Customer Reviews

Aventuras del Ingenioso Hidalgo Don Quijote de la Mancha

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Marcel C. Andrade does a wonderful job presenting a Spanish language edition of Part I of Don Quijote for intermediate level students of the Spanish language. Unusual vocabulary is listed next to the text in the margin; and the explanatory notes give historical and literary background that bring the text to life. This is the best place to start for English-speaking students of the Spanish language who are approaching the original Spanish text of Don Quijote for the first time.

This brief series of selections from the first part of Quijote is probably an adequate text for those who have only recently started reading Spanish and are bent on reading Cervantes in something approaching the original as quickly as possible.
However, the author never makes clear what principles he has followed in modifying the language in order to make it more accessible to "intermediate" students. Sometimes, a word is changed; sometimes, an entire passage has been paraphrased; sometimes, large parts have been left out altogether.
Cervantes orginal language is surprisingly comprehensible to the modern student; clarity is one the many signs of his genius. This very accessibility is a bit of a drawback; "intermediate" students are still presumably trying to get their Spanish in working order, and Cervantes may taint their language in the way Quijote's own "feridas" and other archaic lingo tainted his.
I'd recommend that readers hold out a bit longer, then use a well-annotated Quijote intended for native speakers, such as Riquer's or Rico's.

This is a servicable abridgement, easy to read and an okay place to start for non-native speakers of Spanish, in their second or third year of study. However, the editor sees fit to interrupt the narrative every page and a half with notes in English. The most galling aspect is the study questions in Spanish after each chapter, which ask about information introduced in the English language notes. Keep looking for a good edition, this isn't it.

The book arrived much earlier than the indicated delivery date, which was greatly appreciated! It was also, as described. Thanks for an honest post, prompt service and a great product!

I received the item promptly in excellent condition. I will buy again from this vendor when the opportunity arises.

This bold statement of Franz Kafka resumes the true essence of the meaning of this surprising, captivating and still engaging book through the years.
This was precisely the year in which we are just celebrating the 400 th anniversary of the first edition of this first order level work.
The Spanish writer Pio Baroja affirmed once: "Don Quijote is like love; when it recovers the judge is because it's just dying".
The tribulations, mental disorders and the fuzzy logic that inspires his controversial actions are far beyond the simple and cold cerebral analysis: you must be in anagogic level; the fourth level of the consciuous according Goethe, in which the coordinates of the pure reason simply vanish and the doors of perception open before our mind. It a stargate (to employ Roland Emerich's film) , where the presence of a simple woman becomes to him in his muse: Dulcinea del Toboso and his reason for live.
Sancho Panza will be his link with the real world, his counter weight living: Eros and Psique's myth once more reborns.
Rivers of ink have been employed to describe the outrageous behavior of Don Alonso Quijano who tired of being himself (after reading countless adventures never lived by himself) decided to leap the twilight zone and from being a simple spectator transforming himself in actor -for better or worst- to change the world in his epic attitude.
I just want to add you must read this book at least four times in your life, because as a true masterpiece, its meaning changes according your values, interest,maturity and mental growth.
"It's a great pitty the nuts don't have the right to talk about sensately about the madness of the sanity persons"
William Shakespeare

Response to the self proclaimed reviewer of "Aventuras" The self appointed reviewer from Nebraska with a negative about " Aventuras" shows that he doesn't understand the teaching of "Don Quijote". I would like to know his qualifications! In order to expedite instruction and convey meaning, one has to explain rapidly all intrincancies of DQ. In order to do so, the editor has explained, in the quickest manner (English), cultural context, abstract concepts, and references in order to keep the integrity of the reading of such a treasure short (like every page and a half (sic.) The author of this edition was awarded the "Encomienda con Placa en la Orden de Alfonso X el Sabio" by His Majesty King Juan Carlos in 1995. That is the highest recognition Spain awards for works of this quality.