Public reader discussion about Don Quixote in the WeRead Catalog by Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra.
By MidnightEclipse7
I randomly got the urge to finally read Don Quixote since it’s one of those classics I somehow still haven’t tackled. I’m just stuck on what translation to pick though—there seem to be so many. I’ve heard people talk a lot about the Edith Grossman one, but I’m not sure if I should go with that. Any recommendations?
By swanplain1790
I grabbed Don Quixote a few years back and just clicked with it right away. It’s one of those classics that pulls you in fast. Since then I’ve ended up chasing a few other “Don Quixote” type books—like The Idiot (Dostoevsky) and Confederacy of Dunces (John Kennedy Toole). The fact that the stories shift around in time, place, and author makes it a pretty fun reading path, and I’d love to add more. Any recommendations for other books like that?
By GOLDVELVET
Week 32 already?? Time is flying. I’m on vacation this week, and between chasing a loud toddler and being pregnant, I’m really hoping I can actually squeeze in some reading. I’m definitely in a slump right now, so I’m crossing my fingers that I’m starting to get out of it. Finished: **A Marriage at Sea: A True Story of Love, Obsession, and Shipwreck** (Sophie Elmhirst) — This one was absolutely wild. I also liked that it was relatively short for me (just under 6 hours on audio). The whole survival after a shipwreck part is kind of unbelievable, but it was also oddly moving because it’s not just about the disaster—it’s also about a marriage. I’d recommend it. Currently reading: **West** (Carys Davies) — I have this sinking feeling I left it at home when I packed for vacation…ugh. I did make some progress earlier though, so hopefully once I’m back I can finish it fast. **The Ghost Stories of Edith Wharton** (Edith Wharton…obviously) — I grabbed this collection again after dipping into it a few months ago, and the short story format is really helping my slump. They’re spooky without being too intense, and they cover a bunch of years (from 1904 to 1937). Up next: I brought **Dusk** (Robbie Arnott) and I’m excited to start it. Also **Victorian Psycho** (Virginia Feito) for book club. I’m a little worried about it, though—after reading the first few sentences, I really think the satire is going to get on my nerves. We’ll see! What is everyone else reading?
By CanyonLavender1985
Hi, first time posting here—be gentle 😅. I’m not exactly a big reader, but I’ve been trying to push myself into more difficult books. I always heard that Don Quixote is super tough, but I don’t know if I fully buy that. It’s honestly pretty funny and kind of weirdly surreal, and it feels like people still act the same way after 400+ years. I’m having a great time with it, even though some of the words trip me up. Luckily my Kindle makes word-checking super easy. That said, I’m also weirdly creeped out by Don Quixote. I can totally picture him in today’s world as some unhinged guy trying to “fight crime” with a gun, like—just the vibe is terrifying. It’s kind of awesome. Okay, so I wanted to ask something about the windmill scene. I’ve heard it referenced so much in my life, even by people who haven’t read the book. But when I got there, it felt… kind of short? I just read chapter 8: Sancho and Don are traveling, Don spots the windmills, charges at them, his lance snaps, and he falls off. That’s it. Am I missing something, or is that really all there is to it? I get that it might be symbolic, but it still feels odd that this is the one everyone talks about when the book has had other moments that seem way more intense. Why did *this* one become the iconic scene?
By Superuser
This whole captive-life bit keeps going, and I’m kind of stuck on how the “bath” routine is described—just living like that, day after day, while everyone’s controlled. Also, the master feels unfairly cruel to almost everyone, and I can’t tell why he’s treating Saavedra differently. I’m also not sure what to make of those certificates the Christian captives are supposed to give to the renegados… it sounds like a dangerous little system, but maybe it’s all they’ve got. And Zoraida so far—her letters make her seem important, but that detail where she drops the cane only for our captive and not the other guys is weird to me. I don’t fully trust the escape plan or the renegado yet, even though they’re swearing by God and all that, because it still feels risky and kind of shady. If anything, the part about getting ransomed using the merchant and keeping their secret hidden because it could put them in danger definitely hit me.
