Don Quixote

Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes (1605/1615)

The first modern novel. An aging Spanish gentleman reads so many chivalric romances that he loses his mind, dubs himself "Don Quixote de la Mancha," and sets out to right wrongs — tilting at windmills he believes are giants, with his faithful squire Sancho Panza.

Historical Significance:
Cervantes published Part One in 1605 and Part Two in 1615. He wrote much of it while in prison and dire poverty. The novel was an immediate bestseller across Europe and has never gone out of print in over 400 years. In 2002, the Norwegian Book Club's survey of 100 prominent authors named Don Quixote the greatest work of fiction ever written.

Cervantes invented the modern novel by creating fiction that is aware of itself as fiction — characters in Part Two have read Part One. The phrase "tilting at windmills" (fighting imaginary enemies) has entered every European language. Don Quixote and Sancho Panza represent the eternal tension between idealism and pragmatism.

This public domain classic was originally published in 1605. Free to read and share.