Regularly described as one of the founding texts of modern literature, Spanish novel Don Quixote was first published in 1605 and has been translated into over fifty languages. Author Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra is said to have drafted the idea for the novel while in prison for tax fraud. The titular character is a middle-aged Spanish man who, due to a combination of insanity and over-exposure to stories of chivalry, decides to travel the country to perform honourable deeds. The term “quixotic”, which refers to a person or deed that is impractically idealistic, is derived from his name. It is estimated that it has reached an audience of 500 million people since its publication.

JH