Don Quixote A Retelling of the Cervantes' Classic

by Edward Abbott Parry

The story of Don Quixote, Man of La Mancha, a gallant knight who seeks to right all wrongs, help the weak, and worship beauty. He's a man of dreams and he's a man of action. And what are his actions? To make his dreams come true
- Even the most impossible ones!

It doesn't matter to Don Quixote that his adventure all turn into misadventures. He must challenge the windmill - it's an evil giant in disguise! He is compelled to enter battle - even when the armies mysteriously turn into two flocks of bleating sheep! The brass hat he seeks in single combat is not a barber's basin - but a knight's helmet of shining gold!

Poor Don Quixote! Though time and circumstance are always against him, he never stops searching for the highest good. He never ceases to be ...

... a very gentle, perfect knight.

255 pages, Unknown Binding

First published January 1, 1954

About the author

Edward Abbott Parry (1863–1943) was an English judge and dramatist.

Parry was born in London, the second son of John Humffreys Parry, a barrister. Parry himself studied at the Middle Temple and was called to the Bar in 1885. He was Judge of Manchester County Court 1894-1911 and became Judge of Lambeth County Court in 1911. He wrote several plays and books for children. He was appointed to sit on a Pensions Appeal Tribunal in the summer of 1917, which dealt with appeals against governmental decisions on military pensions. He later published a book on War Pensions: Past and Present, co-authored with Sir Alfred Codrington, another member of the Tribunal.

Reviews

[Willow · Rating 3 out of 5]

So many lamentable fiascos, harsh beatings, and noble ideas gone awry. Don Quixote operates with good intentions but he has regrettably hapless execution. The novel was intentioned to be somewhat comic, as I understand it, but the main characters are so pitiable it didn't strike me as very funny, though it did have its moments. The best parts were those that involved Cardenio or Dorothea. It made me sad, though, how all the other characters made fun of Don Quixote and Sancho Panza, taking full advantage of them at every opportunity. There was definitely some cruelty. Although, to be fair, the hapless pair DID initiate their fair share of lawless, harebrained, and provoking deeds themselves.

This version was a children's retelling, and it left off at the end of the first book with hints at the sequel and an encouragement to read Cervantes' full novel sometime (which consists of two books). I hadn't realized that it wasn't going to proceed to the actual end of the story. 🤔 It is unclear which translation was used as the basis for this retelling, but it uses the "Knight of the Rueful Countenance" description for Don Quixote so might be from the Ormsby.

I read somewhere that this work was influential for Shakespeare and that he probably read it in the original Spanish, so that was interesting. That alone makes it worth a read, methinks.

My reading of this was bookended with the Literary Life podcast episode on Don Quixote (#88). Had to go back for another listen when finished because it took so long to read it, I forgot everything they said about it. 😜 There were some helpful insights and the hosts mentioned a Shakespeare connection as well. They made me want to try the full novel someday. Maybe. I missed all the humor that was supposed to be in there; perhaps that had to do with the retelling. So one day, I may endeavor to pick up an Ormsby translation and read it in its entirety.

[Margaret McLane · Rating 4 out of 5]

My copy:
Don Quixote of The Mancha, retold by Judge Parry, Illustrated by Walter Vran3
1928
Ney York
Dodd, Mead and Company
1928
Printed in Great Britain

12 Full page and
19 half page illustrations, in color