Don Quixote: Penguin Classics

Comparing some 7-8 translations in-store, judging from the author's preface alone, this penguin edition appeared to be the most faithful, both syntactically and rhythmically. The 'English' translations succeeded in reducing the pace of the original Spanish to pedantic and boorish academic English; the majority of the modern renderings this reviewer viewed appeared to be self-consciously bowdlerized paraphrasings for the purpose of making Cervantes 'accessible' to the literature consuming portion of the dullard masses; the 'cultured' public . . .A great translation, don't bother with the leveled down tripe or plodding prose of paraphrast translators of dubious intent.

I have a couple versions of Don Quixote, and I've looked at others, and this version, translated by J. M. Cohen, is my personal favorite. From his introduction you find that he has a great love for Spanish literature in general, and this book in particular. His translation of the first sentence alone makes the book; "Idle reader, you can believe without any oath of mine that I would wish this book, as the child of my brain, to be the most beautiful, the liveliest and the cleverest imaginable." Due to the subtlety of languages, every version I've read of this sentence is different, and I don't know much Spanish, nor do I have a Spanish copy to ask a friend to translate it for me, so I couldn't tell you what version is most accurate, but I can tell you that J. M. Cohen's version seems to fit the tone and tempo of the rest of the book.This version also collects both the first and second Don Quixote novels by Cervantes. I haven't seen any other collection which has this, and I can't find the sequel on it's own.The book itself is very funny. Unlike the way Don Quixote is often protrayed, Don Quixote doesn't go mad, he simply chooses to see the world differently, to see himself as a knight, to see windmills as giants, to see inn's as castles. His exploits cause him to have quite a bit of painful accidents, but he continues on. Sancho Panza, often described as a "simple fool" I believe may have been mentally retarded, because he genuinely believed the things his master told him, despite all evidence to the contrary. At times, he would make up stories to get out of errands Don Quixote sent him on, and, like a child, would come to believe his own fictions.In their journeys they meet a variety of characters, some boring which Don Quixote makes interesting, some interesting which Don Quixote ignores, thinking them boring. They find adventures where none are to be had, and sleep while genuine adventurs occur all around them.It's a brilliant story which still holds up over four hundred years after it origionally saw print, and in this translation, including both books, is quite a pleasure to read.

great story. hard to read though

The phrase 'ahead of it's time' is such a cliche that I tend to avoid it all together. Unfortunately, when trying to describe Don Quixote, no better phrase comes to mind. Written in the 1500's, this book is perhaps the first modern comedy. In Don Quixote's squire, Sancho Panza, you'll find traits later used in the ingenius Dickens' character Samuel Weller (Pickwick Papers) some 300 years later. And the craft of the language used by the translator of this new edition, along with their reassuring preface, gives me the impression that very little was lost in this translation, or at least this translation loses the least of other translations.This book, which is a little over 1000 pages (though heavily laden with appendixes) is a great read, and the only complaint I have is the clumsy handling of the translator's notes. There is a lot of Latin quoting in the book, along with references to other chivalric novels, and rather than simply supplying a foot note, they've decided to place all of these in the back of the book, which add a lot of page flipping and unnecessary interruptions to your reading if you want to know and understand everything that's happening. Hopefully in the next edition of this translation, they will correct this. I gave this book 5 stars because it's such an excellent book in itself excellently translated, that I decided it more than worthy of the rating, but if the lack of foot notes bothers you, you may want to disqualify it.

If i had to read just one book, it would probably be this book. there is something at work on all 1000 pages. so much of sancho's wisdom and don quixote's drive are in this book.

It's a beautifully bound volume. However, I guess I shoulda known that it was not the complete work. My error.

Very good!

This book is very poorly made. I've attached a pic so you can see the poor quality of the print. It looks like it was written on a poorly functioning typewriter. And it's not just the print, the entire book has a very cheap feel to it. I'm sending it back.

Penguin Classics' edition of "Don Quixote" is an absolute literary treasure. Cervantes' timeless masterpiece is brilliantly preserved in this meticulously crafted edition. The translation captures the essence of the original Spanish, making it accessible to modern readers without losing the charm of the original prose. The extensive footnotes and introduction provide valuable context, enriching the reading experience. The durable cover and high-quality paper ensure this classic will endure for generations. Penguin Classics has truly done justice to this iconic work, making it a must-have for any bookshelf. Reading "Don Quixote" in this edition is a delightful journey into the world of chivalry, humor, and profound insight.

Don Quixote and Cervantes need no introduction. Coming to the condition of the book - it arrived in very good condition and the cover is glossy. It is a massive book and one needs to be careful so that the spine of the book doesn't get damaged. The book is not floppy at all.

Product met my expectations. Delivered on time

Ottima edizione di un classico senza tempo che ha portato alla nascita del romanzo moderno. Arrivato in ottime condizioni. Consigliato.

I'm happy with the book.The only thing that was disappointing to me is that there is some damage to the book.The cover had a bent corner and several silvering spots, which is probably because of the packaging which wasn't too protective of any content inside of it. refer to photos for an example.