Don Quixote

Author: Cervantes
Publisher: Wordsworth Editions Ltd
Publication Date: 2007-03-01
Features: Book Description An abridged version of the adventures of an eccentric country gentleman and his faithful companion who set out on a task to knight and squire of old to right wrongs and punish evil. This novel is a musing satirical romance of eccentric knight-errantry in La Mancha, central Spain. It follows the adventures of Don Quixote and his rustic companion, Sancho Panza, and the absurdly directed chivalry of the former. From Publishers Weekly This imposing volume presents the first part of the quest by the beloved Don, whose name stands for chivalry and courage -- "The Impossible Dream." The book's heavy stock, binding, and design all impart an air of style and prestige, reinforced by Bogin's suave translation, which makes good use of abundant dialogue. (The phraseology and vocabulary, however -- "erstwhile," "apothecary," "coherence" -- will be beyond younger readers.) Though the paintings by Spanish artist Boix are masterfully executed, some lack the sweep expected from this panoramic work; much of the imagery is somewhat pallid, both in tone and emotional impact. And, though the architectural details, period apparel, and scenery are all richly evocative, the characters themselves are often small in scale and dwarfed by their stunning surroundings. Nevertheless, the presence of an elegantly produced, picture-book version of this classic merits attention and applause. All ages. From School Library Journal Cervantes's Don Quixote, the moniker and persona adopted by the addled Senor Quijada, who has read a few too many chivalric romances, hardly needs introduction to adults. However, most young people will have hardly heard him mentioned, much less had any firsthand contact with this larger-than-life literary creation. Bogin has taken some of the more involving, outrageous, and well-known adventures of the knight-errant and his squire, Sancho Panza, and put them together into a relatively brief narrative that nonetheless is strikingly true to the tone and style of the Spanish original. Her prose, lively and at times employing modern vernacular to good effect, does full justice to Cervantes's mad Knight of the Sad Countenance. It begs reading aloud, and may well start discussion and contemplation. Boix's illustrations are delicate, detailed, gold-washed watercolors that create a kind of fairy-tale ambiance. They will grab readers' attention and imaginations and direct anyone picking the book up to delve into it and to find out what's going on. Taken as a whole, this is a lovely job of bookmaking, providing an exemplary introduction to a classic work. --Ann Welton, Thomas Academy, Kent, From Audio File Christopher Casenove employs an impressive range of British accents in his Performance -- and presents everyone from early to washerwoman. Such voices may not be what listeners expect from DONQUIXOTE, but they make it easy to tell who's speaking, even when a scene contains more than one character of a certain "type." Together, the excerpts which comprise this bridge entconvey the tone and spirit of the source without awkward breaks or transitions. The music that begins and ends each tape -- solo classical guitar -- summons images of the Spanish countryside, and might have done one more effectively had it been integrated into the reading. T.J.W. Book Dimension: length: (cm) 19.8 width: (cm) 12.6