Group Read - Don Quixote

Several people have indicated an interest in reading Don Quixote, so I am setting up the thread. Please feel free to join in the Don Q fest!

I think we will do it similarly to the War and Peace group read - reading in 100 or so page chunks over the course of a month until we have completed the book. I would like to set the start date the same as the other group at January 15.

Oh, fun! I'm in, as long as I can get a copy from the library in time. I'm ashamed to admit that I'm only familiar with Don Quixote because of Wishbone.

I hope your library will allow you to renew it several times, alynnk! I have no idea how long the book is, and I suspect it depends on the translation, but I expect the group read is going to take 6 months or so. Of course, you can always read faster than the group is going!

Or download the online copy from Gutenberg: http://www.archive.org/stream/donquixote00996gut/996.txt

I think I read in one of the threads of the book being 1000 odd pages, that would make it 10 months worth of reading max.

> may i suggest a kind of reading plan based on the organization of the book?

Don Q is divided into Parts I & II. Part I is further divided into 4 Books, further subdivided into chapters. Part II goes only by chapter.

a quick skim of my Wordsworth edition shows, on average, 5 pages per chapter. the entire book is quite consistent in terms of chapter length. knowing this, perhaps the following can serve as a guide?

Part I
Book 1: 8 chapters (Jan)
Book 2: 6 (Feb)
Book 3: 13 (Mar)
Book 4: 25 (April-May)

Part II: 74 chapters (June-Dec)

comments, please?

What to do, what to do? I just signed on with W&P, but I have been wanting to read this one for a while, too. OK, just include me on this one, too. I might tag on a little behind. Now I have to ask my other daughter if I can borrow her copy at least for this semester. She will read it in Spanish next Fall. I don't know if she will need her English copy back for that or not. There are so many wonderful group reads going on right now! :)
--BJ
Edited because of typos!

deebee

Suits me, though it is a bit slow if the chapter length is 5 pages each, but I guess we can always go at our own speed if we find it too slow.

billiejean

Don't let W&P restrict you from this group read, there are others, me and Stasia (alcottacre) for example, who are also part of both the group reads. I know talking of Stasia in the same breath as we other mortals is blasphemy, but still you have me as an example :)

I am in, but I think I am going to read it in one long haul. I am not very good in reading more than one book at the same time.

Maybe after DQ I'll catch up with War and Peace, we own that book too, although I was thinking to read Mother by Maxim Gorky.
Well maybe I can read two Russians this year ;-)

I'm not going to join in on DQ, but I thought it might be a nice gesture to the folks over at Group Reads - Literature for someone involved here to let them know that you're doing this read. Many of them have been wanting to read DQ for awhile but have been outvoted several times.

And where is the War and Peace group read? I may want to join in on that one. Thanks! :)

> piyush, that 5 pages is based on the Wordsworth edition which is around 800pp. but u are right, everybody is free to go at their own pace --- this is just a rough guide mainly designed for a leisurely pace. a lot of us are doing other reading challenges, so we don't want to be unduly burdened with a strict timetable. but also, i've read some comments about Don Q being a dense read and needing a bit more concentration than other equally voluminous tomes. so perhaps a slower but more careful reading is in order?

Talbin

There is a thread on the first page of this group titled "Group Read - War and Peace"

deebee

Didn't know of it being a dense read, may be its better to be on conservative side to start with...

#6 & 8: I think we will have to play it a little by ear and see how it is going for everyone. If we need to cut the reading back or speed it up, we can see based on how the first couple of months go, don't you think?

sure, stasia, i'm with u.

Count me in! I have wanted to read Don Quixote for awhile so this is a great chance to get it done. :)

>3 alcottacre: My library is fairly lenient on renewals, as long as no one is 'in line' for my particular book, I can keep renewing it as long as I'd like. I'm terribly thankful for such kind librarians -- I know in other systems they are much more strict.

I read it, so will not join in. However, I will give a plug to the Edith Grossman translation (which is the one in my library). It is long, but one of the "classics" that is truly worth reading IMHO.