By hawkWandering8606
Hey everyone, I wanted to throw out something kind of curious: there’s this “saying” that shows up all over Spanish-speaking countries, and I’m not totally sure it’s real. Miguel de Cervantes is basically the biggest name in Spanish literature. Like, our Shakespeare kind of deal. He’s super respected, both in Spain and in Latin America. And yeah, most people grow up hearing about *Don Quixote de la Mancha*—you see it in schools, festivals, books, art, music… it’s everywhere, and at some point you’re almost guaranteed to read it (or at least parts of it). Anyway, there are these popular phrases we call *refranes*. One of them is often credited to *Don Quixote*: “Ladran Sancho, es señal que cabalgamos” (like, “They’re barking, Sancho, it means we’re riding,” meaning if people are talking or attacking you, you’re still moving forward). The thing is… he never actually says it. Not anywhere in the whole book, not even close. Yet it’s treated like a direct quote anyway—shirts, mugs, decorations, sculptures, references in other stuff. You’d think it was in there a lot, but it isn’t. So if it’s an error, it feels like one of those “Elementary, my dear Watson” type mix-ups—either people misremembering or something getting passed around. But here’s the weird part: the phrase itself seems really old, so it might not even be some recent mistake. What do you think?
By gladesmopple
This book kinda still sticks with me and how I look at my own life. It made me think that, out of basically infinite ways things could go, we end up picking a story about ourselves and using it to show other people who we are. And I don’t know… it feels like those stories aren’t fully real since they don’t include everything. But at the same time, they are real in the sense that we live inside them, they shape what we experience, and they mess with other people’s reality too. Sorry, I’m rambling, but it also makes me feel like I’m just telling myself an ongoing story that I keep revising. And it reminded me of Don Quixote—like if someone takes your story away, you kind of lose your identity and it can drive you crazy. Basically, we’re all just telling stories all the time.
By LoneGlad34
I’m about halfway through *Don Quixote* right now, and something in it just snapped into place for me—I can’t stop thinking about it. If you’ve read it too, I feel like there’s a really interesting convo here. Cervantes does such a good job showing how easy it is for someone to mess with what they’re seeing so it all matches the story they want to believe. But then where’s the line between “personal worldview” and straight-up insanity? A lot of the talks between Sancho and Don Q are basically Sancho laying out what he thinks is going on and Don Q dismissing it all as “enchantments,” or somehow turning it to fit his own version of reality. I haven’t finished yet, so I don’t know what Cervantes is really going for—like, does Sancho finally clock the nonsense? Does Don Q actually manage to become a knight and get some kind of castle? Or do they just keep riding off and calling it an adventure? And yeah, I know where I’m going with this: the back-and-forth feels a lot like those arguments you see where one side insists it’s all lies and “it wouldn’t happen like that,” but won’t look at any real explanation or evidence—just stays locked into their own frame. I’m not saying this is only a US thing or only one group, but that’s the environment I’m in. Still, it seems like a lot of fascist regimes end up gaining power by reshaping how people see the world. To everyone else, DQ is just a crazy guy. To him, though, this is his whole real life—there’s no other option. Would love to hear what you think. Also not sure if politically themed posts are allowed here, so feel free to remove if needed.
By readswindow
Is there anything I should know before jumping into this? Like do I need to be familiar with chivalric romances or anything like that? If yes, what specific ones would you suggest I read or look up first? Any tips or background info would be really helpful.
By strangeteacuphoney
I’m an avid reader and somehow Don Quixote has always grabbed my attention. I started it a long time ago, but I DNF pretty early for whatever reason. I’m totally not scared of big classics—my all-time favorite is Les Mis, and I’ve read a good chunk of Dickens. I’d love to hear what you think, and also whether you have a preferred translation. Thanks!
By cafefinds
Hola a todos! En mi opinión, Cervantes cuenta como si estuviéramos viendo el final de una etapa: la decadencia del reino español y del imperio. Se siente como un momento de bajón, donde una aristocracia bastante cínica se burla de alguien que intenta volver a las ideas de la caballería. Don Quijote me parece una mezcla rara de locura y de lucidez. Lo veo “loco” porque está obsesionado con defender la caballería justo cuando ya nadie cree en eso. Pero al mismo tiempo es buena gente, generoso y muchas veces hasta sorprendentemente inteligente con quien le pide ayuda. Para mí es un tipo noble y con corazón, pero también un poco fuera de lugar, como si hubiera mezclado épocas; o sea, un hombre que en el fondo no encaja del todo con el tiempo que le tocó vivir. Lo pregunto porque Don Quijote es un clásico súper importante en España y creo que muchos ya lo han leído. Me gustaría saber qué interpretación le dan ustedes. ¿Hay cosas de contexto histórico, cultural o literario que creen que vale la pena tener en cuenta al leerlo? ¿Cómo ven esta novela?
