For lack of space I could only bring two books with me to France and so chose the Book of Mormon in French, and Don Quixote in English. I’ve been reading Don Quixote for nearly two months (I think) and am only half way—slow reading.

The story begins by introducing us to the main character Quixote who spends his leisure pouring over books on chivalry until it becomes an obsession, even so much as neglecting the management of his estate and selling parts of it to purchase more books to feed his curiosity than food for his stomach. The idea of pouring over books pokes fun at the quote that “we read in order to live” when Quixote’s own life is like one living in a bubble disconnected from his surroundings. He thinks, lives, and breathes chivalry in an age where chivalry is portrayed as outdated and the nobility of it another form of madness. The quote that “we are what we read” rings true in this story too, for next we learn that Quixote has given up all, even his pleasures, to become the idea of what he has read—a knight with a mission. He pledges his love to his mistress Dona Dulcinea del Toboso, dons on his armour with a visor made from cardboard and with his steed heads off for some misadventures. While he is on his “mission” he comes across characters with beliefs quite unlike his own and others with perspectives as diverse as there is food. While I see this book as poking fun, it is at the same time a sad story. Quixote is the epitome of a saint. He has good intentions; he wants to rid the world of all its evils but he is also vulnerable; vulnerable to criticism for his gallantry and one track mindedness.

When I read I try to think what the book wants to tell me—why I even bother reading the books that I read. I have to wait until I finish this book for it to tell me more but these are my thoughts for what I have written so far: I imagined Quixote’s leisure spent reading as representing one persuing his studies, although here the narrative pokes fun at the scholar for attempting to discover the meaning of his lines and “other such rhapsodies, which Aristotle himself would not be able to unravel, were he to rise from the dead for that purpose only.” This is what it looked like to the folk who were observing him and who for the most part were against what he was trying to accomplish. They also thought it was madness that he should—what we might call it today—finance his home for an education. An example of the sacrafice he makes for what he needs to do. After Quixote completes his studies, he has learned what his mission in life is and is then prepared to go and accomplish it—he has the thoughts and look of one with a mission impossible! And impossible looking he must have looked because everything about him was one big joke for everyone to scoff at. Why does one have to stand out so much to make such a difference? Or do we need to stand out to make such a difference? What is there that is similar to chivalry today that is noble and yet at the same time scoffed at?

Further we read that Quixote’s friends want to make it their mission to prune Quixote’s library because of the outrageous influence his books have on him. Many books were doomed to the fire without further question half of which had never been read by them but were believed to be questionable; and many others because the author was famous for his temper, or the language could not be understood and so on. Apart from showing us the treatment given to literature by well meaning Christians, maybe it is also telling us that we should leave other folks’ libraries alone.