Lisa

exciting! I will start today as I just finished Claire Messud's The Emperor's Children last night :-) Thanks! I've had the book sitting on my shelf for sometime and now's the chance.

So, finally when are we formally starting, Msg 1 or Msg 6?

I read DQ a few years ago but I may lurk at the fringes of the discussion to see how others fare.
It took me a year to get through because I could only handle reading small amounts at a time. I did like the story overall when I had finished; just didn't enjoy the actual reading of it quite so much and I never got to discuss it with anyone either :(
Happy reading!

#19: January 15. I think deebee's message addresses how far we want to get from January 15 to February 15 - although certainly anybody can start any time they like.

#21: Thats true, even then, it is better to know all the deadlines.

I found my daughter's book yesterday. Yea!
--BJ

#23: Then you are all set to join us when we start up on Thursday (although anyone who wants to can certainly start earlier!)

OK, everyone, it is officially January 15th, so off you go (if you have not started already).

Please remember:

1) The first goal is to have fun! If you feel like it is drudgery to read the book, please stop. We do not want anyone reading it for the sake of reading.

2) The second goal is to have read by February 15th up to the end of chapter 8 in Book 1. If you wish to read beyond that point, it is up to you. If that is going to quickly for you, please adjust to your own pace.

3) If you are making comments, please indicate any potential *spoilers*.

Thanks and have a great time!

I started today and ejoyed the first 7 chapters!
It is great this group encouraged me to read it.
Anita

Great job, Anita! The rest of us are going to be chasing you . . .

Anita, I think we have a slight misuderstanding here, the 8 chapters are for a month and not for a day!

LOL
As Stasia said, we will have a lot of chasing to do!

sorry Piyush
I went on today, I just finished chapter 15 ;-)
Anita

PS happy chasing LOL

#29: Patently unfair - I cannot see what I am chasing, lol. Come back here you little rabbit :)

Anita

Totally concur with Stasia :)

Do you have any family member/friend of your on LT whom we can ask to hide your copy for the next 30 days or so?

how's everybody doing on their challenge? and whose translations are we reading?

i've done 4 chapters and finding the story entertaining, though requiring a bit of concentration. i'm reading the translation by Charles Jarvis.

anita, now u can sit back and wait for the rest of us till 15 Feb for Book 2! :-)

#32 deebee: I do not know whose translation I am listening to. The information is not given anywhere on the case and I did not hear it at the beginning of the book.

I said before, I am going to read it in one haul, I can't read more than one book at the same time. I might take a break between part one and two, they are physicly seperate books in my translation.

In my copy Part One is not divided in books, but only in 52 Chapters, same amount as the Chapters mentioned in deebee1s post #6 (8 + 6 + 13 + 25). Part One is 570 pages long, it has the beautiful illustrations of Gustave Doré.

The foreword and the poetry before Chapter One were a bit hard to read through, but after that the story is a nice read, athough the sentences are very long, so you need to stay concentrated.

I haven't looked into part two yet.

I'm in! I'm in!! I just got my Edith Grossman Translation copy in the mail today.

Great, Ti99er! I hope you have an enjoyable time reading through the book with us.

I have read the first 4 chapters and already had a surprise I did not know about . . . How is everyone else doing?

Ok, this is what I have accomplished so far, the first two chapters, I'll probably read more of it later tonight in between East of Eden and some other random book in my TBR Island.

I have read four chapters and was very much tempted to read more. One more sitting and I will be done for the month.

I was like that too, Piyush. But like my mom said... somewhere.. I'm not sure where. That the book that she owns, and I am borrowing has very tiny print so after a few chapters of it, my head hurts, so I might read it on Project Gutenburg instead, saves me the headache. :)

Yeah, I remember Stasia telling about her book and the small print, project gutenberg is a very good choice indeed! I read quite a few books there, and given that I spend a disproportionately high time in front of my laptop, it makes sense!

Hope your head is better now :)

I spend quite a bit on my laptop too, so when my laptop cord busted, I was very sad. But now I got my new one (yesterday) and now I must get caught back up on posts which will probably take me most of the dayto get read. I think when they read Bleak House this summer I will probably read it on Project Gutenberg, it depends how this summer goes though.

