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Overview
Miguel de Cervantes (1547-1616) wrote Don Quixote, often described as the first modern novel. Its hero, an ageing gentleman who reads so many chivalric romances that he sets out as a knight, collides with a world that does not match his ideals. The book is funny, humane and quietly serious. It asks how much of what we believe about ourselves is real, and it remains a lasting study of self-image against reality.
Context
Cervantes lived in Spain's imperial age, a time of military glory, religious control and economic strain. He fought at the naval battle of Lepanto in 1571, was captured by pirates and held in Algiers for about five years, and later worked as a tax collector. Don Quixote Part 1 appeared in 1605, and a second part followed in 1615.
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Curator's notes
- Why it matters
- Idealism and reality collide
- Use in training and coaching
- Self-image versus reality
- What to read
- Don Quixote Part 1
- Writer
- Cervantes (1547 – 1616)
- Life in one line
- Soldier, captive in Algiers for five years
- Read in this order
- Don Quixote Part 1
- Big idea
- Idealism and reality collide
- Lesson for your work
- Self-image versus reality
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