Don Quixote

Christopher Casenove employs an impressive range of British accents in his Performance--and presents everyone from earl to washerwoman. Such voices may not be what listeners expect from DON QUIXOTE, but they make it easy to tell who's speaking, even when a scene contains more than one character of a certain "type." Together, the excerpts which comprise this abridgeent convey the tone and spirit of the source without awkward breaks or transitions. The music that begins and ends each tape--solo classical guitar--summons images of the Spanish countryside, and might have done so more effectively had it been integrated into the reading. T.J.W. (c) AudioFile 2002, Portland, Maine

First published in 1605 and 1615 in two volumes, DON QUIXOTE is a tale of reinvention and the romantic imagination. Roy McMillan delivers it quickly and crisply, an approach that allows the listener to focus on its humor. Upon his retirement, Don Quixote takes on the life of the heroes of old and becomes a wandering knight. As he searches for adventure and opportunities to carry out chivalrous deeds, he finds them--mostly in his own imagination. The locals think he's lost his mind as he travels the countryside on his skinny horse, tilting at windmills and chasing sheep. McMillan's light British accent gives way to lilting Spanish phrases as he charms listeners with mistaken identities, convoluted reasoning, and melodious verses. Cervantes's canonical tale of personal honor lives on in McMillan's energetic performance. M.B.K (c) AudioFile 2011, Portland, Maine

Starred review from October 15, 2011

Spending 36 hours in the company of a 400-year-old novel sounds intimidating, but it needn't be--not when the book is as constantly amusing, inventive, and moving as Don Quixote. Cervantes's classic mock-heroic tale chronicles the adventures of a self-styled knight-errant whose efforts to restore medieval chivalry are a series of comic disasters. Considered the first modern novel, Don Quixote is one of the most entertaining stories ever told. Although John Ormsby's English translation is now 125 years old, it seems remarkably fresh. The novel's linear narrative is ideal for listening and combined with Roy McMillan's pitch-perfect narration makes those 36 hours nonstop pleasure for literature fans and general readers. Highly recommended.--R. Kent Rasmussen, Thousand Oaks, CA

Copyright 2011 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

One of fiction's greatest comic heroes and his infamous sidekick are given rare three-dimensionality in this vastly entertaining performance by Andrew Sachs. His impeccable characterizations breathe life into each character; this is a true tour de force brimming with wry, irrepressible humor and grand, elegant speeches. Cervantes's trenchant wit shines through what could have been a rote performance but is indeed audio art. To say Sachs inhabits each role in an understatement; his Quixote could be a standard to be followed and a fine acting lesson for aspiring voice actors. D.J.B. (c) AudioFile 2003, Portland, Maine

Christopher Cazenove, Ben Carrington on TV's "Dynasty," distinguishes himself here with an andante musical beauty. He almost sings the text, even when impersonating the many characters, which he does very nicely, albeit in a British, rather than Spanish, idiom. What he can't manage to do is provoke laughs; he just doesn't have the comic verve. Instead, like a sitcom actor, he cues us with his light touch, as if to telegraph: "Hey, this is a funny bit!" Poignancy he gives us, and quite touching he is, too. This uncredited translation feels arcane, but, thanks to the reader, is never obscure. Y.R. (c)AudioFile, Portland, Maine

The two thick volumes, here reduced by three-fifths or more, are presented in a mellifluous translation, which is read with delicious wit and merriment. Those of us who love the Don and his squire, Sancho, balk at such a drastic abridgment. Even so, it must be said that the Quixotite will enjoy this recording, albeit under protest. Y.R. (c)AudioFile, Portland, Maine

This version of de Cervantes's seventeenth-century classic has been updated and abridged, making it easier listening for the modern ear. Even children can enjoy hearing the adventures--real and imaginary--of the self-proclaimed "Don Quixote de la Mancha." Johnny Heller's husky voice is especially good when intoning the na•ve speech of Sancho Panza, the squire who agrees to join Don Quixote in return for his promise of an island to rule. Even in abridgment this story can become tedious, but this audio edition, at less than 5 hours, is a great way for novices to be experience this otherwise daunting work. R.Z.R. (c) AudioFile 2010, Portland, Maine