Yes, my head is quite better, thank you. :)

some fun info (and free music too...) for Don Q readers...

http://www.donquijote.org/vmuseum/

> 38 piyush, i think we can relax the schedule thing... do read at your pace, if you feel like reading ahead to the next chapters, pls. go ahead... that was just a "suggested" schedule.

Catey

I cannot even imagine that happening to me (my laptop cord busting)!!! I should probably buy another laptop as a safety stock to insure against any such eventuality :)

I am yet to get or order my copy of Bleak House and in all probabilities, will take the same path as you intend to do.

deebee

I know, but then, I wouldn't want to miss out on the discussions.
Thanks for the Virtual Museum link.

Piyush, I guess I must have bad luck or something with laptops because I have had two other laptop cords bust. The first one came with my laptop but it wasn't very inclined to work so I got a new one but of course my dog chewed a hole through that one so now I've got my new one and I pray it works forever! Because I cannot keep buying new cords I might as well save up for a new laptop instead.

Catey

Don't feel bad Catey
I am now using my 3rd laptop cord and will probably order again when this one breaks.
The laptop is now 4 1/2 years, so every 18 months he wants a new cord ;-)
Anita

PS I just finished Chapter 36

Since War and Peace is going so well for me I decided to try this challenge as well.
I think Don Quixote is going to make me laugh at some point - it's already made me smile a few times!! I thought the satire would go over my head, and I'm sure I'm missing some of it, but I'm understanding more than enough to find it amusing.
My translation is only divided into Part One and Part Two, and many, many numbered chapters. I've read the first 8 chapters which I think is our assignment for the first month. But when someone posts the goal for next month, I need some extra help because I don't have a book two! Thanks!

> amw, there are several free online sources of Don Q. you can try project gutenberg or the Harvard Classics found here http://www.bartleby.com/14/. happy reading!

Thanks for the suggestion.

I think I may have misled you - I have the entire book. But it is not divided up into 'books' the same way that other translations are divided. My book only has Part One and Part Two. So if someone tells me to read up to Chapter 6 of book three, I don't know what that means and I'm going to need extra help.

Hope I did a better job of explaining this time.

Maybe that website will help me figure out where the books stop and start.

>46 BookAngel_a: & 48: amwmsw04

My copy has only chapters too, but at the end of Chapter 8, 14 and 27 thre is mentioned we move on to the next book, so:
Chapter 1-8 = book 1
Chapter 9-14 = book 2
Chapter 15-27 = book 3
Chapter 28-52 = book 4

I enjoy the satire too, I know some of the books mentioned, although I haven't read them Orlando furioso is waiting at the shelf ;-)
Anita

Thanks - that's very helpful!

Done with the first eight chapters, have no intentions to front log as of now, but then you never know...

I am done with the first 8 chapters as well and received some surprises in my reading . . .

Stasia, I'm trying to figure out what you mean by surprises. I guess we can't discuss it until Feb. 15th when the next assignment begins...
I did think of one specific thing that surprised me.
And in general I was surprised at how easy it was for me to follow, and how silly our main character can be!
Oh, but ***possible spoiler*** the way his family treated the books actually made me quite angry!

I'm joining! This book has been standing on my shelves for a while and with this reading pace I think I will be able to make it! A whole year for this book is ok with me.

It's a threat that there is a War and Peace topic as well, but I don't want to read both at the same time. Maybe next year...

@ 6 deebee1, in my edition part II is also divided into 4 books:
Book I: 17 chapters (June/July?)
Book II: 15 (August?)
Book III: 20 (Sept/Oct?)
Book IV: 22 (Nov/Dec?)

We are a little past the midway point of Jan 15-Feb 15. How is everyone doing on their reading?

just started in vol. II ;-)
Anita

chapter 15 here...

Only on chapter 4...

I'm at the beginning of chapter 4...

