DON QUIXOTE OF THE MANCHA: Retold by Judge Parry, 1919 edition, with color illustrations

by Edward Abbott Parry, Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra

Don Quixote, fully titled "The Ingenious Nobleman Mister Quixote of La Mancha" (Spanish: El Ingenioso Hidalgo Don Quijote de la Mancha), is a Spanish novel by Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra. Published in 16055, Don Quixote is considered the most influential work of literature from the Spanish Golden Age and the entire Spanish literary canon. As a founding work of modern Western literature and one of the earliest canonical novels, it regularly appears high on lists of the greatest works of fiction ever published and is often cited as the "best literary work ever written".

The story follows the adventures of a noble named Alonso Quixano who reads so many chivalric romances that he loses his sanity and decides to set out to revive chivalry, undo wrongs, and bring justice to the world, under the name Don Quixote de la Mancha. He recruits a simple farmer, Sancho Panza, as his squire, who often employs a unique, earthy wit in dealing with Don Quixote's rhetorical orations on antiquated knighthood.

This particular edition is retold by Judge Parry and illustrated by Walter Crane.
It was published in 1919.

169 pages, Kindle Edition

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