Discussion
I came across this book in a slightly unusual way. I knew there was a book called Don Quixote but had never paid it any attention. I was re-watching the West Wing and a character used the phrase "Tilting at Windmills". I didn't know what it meant and looked it up and found it came from this book. The book sounded interesting so I thought I would give it ago and ordered a copy.
I was slightly put off by the 900+ pages. I generally prefer to read factual books and when I do read fiction its general simpler stuff along the lines a Flemming or Le Carre spy novel. Also when I've tried to read the "classics" in the past I've struggled with them.
Anyway I actually really enjoyed this book. Its quite funny in places, especially in the first part when he is constantly misinterpreting situations. The first part goes off in tangents at times and there other stories within the story but these help to break it up a bit and are entertaining in their own right. The only bit I didn't really like was:
The ending. 900 odd pages and then its summed up in one chapter. Falls ill, decides he isn't mad after all, and dies. Author sums up by saying he wrote this books because he didn't like books about knights.
Throughout both books whether he was mad or not was an almost constant question being asked by the other characters so I was a bit let down that this was dealt with by him suddenly deciding he wasn't mad. I wonder if he was never mad and just said that because he thought he had failed as a knight-errant.
Anyway I would recommend anyone giving this book a go. Now I have conquered a vast classic wondering if I should try and tackle War and Peace next.
I was slightly put off by the 900+ pages. I generally prefer to read factual books and when I do read fiction its general simpler stuff along the lines a Flemming or Le Carre spy novel. Also when I've tried to read the "classics" in the past I've struggled with them.
Anyway I actually really enjoyed this book. Its quite funny in places, especially in the first part when he is constantly misinterpreting situations. The first part goes off in tangents at times and there other stories within the story but these help to break it up a bit and are entertaining in their own right. The only bit I didn't really like was:
The ending. 900 odd pages and then its summed up in one chapter. Falls ill, decides he isn't mad after all, and dies. Author sums up by saying he wrote this books because he didn't like books about knights.
Throughout both books whether he was mad or not was an almost constant question being asked by the other characters so I was a bit let down that this was dealt with by him suddenly deciding he wasn't mad. I wonder if he was never mad and just said that because he thought he had failed as a knight-errant.
Anyway I would recommend anyone giving this book a go. Now I have conquered a vast classic wondering if I should try and tackle War and Peace next.
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