I just finished chapter 8 and am really enjoying it. It has been such a long time since I read this!
--BJ

I'm very far behind, but I think I'm going to jump in. I started reading DQ several years ago, but only made it through the first 100 pages before I got distracted. I think breaking it up into more manageable chunks will help me get through it, without feeling like I have to abandon it to other reads. Thanks!

Hi, Luxx!
Definitely jump in! We are just at the beginning; you have plenty of time to catch up. It is a fun book.
--BJ

I just finished book 1 of volume 1, so 'back' on schedule. It's a more pleasant read than I expected. Bought the book after a philosophy class where it was about 'fighting mills like Don Quixote' and I didn't have a clou what the teacher was talking about (as wasn't the rest of class).

After that I only heard that the book was a boring read by the people who tried but gave up. But untill now I like it. Guess I keep going in this steady pace, that seems to suit the book well.

Finished Don Quixote, part II today :-)
More on my own thread.
Anita

Congratulations on finishing!

So...what's our next (mid Feb. to mid March) reading assignment??
:D

Angela

Hi Angela
Please refer to Msg 6 for future reading schedule.

We are doing the 6 chapters of book 2 as our February 15th-March 15 reading.

Ten days until March 15th - how is everyone doing on their reading? Anybody have any thoughts they would like to share about the book (please mark any potential spoilers, though!)

I finished with this month's reading yesterday.

I also finished this month's reading.

***SPOILER***
I am really enjoying the language play even with it being translated. I loved the exchange between DQ and Pedro where Pedro says, "... even if you live to be older than noses." And DQ says, "You should have said Moses!" "Noses are really old, too."
--BJ

OK, it is March the 13th, so it is time for the reading for March 15-April 15: Book 3 - 13 chapters in all.

Have fun!

Thanks so much for keeping us on track!
--BJ

#73: BJ, you can thank Cheli (cyderry) since I managed to completely lose the thread and she found it again for me :)

Thanks, Cheli! :)
--BJ

Thanks to seeing this topic popping up in my starred list, I finished book II today. So still on scheme! And I like the book, but never find the time to really dive into the book for some hours....

I am thoroughly enjoying both Don Quixote and War and Peace, which comes as a great surprise to me. I am hoping that the groups can both finish the respective books by December. I am glad to be reading the books this way - it spurs me to keep going!

Finished with this month's Don Quixote some days back but am still behind schedule with War and Peace, last few hours to go frantically starts reading

Just checking in to see how everyone's reading for March is going . . . especially since it is April 1st!

I'm getting ready to start Don Quixote, is it to late to join in? I'll try to catch up, I promise.

#80: Certainly it is not too late to join! The more the merrier. We are glad to have you!

Well, I finished January's reading today, hopefully tomorrow I can do February.

#82: Don Quixote moves along pretty well, so I am sure that you can, Cheli.

February done, March this weekend!

Moving right along! I knew you could catch up.

Okay, I finished through Chapter 25... is that where I'm supposed to be for the start of April?
Sancho Panza is a hoot and Quixote is a kook!

Duh, I'm supposed to finish through the end of Chapter 27 and part I for April.

**she shakes her head and wonders if DQ is rubbing off on her**

#87: I think DQ rubs off on all of us at some time or other . . .

OK, for April 15-May 15, we are going to polish off Book 4, right troops? DQ reads fairly quickly, so I do not think it will be a problem.

Is everyone still enjoying it? I am!

I surely am! DQ is indeed a quick read, I am ahead of the schedule and have finished 22 Chapters, not much reading to do for the next month which suits me very well!

Good job, Piyush!

Okay, I feel like an idiot but I can't find the part where we are supposed to stop reading! I found it just fine for War & Peace, but not this book!

All my book has is numbered chapters, part one, and part two. I don't have a book 4.

Are we supposed to read all the way to Part Two? That seems like too much. But I can't find where book 4 ends...

I know I had trouble with this months ago so I'm embarrassed to be asking again...

On the plus side, I'm enjoying it. I have to confess that I am enjoying War and Peace more however. (Shh! Don't tell Don Quixote or Sancho!)

Angela

Well, I answered my own question. I googled it and found out that the end of book 4 would be the end of Part 1. My mistake. I thought we weren't getting that far til sometime in June.

