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"Don Quixote, a poor gentleman of La Mancha, a man of gentle and amiable disposition and otherwise sane, has had his wits disordered by inordinate devotion to the tales of chivalry, and imagines himself called upon to roam the world in search of adventures on his old horse, Rosinante, and accoutred in rusty armour, accompanied by a squire in the shape of rustic Sancho Panza..." -Oxford Companion to English Literature"
--This text refers to an alternate
Paperback
edition.
Book Description
The definitive translation of the world's greatest novel
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
49 of 50 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
How can a person provide a review of one of the most important works of literature in the world? In my case, I don't think I can, but I can offer observations on what it felt like to read.
I first read Don Quixote in a previous translation, and finally made it through the first volume in a few months. It was like pulling teeth. I knew that it was a famous story, and techically interesting, but the first three hundred pages seemed like repetitive episodes of the same joke. It appeared little wonder that the most quoted chapter around tilting at windmills was the first one.
This time around, with Edith Grossman's translation, it was a great deal more enjoyable. The text flows beautifully, and where it is impossible to translate nuances or technical terms, she explains all in informative footnotes. For once, I can only agree with the publishers: it is the definitive translation.
This is well worth the effort of braving the initial episodes, and taking the time to read properly. For me, it's only after the famous events such as mistaking sheep for an approaching army and suchlike are out of the way, that the book becomes really interesting. There are fascinating novellas that dwell on relations with the Moors, and the perils of young love in the 16th Century, which are at least as good as the main text.
So, by all means, buy this version. Particularly the paperback. The hardback was too heavy to read in bed.
I first read Don Quixote in a previous translation, and finally made it through the first volume in a few months. It was like pulling teeth. I knew that it was a famous story, and techically interesting, but the first three hundred pages seemed like repetitive episodes of the same joke. It appeared little wonder that the most quoted chapter around tilting at windmills was the first one.
This time around, with Edith Grossman's translation, it was a great deal more enjoyable. The text flows beautifully, and where it is impossible to translate nuances or technical terms, she explains all in informative footnotes. For once, I can only agree with the publishers: it is the definitive translation.
This is well worth the effort of braving the initial episodes, and taking the time to read properly. For me, it's only after the famous events such as mistaking sheep for an approaching army and suchlike are out of the way, that the book becomes really interesting. There are fascinating novellas that dwell on relations with the Moors, and the perils of young love in the 16th Century, which are at least as good as the main text.
So, by all means, buy this version. Particularly the paperback. The hardback was too heavy to read in bed.
62 of 64 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
I had put off reading Don Quixote for many years imagining that it wouldbe difficult to read. The weight of the book, physically andmetaphorically just seemed too oppressing!
I couldn't have been morewrong. I had read so many rave reviews of Edith Grossman's translationthat I thought I would give it a go. I'm so pleased I did. This book is"laugh out loud" funny - I was not expecting to read bits aloud andgiggle! I think I expected to have to work hard to get through it but it'sa complete page turner! It also has a cinematic feel which to a nonliterature student like myself seems way ahead of its time and thecharacters, major and minor shine from every page. I now know why peoplesay this was the first modern novel - it contains all the elements of agreat read that we now take for granted. I have not read any othertranslations but Grossman's prose truly brought the book alive for me. I'mamazed how a book written in the late 16th and early 17th century can nowbe read in such an easy and accessible manner. Don Quixote can be read onmany levels (the joy of all great books) but if, like me, you were put offby it's stature, don't be, just dive in and enjoy.
I couldn't have been morewrong. I had read so many rave reviews of Edith Grossman's translationthat I thought I would give it a go. I'm so pleased I did. This book is"laugh out loud" funny - I was not expecting to read bits aloud andgiggle! I think I expected to have to work hard to get through it but it'sa complete page turner! It also has a cinematic feel which to a nonliterature student like myself seems way ahead of its time and thecharacters, major and minor shine from every page. I now know why peoplesay this was the first modern novel - it contains all the elements of agreat read that we now take for granted. I have not read any othertranslations but Grossman's prose truly brought the book alive for me. I'mamazed how a book written in the late 16th and early 17th century can nowbe read in such an easy and accessible manner. Don Quixote can be read onmany levels (the joy of all great books) but if, like me, you were put offby it's stature, don't be, just dive in and enjoy.
55 of 57 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This is the best book I have read in a very long time. Edith Grossman has made the story very readable and deserves to be commended. When I started reading Don Quixote, even though it is over 900 pages in length, I tried rationing myself to ten pages a day, hoping to savour the imagery and stretch out the joy for as long as possible. Suffice to say I couldn't do it. I am now very close to the end of the story, and I am already feeling sorry for having raced through the last few hundred pages.
