Everything you could want and then some!

I always knew of Don Quixote, but had never actually gotten around to reading it. I was missing out!

This story was everything one could want out of a comical adventure, and more! Of course, the stars of the story are Don Quixote and his quirky sidekick Sancho Panza. Don Quixote's famously ridiculous "adventures" do not disappoint, but a great deal of this book's charm is found in the Man of La Mancha's countless sharp discussions with his sometimes-witty, sometimes-witless, but always loyal squire. The contrast between the delusional scholar and the worldy-wise simpleton is an ingenious combination. For a book about the adventures of a madman and a fool, Miguel de Cervantes smuggled a surprising amount of genuine wisdom into their absurd conversations.

If you've never read Don Quixote before, be prepared to take your time to "enjoy the scenery along with the ride." Like many early novels, Don Quixote is more of a "rambling yarn" than a neatly composed 3-act novel. The first part of the book especially feels overloaded with subplots and completely unrelated inclusions--there's even a "novella" included that one of the characters reads in full that has absolutely nothing to do with the rest of the story. At first, I was a little annoyed by this inclusion (it certainly wasn't as interesting as Don Quixote's escapades,) but I came to see it as part of de Cervantes' playful style. He even pokes fun at himself for including it in the book later on! He is winking at the reader, requesting that we enjoy ourselves and not take his book too seriously.

This book is charming, insightful, and well worth your time. My only complaint is that I wish the story were even longer, which is a funny thing to say considering how long this book actually is. I hope to come back to this story again one day. I wish I could experience it for the first time again!

The production of the audiobook itself is also praiseworthy. Roy McMillan did a fantastic job reading this story, giving distinct characterization for the dialogue and keeping the narrative delightful. Don't forget to check out the included PDF of the CD booklet that comes with this book. In it, McMillan also wrote up a fascinating synopsis of Miguel de Cervantes' life and the impact Don Quixote had on the literary world. I highly recommend this audiobook.

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Prefect narration. Profound.

Do not be fooled by the absurdity. Cervantes has used the front of a knight errant to share wisdom that will stand the test of time.
Rightly deserves the title of best work of literature ever.

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A funny, lively version of the classic

I really can see why this centuries-old tale is counted among the greats. Full of life and humour and warmth. The slapstick scenes had me laughing out loud. What a great narrative performance, too. Snappy. Variety of voices. Just great.

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Must read

This book brings you in right away and keeps you wanting one more chapter. One of the best performances I have heard.

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A True Classic

Excellent narration! A true classic and well worth the listen. I would call this the first absurdist fantasy written.

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Wonderful story, wonderfully told

My Dad bought this book for me when i was 11. It was as thick as my lunchbox and my English teacher said it was too advanced for me. I never read it. Thanks to the wonder of audible and a 2hr commute i got through it over the past month. It's fantastic. From Don Quixote's righteous pomp to Sancho Panza's proverb riddled witicisms. I looked forwar to my commute. The narrator is wonderful and through is different voices i could really build a picture of the characters. Probably better than had I been reading it myself.

I was sad when it ended and felt like i was saying goodbye to two old friends.

5 stars all the way!

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