DQ is a faster read than W&P so I'm sure I should be able to make it. It's also getting more interesting to me as DQ meets more characters on his journeys.

Glad you found where you were supposed to be, Angela! I am listening to the book on audio, which makes it difficult for me to put the book in terms of pages or anything like that.

I finally finished this section of Don Quixote on the last day! I would have to say that my favorite part -- POSSIBLE SPOILER, BUT NOT MUCH! -- was the story that Sancho Panza told about the goatherd with the 300 goats. Just when I think that Cervantes must surely run out of new ideas, he has another new one. Wow!
--BJ

billiejean
Yeah, that was quite funny, and also Sancho taking shots at DQ during that particular adventure.

I'm still at the begining of book three.... I'm trying to get somewhere further in the book this weekend. It's not that I don't like the book, but I don't seem to find rest to read a large part (and I'm reading to many other good books).

#97: Don't worry, we will still be here when you catch up! I completely understand about reading too many other good books :)

Thought this might be inspiring

Facade of Cathedral, Cuenca, Castilla-La Mancha, Spain

Beautiful! Thanks for sharing the picture, Cheli.

Love the photo! My older daughter will study in Spain for half of the summer. Looks like the rest of us are going to fly over for a week! Yea!!
--BJ

#101: That is so cool, BJ. I hope you all have a lovely time.

Thanks!
--BJ

Hi, I'm just about to start reading Don Quixote through Daily Lit so although I'm a fast and dedicated reader, it may take me a while to catch up. Can you please alert me to how I can sort discussion posts from general ones here?
Lisa in Oz (http://ANZLitLovers.wordpress.com)

I am going to need some help with this month's assignment. Because I am listening to the book on audio, I have no way of knowing where the natural breaks are in the book. I was using deebee's schedule from message 6, but it only goes up to Book II. Could someone with a hard copy of the text let the group know where we should read to for May-June. Thank you!

In my translation we have approx. 550 pages to go. So what do you think? A 100 page chunk of reading? Sound good?
I don't know where the 'Books' begin and end. My translation only has chapters, so I wouldn't be the best person to pick an ending spot either.

Part II Book I: 17 chapters June/July?

That sounds good to me. I will be behind on my group reads this month due to my daughter's graduation. I am just too distracted to concentrate on anything. But it's all good. :)
--BJ

#107: Sounds good to me! Thanks for the help, Cheli - although I think it is for May-June, not June-July?

I have down the 25 chapters in Book IV Part I as April-May. I just thought we were going with the proposed schedules in message #6 and message #55. Did it change? I need a schedule or I'll never keep up!

I think that April - May means April 15 - May 15 and the next part will be May 15 - June 15. Is that right?
--BJ

#111: Yes

Okay, I was trapped in the car for a few hours and decided that I was just going to bite the bullet and plunge through, so I've finished this book. Hope you all enjoy it more than I did. The experience of sharing was good, can't say the same for the book. I liked Part I, but Part II was just toooo longgggg!

#113: Yikes! I hope I enjoy it more than you did, Cheli. Sorry you did not like it more.

Angela, do you want to let everyone know what next month's reading should be? I am still in the same boat, listening to the book on audio.

Wow...okay...well, a one hundred page chunk brings us to approximately chapter 34. The title of the chapter in my translation reads:

'Of the instructions received for the Disenchantment of the peerless Dulcinea del Toboso, which is one of the most famous adventures in this book.'

If this sounds good to everyone, you would stop reading when you get to the above words.

I don't have 'books' in my translation, so I don't know if this is a good stopping place for book 3, or book 4, or whatever book we are currently on. I only have chapters.

Let me know what you think!

Chapters works for me as long as we all end up in the same place!

If it is OK with you, Angela, I am going to put you in charge of doling out the reading assignments from here on out.

Okay, I'm honored! :D
I think there would only be two more assignments to finish the book - we are getting close....

Thanks for doing that for me.

Yes, we are close to the end! I have had several surprises along the way . . .

