Penguin Classics Don Quixote [Paperback]

Admittedly this has been my first adventure into classical literature. Now being in college, I never much enjoyed Shakespeare that, like so many, I had to read in high school. But I respected it for its importance and quality... when I could decipher it properly. This is why I'm glad to see a book with it's origins in the time of Shakespeare to be so readable to me, one who isn't a student of English or literature, but rather have a great book to read (not to say that if you are one that you shouldn't also look at this translation).

So, when going into my first classic piece of literature and having grown up on books like Harry Potter I wanted to get into a translation that was both faithful, but clear enough that I would enjoy the experience rather than have to slog through it like I was reading for a school assignment. Well, I'm happy to report that as I'm in the last 80 pages or so of this book I'm ready to give this translation a full five stars (Cervante's book obviously deserves no less). It strikes a perfect balance of the expected highfalutin prose of a classic literary work (and that some people seem to demand) and a understandable grammar that keeps the witty passages and observations unencumbered by overly complex old English vibes.

Simply put: It's smart and well done.

Additionally, the notes in the Kindle version are easy to access and are very helpful.

Here are three example passages I used to decide on this translation over Grossman and Putnam (the other two modern translations that are available on Kindle).

Grossman
"What crimes can he have committed." said Don Quixote, "if they have not deserved a heavier punishment than being sent to the galleys?"
"He goes for ten years," replied the guard, "which is the same thing as civil death, and all that need be said is that this good fellow is the famous Gines de Pasamonte, otherwise called called Ginesillo de Parapilla."
"Gently, senor commissary," said the galley slave at this, "let us have no fixing of names or surnames; my name is Gines, not Ginesillo, and my family name is Pasamonte, not Parapilla as you say; let each one mind his own business, and he will be doing enough."

Putnam
"What crimes could he have committed," asked the knight, "if he has merited a punishment no greater than that of being sent to the galleys?"
"He is being sent there for ten years," replied the guard, "and that is equivalent to civil death. I need tell you no more than that this good man is the famous Gines de Pasamonte, otherwise known as Ginesillo de Parapilla."
"Senor Commissary," spoke up the prisoner at this point, "go easy there and let us not be so free with names and surnames. My just name is Gines and not Ginesillo; and Pasamonte, not Parapilla as you make it out to be, is my family name. Let each one mind his own affairs and he will have his hands full."

Rutherford (this book)
'What crimes can he have committed, though,' asked Don Quixote, 'if he was not given a worse punishment than the galleys?'
'He's going for ten years,' replied the guard, 'which is civil death, more or less. All you need to know is that this man is the famous Gines de Pasamonte, also known as Ginesillo de Parapilla.'
'Look you here, sergeant,' said the convict, 'just watch your step, and don't be in such a hurry to fix names and nicknames on to poeple. I'm called Gines, not Ginesillo, and my family name is Pasamonte, not the Parapilla you said, and I'd advise you lot to stop poking your noses into other people's businesses.'

Observe and decide as you will. But my own quick comments on these three versions:
Rutherford's version of the prisoner's response is the only one to me that came off as a rough, angry rebuttal. While Grossman and Putnam's versions seemed rather reserved and only mildly annoyed sounding.
Putnam's last sentence is clever. And Grossman's use of the word 'Gently' is a little confusing. I also preferred the use of 'sergeant' over 'commissary'.

Click on to to "cover" and you get page 1.
Click on "table of contents" and get . . . something, certainly not the chapter by chapter table of contents you are expecting.
Looking for the translator's introduction? It's there somewhere if you can find it. Author's prologue ditto.

It all seems to be there (except for the cover) but it isn't easy to find.

If I wanted faulty navigation I would have taken the free version.

Comparing some 7-8 translations in-store, judging from the author's preface alone, this penguin edition appeared to be the most faithful, both syntactically and rhythmically. The 'English' translations succeeded in reducing the pace of the original Spanish to pedantic and boorish academic English; the majority of the modern renderings this reviewer viewed appeared to be self-consciously bowdlerized paraphrasings for the purpose of making Cervantes 'accessible' to the literature consuming portion of the dullard masses; the 'cultured' public . . .

A great translation, don't bother with the leveled down tripe or plodding prose of paraphrast translators of dubious intent.

› Go to Amazon.com to see all 3 reviews  4.0 out of 5 stars