What We're
Reading
Miguel de Cervantes
Don Quixote
 Reviewed
by
Norma Aguirre Gaines
Office of Fiscal Affairs
I have a confession to make. I avoided Don Quixote by Miguel
de Cervantes for years because I was intimidated
by its status as a “classic.” I
was not sure I was up to its age, length,
and footnotes until several occurrences
caused me to give myself and this wonderful
book a chance. Let me tell you about
how I came to read Don Quixote, a book
you can read as much for its great
adventures as for its messages about
integrity and honesty.
For me, it began with a silver key
chain. An SU history professor, a person
who loves reading as much as I do,
gave it to me when he returned from
a trip to Spain. Sitting within the
bright circle of silver was a gaunt
knight, carrying a lance and sitting
on top of a thin horse. Beside him
was a squire on a donkey. I’d
grown up seeing such images of Don
Quixote and Sancho Panza. They appeared
in many forms and places, but somehow
I just never picked up the book to
learn about those famous characters.
As I stared down at this key chain,
a sudden recollection floated through
my mind. I remembered that during his
visit to the Southwestern campus, noted
author Russell
Banks was asked, “What
books would you want to have with you
on a desert island?” Don
Quixote was on his list. I had also recently
heard film director Terry
Gilliam speak
on National Public Radio about his
decade-long attempt to make the famous
book into a movie. His project ultimately
failed, but his failure resulted in
a documentary about his attempt—a
documentary that reviewers loved. I
asked the professor who gave me the
key chain if he’d ever read the
book. He told me it was one of his
favorite stories.
So, it became clear to me that I needed
to check out Don Quixote to see for
myself why it still mattered so much
after hundreds of years and to so many
different people from different countries.
I was happily surprised that I was
immediately drawn into this magnificent
story.
Cervantes wrote this story between 1605 and 1615, and he gave
us a tale of chivalry, romance, and adventure. Especially
enjoyable to me was his technique of putting stories—narrated
by other pilgrim travelers —within the story of the
knight errant. There is great play with language (Spanish
and English), and the twists and turns are numerous. A reader
learns that 16th century Spain (the story takes place in the
1500s) was a happening time and place. Given the numbers of
Moors and Arabs in Spain at that time, the story is colorful
with them as well as Spaniards, captives, galley slaves, beautiful
women, and handsome swashbucklers. I discovered that it is
a masterpiece of variety and information, a perfect blend
of excitement and ideas. No wonder Mr. Banks and Mr.  Gilliam
and readers everywhere were drawn to it.
The noble Don Quixote remains true
to his mission despite those around
him who laugh in his face. Many see
he’s mad and placate him, and
others set him up in situations where
he becomes their evening entertainment.
His heart, however, remains kind and
true, and he stands ready to face any
foe with such bravery. The man from
La Mancha is an impractical visionary
who only wants to right all wrongs.
And in the end ...well, you’ll
have to read that for yourself.
The journeys of this knight and his
squire are filled with humor and goodness.
Maybe that is why—in this age
of vivid visual identities—they
have managed to maintain very recognizable
images among the bric-a-brac of the
21st century. I’ve seen the iconography
in Mexico and in border towns where
metal art has a favorite subject. That
subject is Cervantes’ lovable
characters, Don Quixote and Sancho
Panza. Now I know why.
Yes...there is a segment about attacking
windmills, which Quixote believes are
really giants. But if you are tired
of that too-often-told storyline, it
takes place early in the story, and
is very brief. There are many more
utterly chimerical stories that are
just waiting to entertain you while
you are floating through time with
this book.
Since this is a story about journeys,
I suggest you cart this book around
on your own summer journey, and don’t
wait to read it for the first time
when you are a “grown up” (whatever
that means). Read it now, then re-read
it later when you are an old fogey,
because this is a book you’ll
want to carry with you through your
own life journey.
What
We're Reading features reviews
by members of the Southwestern University
community. Some reviews were previously
published in the Library's annual Summer
Reading List.
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What
We're Reading is a regular
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