Okay, gang, for this month's reading we are ready to start at Part Two, Chapter 34.
A little over 100 pages takes us to Part Two, Chapter 53. Stop when you get to that chapter.
Enjoy, everyone! We are almost finished...

I finally returned from my trip to Spain and I really enjoyed reading a little of Don Quixote there. We took a photo of some windmills on the Don Quixote trail and I will try to put one on the vacation site when I catch up some on the threads. I am enjoying the book quite a bit, but have fallen quite a bit behind. I hope to catch up some in July and August. Thanks so much for planning out the schedule. :)
--BJ

I can relate - I'm trying to keep up with 3 group reads and it is definitely a challenge! And even harder when you fall behind. Don't worry, though - we have until the end of the year to finish if we need to. :D

i have fallen so way behind... :-( had to set Don Q aside for 4 months because of heavy school and work schedule, but now that i have a little more time, i hope to do some catching up.

> 121 billiejean, looking forward to your photos. glad you enjoyed your trip.

I'm really falling behind, I just started with book 4 of part I. I somehow cannot set myself on this book, cannot concentrate on the text. And as the coming months will be busy, I'm afraid it will stay this way....

Just checking in again to all my group reads. I am still behind. I am not sure if I can, but I hope to catch up before the group finishes the book. I am still enjoying it.
--BJ

I just found this group, and I'm thrilled! I'm reading Don Quixote, and am currently in the early chapters of Part 2. Can I join you? My understanding is that we're aiming for Part 2, chapter 53, by mid-August?

I've almost been waylaid by some of the wordier sections of Part 1, but I'm finding Part 2 to be a little more fun.

Karen

Of course you may join! We'd be delighted...
Yes, we are reading to Part 2, chapter 53 by August 15th.
I am enjoying part 2 more than part one as well.

Happy reading,
Angela

Oh dear, I'm still behind: It's July 30th and I'm only up to Chapter 16 of Part 2. To see my ramblings about this book, visit
http://anzlitlovers.wordpress.com/2009/05/22/don-quixote-by-miguel-de-cervantes/
Lisa A(NZ LitLovers)

I would imagine you are not the only one behind, so do not worry about it over much!

I'm making progress in my catch-up; I'm currently on Part 2, Chapter 27. I'm really enjoying Part 2; I'll miss Don Q. and Sancho when it's all over. Might have to read this book again!

Karen

Well, I tried to put in my photos and they came out too big. The edit function is not working. I will try again on another day. Sorry.
--BJ

I'm caught up to this month's goal. I'm really enjoying the read, so it is tempting to just go ahead and finish (we are so close!)

I'm not a big wine drinker, but a Spanish wine was recommended to me, so I might have to get some--to be savored while reading DQ.

Cheers!

Karen O.

Here's a little treat--I hope you like it.

I found a link to a performance of Gordon Lightfoot's "Don Quixote" -

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9eRrObcBVEo

An oldie but a goodie.

Karen

I wish I had seen this thread earlier! I just finished DQ for my book group! Darn.

#134 I'm so impressed that you finished DQ! This group is really close to being done. We should wind up in September. I'm getting impatient to finish it up, but I'm trying to hold back to stay with the group.

How is everyone else doing?

I am behind. I am on Chapter 18, but I am going to try to finish for September. I still love this book.
--BJ

Okay - for this month's 'assignment', did we decide to finish this book? Is everyone in agreement? It's only a little over 100 pages to go in my translation...

If anyone is having trouble keeping up, there's still plenty of time to finish by the end of the year.

Yes, let's finish it out is my vote! Then we can have a ton of discussion about the book, just keeping in mind to put SPOILER in when needed for those who have not finished it.

I have finally caught up with the August 15th deadline, so I think that I am on track to finish by September 15th. :)
--BJ

Just checking in to say that I finished this wonderful book and will see everyone on the 15th!
--BJ

I finished too, and it was a great read. This thread really helped me to focus and to finish--thanks!

I'll keep watching the thread; hope to discuss DQ with you fellow readers.

Karen

I finished it tonight, just under the wire!

Edith Grossman translation is marvellous