Don Quixote discussion
Don Quixote Reading Challenge 2013
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Diane
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Jan 22, 2013 03:10PM
I'm finally progressing through the early stages of the book after deciding to skip the poetry at the beginning. I've combined my reading of the printed book with an audiobook and have progressed to page 65. I haven't cracked the "classic-avoidance" barrier yet.
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I've not got very far yet but I've progressed a little. Thing is, because my reading has been stop-start, I've had to go back to when Don Quixote returns home after his first foray to recover and get some funds and an off-sider i.e. Sancho Panza. I was watching a set of lectures on "The Art of Reading" recently and the tutor's advice was to have a reading session of approx one hour, to assist the reader get "into" the book. So this week I'll set aside an hour for just that. I'm just constantly distracted by the cozy mysteries that I love. Recently I read all five of Elly Griffiths Ruth Galloway mysteries - excellent fun read.
I'm up to page 81 Chapter XII. Still struggling but it's getting easier. My brain just doesn't want to switch into Don Quixote/Cervantes speak, so I've decided to just read a chapter each day, for the moment, until the book becomes a page turner.
I read Chapter XIV today, I’m up to page 102. That said, I have to admit I cheated a little. Half of the chapter was written as a poem and for whatever reason I’m unable to “get” poetry. I think when I see words written in verse on the page I suddenly develop a type of dyslexia. This lamentable problem shuts me out of a large portion of our literary inheritance. I read the poetry but the words don’t translate into my mind with meaning, they’re just disconnected words on a page. Oh well, the good news is, I’m OK with prose.I’m finding that I’m able to absorb the prose of Don Quixote if I read just one chapter a day until I get into the flow. The “flow” still feels a little bit out of my grasp for the moment. I console myself with the thought that the book was a serialised novel (at least I think it was) so I’m reading it as it was meant to be read, that is, a little bit at a time.
I'm going great guns, reaching chapter XVIII today which relates the words that passed between Sancho Panza and his master, Don Quixote, and other adventures that deserve to be recounted. I feel like I'm nearly dancing in tune with this story.
Did you know that the Mitchell Library (State Library of New South Wales) holds a collection of 1,100 editions of Don Quixote, in several languages dating back to 1620, from the magnificent collection of the late Dr Ben Haneman?
I've reached chapter XXII, page 163, regarding the liberty that Don Quixote gave to many unfortunate men who, against their wills, were being taken where they did not wish to.
Now that I've cracked the 150 page mark, that is, I've reached page 163, maybe I should share my thoughts about the story. So far I think it's a "silly" story. I should also add that I think Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream is silly too. I'm not regretful that my serious reading choice for 2013 is Don Quixote. (Strange I refer to a "silly" story, a comedic story, as a serious read. It's serious for me because it's a struggle to read it.) It's a book I've had on my list for a long time, it's on my classics list because I want to expand my reading horizons beyond the easy to read, entertainers. A couple of years ago I did an evening class on the subject of "The Art of Reading" and it was at that time I decided to choose a classic from the enormous list of "important" books. A new translation of Don Quixote had just been published, the Edith Grossman translation, and there was a lot of buzz about it. So it became my choice. The first problem was its physical size, it was the size of a house brick not practical to lug it around so it went onto the bookshelf for several years. Now, years later the situation has changed, the reading world has changed, I'm an avid follower of book bloggers who inspire me to once again tread the "classics" path, so with the help of an eBook reader (Kindle) and an audiobook (Audible.com) I've got no excuse. So one chapter a day, until I've finished will mean I have experienced a story considered "important". Along the way I may discover WHY it's "important" and at the very least my reading muscle will get stronger.
I’m sorry to say I’ve abandoned this reading challenge. I gave it my “best” shot. Don Quixote does not hold my interest. Onward and forward to other books crying out to be read. Life is much too short to use precious reading time on books that don’t do that special mystical thing books can do.Challenge abandoned!
