This is Awesome

[Basil]

The Venezuelan government has printed one million free copies of Don Quixote to mark the book's 400th anniversary.

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez urged everyone to read Miguel de Cervantes' Spanish classic.

He called on everyone to "feed ourselves once again with that spirit of a fighter who went out to undo injustices and fix the world".

"To some extent, we are followers of Quixote," he told viewers of his Hello President TV show.

The Venezuelan edition contains a prologue written by Portuguese Nobel literature laureate Jose Saramago.

The free copies will be handed out in public squares this weekend, said Mr Chavez.

Don Quixote of La Mancha is the second most published book in the world, after the Bible.

It tells of the adventures of a mad knight and his faithful sidekick, Sancho Panza, with the original running to 1,000 pages in archaic Spanish.

Don Quixote recently beat the likes of Shakespeare and Tolstoy to be named the best work of fiction in a survey of leading writers from across the world.

Spain has been leading the celebrations of one of its most famous books, with new editions printed along with readings and seminars.


I'm an American . . . I'm trying to remember the last time our president suggested I read a book . . . hmmmmm . . .

[subterranean]

I'm an American . . . I'm trying to remember the last time our president suggested I read a book . . . hmmmmm . . .


Here, Here...

[Bandini]

I think the American government prefers the masses to be uneducated - it's a prerequisite for thier style of government isn't it? Keep meaning to read 'Don Quixote'. I bought it a few weeks back. Will get round to it soon.

[subterranean]

Say, I'm assuming that you're English...So does your goverment give Don for free as well?

[Bandini]

Unfortunately not. The comment does not only refer to America, and refers more specifically to the Republican government.

[Koa]

Well people can read even without the suggestion of a government... ok it doesnt happen and I see what you mean by praising this initiative... But for what I think of governments in general, there must be some reason under it if a government does so with a book, not just philantrophy and love for the culture of the masses...have you ever seen a government acting out of pure philantrophy?
Ouch, this is getting forbidden...I apologise.