Week 1: Part I, Chapters 1–13

[Jason, Man of La Bamba]

I'm not making it up! What kind of brilliant coincidence is that??

[Carina]

Haha, it is a great co-incidence.

I haven't read Moby Dick, but from what you have said - and if I continue to enjoy it, I may have to read it sometime soon!

[Dustin, 'Tis your friendly comrade, Sacho Panza!!]

Carina wrote: "I'm now on chapter 30 or so and I will say that Bryn is right - the slapstick certainly doesn't stick around for too long."

Wow, you're way ahead of me.. and from the sounds of it, most of us. I love your enthusiasm, Carina! I'm happy to know that it's moving away from the slap-stick soon and becoming serious.

[Carina]

Dustin wrote: "Carina wrote: "I'm now on chapter 30 or so and I will say that Bryn is right - the slapstick certainly doesn't stick around for too long."

Wow, you're way ahead of me.. and from the sounds of it, ..."

Thanks Dustin! Blame a train journey for most of the progress though there were times over the weekend I wanted to read and not go out!

How are you liking it at the moment?

[Bryn]

Jason wrote: "Granting that the White Whale fully incites the hearts of this my savage crew, and playing round their savageness even breeds a certain generous knight-errantism in them..."

That's beautiful.
Besides, last night, flipping through the Harold Bloom intro in mine, he mentioned Moby Dick -- just to see Don Quixote in Ahab, but I bet you're right and there's much more than that.

There must be by the way I loved them both. I'll be thinking about this.

[Dustin, 'Tis your friendly comrade, Sacho Panza!!]

Wow, that's crazy, Jason! I don't really believe in coincidences, so I'd say you were meant to stumble upon the passage.. Very cool, man.:)

Interesting point, too. As I'm reading, I've been reminded of Moby-Dick, as well. There are certain similarities, not just in the writing style but parts of the stories, IMO.


For the most part, I'm really liking it a lot, too. Aside from the numerous footnotes and verbosity, the prose is surprisingly smooth and addictive.

[Jason, Man of La Bamba]

Have you been reading the footnotes? I've been mostly ignoring them.

[Dustin, 'Tis your friendly comrade, Sacho Panza!!]

Carina wrote: "Dustin wrote: "Carina wrote: "I'm now on chapter 30 or so and I will say that Bryn is right - the slapstick certainly doesn't stick around for too long."

Wow, you're way ahead of me.. and from the..."

You're so welcome! I love long train/bus routes, as they afford many hours to read. I think the fact that you're wanting to stay in and read even more is a sure sign of the book's greatness.

I'm really diggin' it, thank you for asking.:) How about you?

[Carina]

Dustin wrote: "You're so welcome! I love long train/bus routes, as they afford many hours to read. I think the fact that you're wanting to stay in and read even more is a sure sign of the book's greatness.

I'm really diggin' it, thank you for asking.:) How about you?
"

I'm into it now, though I was not enjoying I'd say chapters 8-11. Once you got to the funeral pier bits I found it really started to pick up and there is a similar kind of thing in the next two weeks reading that helps to keep you interested. I find the more interesting bits to be when Don Quixote is with other people and how they react as opposed to just him and Sancho.

[Dustin, 'Tis your friendly comrade, Sacho Panza!!]

Jason wrote: "Have you been reading the footnotes? I've been mostly ignoring them."

I skipped a few in the beginning, but read them all now. They provide context and insight which I find very helpful.

[Dustin, 'Tis your friendly comrade, Sacho Panza!!]

Carina wrote: "Dustin wrote: "You're so welcome! I love long train/bus routes, as they afford many hours to read. I think the fact that you're wanting to stay in and read even more is a sure sign of the book's gr..."

That's great! I can't wait to find our where Don Q and Sancho's adventures will take them next. Agreed, it is more interesting when they're with other people, but I love the comradery between the two, and the on-going development of their characters/friendship.
Also, at the end of chapter 14, it was great to officially meet Marcella and get her take on things. (view spoiler)[And now he's in pursuit of her! What's everyone's take on her loonnnggg speech? (hide spoiler)]

[Shell]

Sorry I've been a bit quiet guys, I only just caught up yesterday. I'm enjoying it so far - not a book I could read for hours on end, but definitely entertaining. I think this second week of reading will give me a better feel for it. So glad to see everyone seems to be enjoying it :)

[Dustin, 'Tis your friendly comrade, Sacho Panza!!]

Shell- I'm so happy to see your post! I also think Week 2 will give us a better feel for the novel. Surprisingly, I often find myself reading this for hours. It's rare that I read only 1 chapter at a time..

[Mary]

I'm soooo behind. Just read the windmill attack (ch9?)

[Dustin, 'Tis your friendly comrade, Sacho Panza!!]

Mary wrote: "I'm soooo behind. Just read the windmill attack (ch9?)"

OMG, that's a hilarious scene!:)