By softBookmark
Don Quijote (or Dom Quixote if you’re Brazilian) is a really good book. I’d even say it’s a great one, even though the first time I read it I struggled a bit with the grammar. When I first read it at 14, I only had this vague feeling it was old, but later I found out it was about 400 years old and written by a Spanish guy, and I was honestly amazed that someone from such a different culture could have humor that still felt so relatable. Since then I’ve read hundreds of other books and laughed plenty at some of them too, but I kind of think someone born 50 years from now would have a way easier time laughing at Don Quijote than at a lot of books from around 2010. Not sure why exactly that is.
By HawkBirch2001
I really loved this one, and I’m actually glad I’ve got someone else to talk it through with. What hooked me most was that whole unreliable narration thing, and then how the second half gets all meta and way more tangled. There were times where I honestly thought everything was happening for real, but at the same time I had this weird mix of trust and affection for the story that felt kind of unique. Also, I loved the messy romantic/plot lines—like you think you’re in the main story, then it’ll get tugged off into some side bit just so Sancho can say something dumb and snap you back to reality. A few things I kept highlighting for myself: - Those mountain run-ins from the first book, where everybody’s basically crossing paths with everyone else, and then somehow the “solution” turns up at the inn without our brave knight really helping… even though it probably wouldn’t’ve worked without the priest and barber finding him. - The scene where Don Quixote throws up on Sancho after the sheep fight and the healing potion. It was such a funny payoff for how many chapters were building toward it, right from the inn too (and the inn that definitely wasn’t just an inn). - The fact that the ending of the first book got brought up right away in the first couple chapters of the second— I wasn’t ready for that and it made me feel like I was dropped back into the middle of their world. - Sancho making up that “Dulcinea of Tabasco” was enchanted into being a peasant, and then him actually believing it later. - I didn’t like the duke and duchess as much overall, but the big ceremony with Merlin showing up made me think, “okay, what wild quest are they sending Don Quixote on now?” and then Sancho’s line about giving themselves 3300 spankings just killed me. My only real complaint is the first half dragged a bit. I seriously almost stopped more than once, but I’m glad I didn’t—because it ended up being totally worth it with all the speeches, stupid little details, and endless inn stuff. What I came away with is that he’s basically a hopeless idealist who keeps building the world he wants even if everyone else thinks it’s ridiculous. By the end, it all feels “real” because everyone ends up feeding into it. If I’m being honest, I wish I had some of that Don Quixote spirit with Sancho’s random surprising insight and dumb proverbs. So what did you all think? And sorry this is long—also, one thing I couldn’t figure out: why did they make him sane at the end?
By WhiteFinch
Just finished this book and honestly it’s probably the best, most satisfying thing I’ve read in a long time. I’ve got a bunch of thoughts, but it’s kind of a bummer I don’t really know anyone who’s read it (and I’m Spanish, which makes that extra sad), so I’m hoping people here will let me ramble a bit. Thanks in advance! What surprised me is how it hits on so many different levels. Like, the funny parts are everywhere—awkward physical moments, constant wordplay, puns, jokes built into the way characters talk, even the insults are funny. And then there are the characters. A lot of books have “good characters,” but this one feels like it’s on another level psychologically, which is why people always mention it as one of the first modern novels. Also, I felt like it was better for me to take it in over time instead of rushing—by the end, Don Quijote and Sancho didn’t feel like “a story I read,” they felt more like people I’d actually gotten to know, even if they’re still distant somehow. The world also feels super alive. There are all these side characters with their own little stories, plus poems and plays worked in. Writing-wise, I don’t think the prose itself is the prettiest thing, but the dialogue is where it really shines. The long monologues, especially, somehow keep pulling me in. Then there are the things that are harder to find in other books. The historical importance definitely hits—how modern it feels even now, especially the humor, and the fact that there weren’t really similar books around for Cervantes to copy off of is kind of mind-blowing. I also really liked the whole layered narration / meta-fiction side of it. The way it handles the fake second part of the story is honestly brilliant. It kind of ties the joke to real life in a way that makes it feel less “just a prank” and more grounded. It also makes you think about Cervantes himself and what he went through, which adds another layer. And the ambiguity is my favorite part. It’s like the whole thing keeps switching between hopeful and sad, sweet and tragic. Is Sancho actually dumb? Is Don Quijote just crazy? The narrator almost won’t let you settle on one answer—right when you think you get it, there’s some cynical line that throws you off. One example that stuck with me is in the governor part, where Sancho’s dignity makes the people who