Quixote Kicked My Butt

Okay, I will admit, I failed to finish Book 1. It was tough to get into, but I've been told by Katie that in the 30's it gets better. I will continue to keep fighting it so I can complete book 1 but I am definitely looking forward to reading East of Eden. :-)

I will post when I do actually finish Book 1. I imagine it will give me a bit of a fight, but a lot of classics cause me to fight. Jane Eyre took me 3 tries before I conquered that one. I had to come and go with Pride and Prejudice as I read it.

I would say this is an epic fail, but I haven't completely given up on finishing it yet, so no failure yet. I just failed to finish it by the deadline. Boo.

Bring it on Steinbeck! :-)

Quizzical Quixote

Oh Don Quixote, what a crazy ride you have been!

My experience with this book had begun with seeing Wishbone recreate it on tv all those years ago. I personally thought it only involved an aging knight battling windmills. Instead I was confronted with an aging knight wandering around the countryside causing mayhem and attacking random people!! Which is still enjoyable, don't get me wrong!

I think it's going to be good to take a break, it's definitely one of those books where you can lose sight of what's going on if you aren't into it.

I would like to finish book 2 At some point in time! I thought it was a good rendition of what not to do when you lose your marbles!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Quick Update

Alright ladies, so we're going from reading both books of Don Quixote to just Book 1 for now. I'm sure we can all use the break considering how tough Don is being at times.

So, for those of us still trying to read it, Book 1 will be done by the end of January. On Feb 1 we will start reading East of Eden, Katie's second favorite book to To Kill A Mockingbird!

Book One of Don Quixote or otherwise know as "How to go crazy from reading too many books, Part One"

Don Quixote has been quite a journey and at times a struggle.  I did enjoy the book loads more when it became less about Don Quixote and more about the other characters he encountered.  I was totally enthralled with the complex love story between Cardeni, Lucinda, Ferdinand and Dorothea. It seems that there are so many stories within the story that Cervantes uses to show real wisdom and love.  I think all these characters were used to offset Don Quixote's craziness and to actually display the love that Don Quixote is always raving about (and I'm also thankful for these characters because I was getting very tired of Don Quixote getting beaten in every chapter).   I also enjoyed The Story of Ill Advised Curiosity because it also had the love triangle and it had the valuable lesson to not destroy what you already have by testing it.  Basically I enjoyed everyone else's story more than Don Quixote's.

As for Don Quixote himself, I am a bit disappointed that he didn't have his moment of glory.  I originally thought that was what the story was leading up to but he ended up back where he started.  Since he did not have his moment I am curious if he achieves that in the second book.

What is Love?

"[...] for love sometimes flies, sometimes walks, runs with one, creeps with another, warms a third, burns a fourth, wounding some and slaying others. In one moment, it begins, performs, and concludes its career; lays siege in the morning to a fortress, which is surrendered before night, there being no force that can withstand its power."

If my children ever ask me what love is, I only have to refer them to Don Quixote, Chapter 34 and these few lines. Despite all the madness and folly that seem to encompass this book, there are some passages that make up for the trying nature of others.