. 5mo
BarbaraJean I'm just about to dive in! Mine is the Burton Raffel translation. In his Translator's Note, he proclaims “I have been scrupulously careful not to mute Cervantes's dazzling irony, nor have I consciously suppressed, bowdlerized, or altered anything.“ I don't think Cervantes takes himself seriously at ALL, but this translator maybe does. 😂 As I recall, this is pretty hilarious in parts. Looking forward to the ride!! (edited) 5mo
wanderinglynn I have a 1983 Penguin Classic edition that is a reprint of the 1950 version translated by J.M. Cohen. And I‘m already behind! This might end up being a multi-month read for me since this is also NaNoWriMo. Or I might try to read most of it during Thanksgiving week since I‘m off that week. But I‘m going to try to keep up! 5mo
Bklover Mine is the Edith Grossman translation. Like @LaraS , I too skipped the introduction. 😊😊 5mo
jenniferw88 Haven't even got my copy yet... for some reason, I thought we were starting in January, so I'll probably end up sitting this out unless I can get a copy in the next few days! 5mo
eeclayton I'm having trouble finding a translation. Since English isn't my mother tongue, I'm looking for one in my native language, Hungarian (though I read a lot in Eng, I don't want to be two languages away from the original and risk any distortions). However, the versions I've found seem to be reworked rather than translated, and some of them are way shorter (200-400p!) Started to read the longest copy, but still searching for sg closer to the original. 5mo
TheAromaofBooks @BarbaraJean - When I was reading my translator's introduction, it was honestly cracking me up because I realized that there are people out there whose LIFE is this book! I love it 😂 5mo
TheAromaofBooks @wanderinglynn - I'm not sure if you saw the schedule I posted earlier this week, but we are only trying to get through Part 1 this month, with the last three days of November “officially“ set aside for catch up days. But I totally understand if there are too many other commitments going on to keep up with this one!! 5mo
TheAromaofBooks @Bklover - You definitely have to be careful with those introductions!!! They always seem to assume that you've already read the book 😑 5mo
TheAromaofBooks @jenniferw88 - Oh no!!! Sorry for the confusion!!! We are only trying to get through Part 1 this month, so hopefully you can still catch up with us!! 5mo
TheAromaofBooks @eeclayton - What an interesting problem! I'm always intrigued by what books are considered “important“ enough to be translated. This is SUCH an old book, so it appears that a lot of people have had different ideas of what Cervantes was trying to say. I hope you're able to find one that works!! 5mo
jenniferw88 @TheAromaofBooks I've given in and ordered one from Amazon - it's coming tomorrow! 5mo
Meshell1313 I‘m also reading the Edith Grossman version and I‘m loving it! So funny and sarcastic. I liked reading the intro and about her struggles with the translation. 5mo
janeycanuck I've got the Edith Grossman, as well. I laughed right out loud a couple of times already this morning, I think this is going to be a fun read!!
5mo
TheBookHippie I‘m looking at three to decide for now I‘ve read Walter Starkie Edith Grossman and John Rutherford 😂 generally I don‘t read intros for multiple reasons but this one was very interesting. 5mo
Larkken Hi! I‘d love to join y‘all for this I think, please! 5mo
TheAromaofBooks @Larkken - Yay!! We would love to have you along!! I'll tag you on the schedule post so you can see where we are!! 5mo
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Librarybelle
Don Quixote | Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra
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Somehow I forgot that today starts the next #RandomClassics ! Good thing I remembered…I really don‘t want to get behind with this! 😂

I‘m ready to tilt at windmills and save the day…

TheAromaofBooks Yay!!! 5mo
Pogue I love Don Quixote. 5mo
Librarybelle @Pogue I only read the Prologue last night and found it hilarious! 5mo
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Meshell1313
Don Quixote Deluxe Edition | Miguel de Cervantes, Edith Grossman
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Starting this super chunkster with the #RandomClassics group this month! I‘m hooked already- who knew it was so funny? I‘m truly loving the sarcasm. So far I think the two chapters a day is going to work great! What‘s everyone else thinking so far?

TheBookHippie Starting tonight! Just made my cocoa ! 5mo
TheAromaofBooks I was surprised by the humor as well!! I ended up reading my translator's introduction as well, which was super interesting. 5mo
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BarkingMadRead
Don Quixote | Miguel de Cervantes
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Starting this one today as well! #randomclassics

AlaMich That cover is gorgeous! 5mo
BarkingMadRead @AlaMich I just love it, it jumped right out at me! 5mo
TheAromaofBooks This is the edition I picked out as well!! 5mo
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