bully him look ridiculous. The ending did the same thing: I felt crushed because he refuses his journey, like society ends up breaking him (not just enemies, but even friends like Carrasco). But I also felt happy because somehow he did change things and lift people up. And I guess that the person who dies still gets a “good” death, at least by the values of the time. There’s also the fact that the book is kind of shape-shifting. Because of all that ambiguity and the themes, different cultures seem to get different things out of it, and it changes depending on when you read it. Even for me, I know it won’t feel exactly the same the next time I come back to it. I doubt Cervantes knew how deep it would go—maybe he just wanted to parody the chivalry stuff—but it really feels like he wrote it in a way that keeps inviting interpretation. And then there’s the stuff that’s pretty personal for me, so I’m not sure how universal it is: the emotional connection and the national identity. I’m from Spain but I live abroad, and I genuinely miss home. This book feels like it grabs the spirit of Spanish society—messy parts included—even today. Also I loved the “linguistic archaeology” vibe—geeking out over old phrases and seeing what’s still around versus what basically disappeared, and this book helped preserve a lot of that. Anyway, I could keep going, but I’ll stop here before I start writing my own second part of the book 😅
By dog_delta1985
I’m at the point where the group is hanging out in the inn/castle, and it feels like they just ate. A few chapters back they had supper, and now it’s supper again—did I miss something? Like, does the timing not make sense here, or are we supposed to assume it’s the next day? For context, it goes: they arrive, they eat, then Don Quixote goes on a speech, the Captive tells his story (honestly that’s been the best/funniest part for me), then the Judge shows up, and then they eat again. But when the Judge arrives, why is everyone eating too, not just him? Is this just how it worked back then, or is there a gap in the chronology?
By yellow_badger
Hey! Yep, I did too :) I joined an online reading club. Hope we both end up liking it.
By threadSleepy
He used to be a naval officer—sailing around on his ship “Sol,” and then he got captured and ended up as a PoW for five years. I’m kind of curious if anyone who’s read or studied *The Ingenious Gentleman Don Quixote of La Mancha* has spotted any other references besides “Rocinate,” the whole self-dramatizing white knight vibe, and the “tilting at windmills” thing. I think I’m gonna start it next since I’m finished with LF.
By library-eagle52349
I’m rereading Don Quixote and I keep getting stuck on the same question as before: is it actually taking shots at books of chivalry, or is it just making fun of them, or maybe both—or neither? I’d really love to hear what other people think. Early on, not too far in, the bishop and the barber basically burn a bunch of his chivalry books. At first I was like, “okay, so they’re the bad guys,” but then I realized I have no idea how book burnings were viewed in Spain back then (1605), so I’m not even sure what I’m supposed to make of it. Most of the story treats it like those books caused his madness, and by the end even Don Quixote sort of agrees. I mean, it feels like a pretty goofy idea—that reading stories could drive someone that far off. But then again, we do have the same worry nowadays about other media messing with people’s minds (video games, TV, movies, all that). Also, toward the end the narrator talks about how chivalry books could be better. But the narrator himself feels pretty silly too, and he’s basically writing from prison, so I’m not sure how seriously any of it should be taken. Sorry if this is all over the place—I honestly don’t really know enough about the time period or Spanish culture to feel confident.
By Orchid5226
I kinda feel like Don Quixote was a hero, and it makes sense to admire him. He’s always willing to help people, and there’s something pretty chivalrous about how he goes about his adventures. Some of the moments where he’s brave really stick with me too—like that lion “fight” in part two, where he’s basically ready to square up just to make a point. Even if a lot of his adventures seem totally made up in his head, he still gives off a ton of hero vibes and chivalry. And honestly, he’s not dumb either; he can be really sharp when it comes to things like advice and his speeches. So I’m curious what everyone else thinks—should he be remembered as a hero, more like a joke, or kind of a sad fool?
By ivorybeaver35
Honestly, the vibe changes as soon as the Duke and Duchess show up. Up to that point, I really liked the charm of watching Don Quixote react to a world that felt real through his madness—like the whole windmills/giants type of stuff. And I liked that we kept getting normal people who didn’t know he was “off” reacting to him and messing around with him, like it was a fun contrast. But once the Duke and Duchess arc starts, it feels like they already know everything about him. Then they basically set up fake situations to play tricks on him, and they’re lying straight to his face about what’s going on, knowing full well what he’s dealing with. At that point it just starts to feel like bullying. And even if the book is still trying to act like it’s funny, I’m not laughing. I’m not done with the book yet, so maybe it turns around, but the tone feels off to me. It feels like Cervantes is just making fun of Don Quixote for the sake of it.