As for the storyline, it concerns the many adventuers of an old man who adopts the life of a knight errant (Don Quixote), and his squire (Sancho Panza). The novel contains many sub-novellas (short stories and digressions), and so it could be thought of not as one book but many. I will not give any more detail, but I will say the mix of the absurd and intelligent, and the masterly writing style of Cervantes (and expert translation by Grossman), makes for one of the best books of all time.
This is the only book of fiction that I am not going to sell on; I hope to revisit Don Quixote every year from here on. Also worth mentioning is the wonderful illustration on the front cover by Pablo Picasso.
Follow up - March 2011: I have read my copy of Don Quixote so many times that the spine has cracked and pages are coming loose and falling out. I also saw fit to rip out the rather off-putting introduction by Harold Bloom, where Bloom compares Cervantes to Shakespeare...it is a rather horrible thing that had to be done away with. Grossman's translation has had me transfixed and at times perplexed (do we admire or pity Quixote?). Indeed, my obsession with the book and its characters and ideas has not diluted over the years, but has grown stronger; I am half way through the book for one final time and while I feel that I must hold on to this masterpiece as a physical object of admiration, once I have finished this reading I am planning to tape the book up with sellotape so as not to spend any more time reading it. An eternal wonder.
As for the storyline, it concerns the many adventuers of an old man who adopts the life of a knight errant (Don Quixote), and his squire (Sancho Panza). The novel contains many sub-novellas (short stories and digressions), and so it could be thought of not as one book but many. I will not give any more detail, but I will say the mix of the absurd and intelligent, and the masterly writing style of Cervantes (and expert translation by Grossman), makes for one of the best books of all time.
This is the only book of fiction that I am not going to sell on; I hope to revisit Don Quixote every year from here on. Also worth mentioning is the wonderful illustration on the front cover by Pablo Picasso.
Follow up - March 2011: I have read my copy of Don Quixote so many times that the spine has cracked and pages are coming loose and falling out. I also saw fit to rip out the rather off-putting introduction by Harold Bloom, where Bloom compares Cervantes to Shakespeare...it is a rather horrible thing that had to be done away with. Grossman's translation has had me transfixed and at times perplexed (do we admire or pity Quixote?). Indeed, my obsession with the book and its characters and ideas has not diluted over the years, but has grown stronger; I am half way through the book for one final time and while I feel that I must hold on to this masterpiece as a physical object of admiration, once I have finished this reading I am planning to tape the book up with sellotape so as not to spend any more time reading it. An eternal wonder.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
CHIVALRY NEED NOT BE DEAD
A brave endeavour this....you might almost call it "quixotic".....to rewrite the first true novel of European literature in a brisk, bright style that will appeal to younger... Read more
Published 7 months ago by Mervyn Capel
Great Translation of a genuine Classic
If this is one of the classics you've always thought you should get round to reading then go for it. Read more
Published 9 months ago by Tom Page
Clear, lively reading of Smollett's translation
The translation used here is that by Tobias Smollett, the C18th English writer. Smollett himself wrote humorous novels (Roderick Random and Peregrin Pickle) and so has a style that... Read more
Published 14 months ago by P. R. Rustage
Excellent read
Really nice book and dust cover. A must for anybody wanting to learn anything about Spanish literature.
Cervantes is Spains version of Shakespear.
Cervantes is Spains version of Shakespear.
Published 14 months ago by Janice Rothwell
Don Quixote by Cervantes (translated by Edith Grossman)
Given that this book was written 500 years ago it is surprisingly readable. In fact, it is a thoroughly enjoyable and often comical read. Read more
Published 15 months ago by R. D. Bovington
Book bargain of the year ?
The illustrations alone are worth the purchase price (the main reason I bought the book is because Chris Riddell is a cartoonist for the Observer)
The stories are quite... Read more
The stories are quite... Read more
Published 16 months ago by Mr. I. D. Baldwin
The best book ever written?
This is a big and long book. It takes a big and long holiday to read it, but it is worth it. The translation is superb and was recommended to me on this basis. Read more
Published 16 months ago by D.O.S.
A truly enjoyable read
I didnt think I would enjoy this...and was proved totally wrong. Although it's set in 16th century Spain, the humour remains vivid for the modern reader and I laughed out loud at... Read more
Published 17 months ago by sally tarbox
Amazing read
This book is simply amazing. A must read if you enjoy the classics. Its arrival was also earlier than predicted.
Published 17 months ago by Sikasso46
The Spanish Classic
This book is a long one at 940 pages, though some of this is taken up by sonnets and the prologue to the second part of the book. Read more
Published 21 months ago by Christian
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