authors

Miguel de Cervantes

• Jun 10, 2023 Don Quixote By Miguel de Cervantes A bit awkward at times, a bit of a mouthful, as perhaps waranted given centuries of separation. Like a young deer struggling to walk, there are moments of grace and wit that are astounding - but of course my metaphor is all wrong. From my perspective it seems that Cervantes stands at the very dawn of a process that eventually gives us Mel Brooks, but I am missing the context that makes him instead the culmination of all that went before. And with this perspective I enjoy it more as a pointer to what came later (that is to say, "wow! This must have been revolutionary in its time! It is so modern it is almost as funny and emotionally engaging as modern novels!"), and less on its own for its intrinsic merits (that is to say, "I would chose to read this book over others"). Which, to be fair and frank, its intrinsic merits are of course not lacking. Don Quixote is a great character, Sancho Panza possibly greater, and the book, of course, Great. But is it good?