A lovely, introspective, outrospective journey that led me to read the original. ( )

A tale of innocence and friendship. Father Quixote of the parish of El Toboso believes himself a descendant of Cervantes' fictional hero. His closest friend is the recently deposed Communist Mayor of the town, who Quixote naturally calls 'Sancho'. Father Quixote is troubled by doubt on particulars of the faith he is required to have, but at his core is convinced that Jesus and God are, above all an expression of love. He is a naive traveller in a modern (early 80's) world, but will oppose that which he feels is wrong.

I first saw the movie adaptation starring Alec Guinness and Leo McKern in the late 80s and found it a wonderful production. The novel is likewise. Both characters come to accept the others' beliefs without adopting them, and both come to reject sterile dogmatism. I found the interplay between the characters sometimes amusing and always engaging, and the end moving. The final paragraph I think describes me. ( )

In Graham Greene's third last novel,a priest and a former communist mayor follow their ancestors Don Quixote and Sancho Panza on a journey across Franco's Spain. His protagonists also pay homage to the Italian duo Don Camillo and Peppone. With wit and panache he explores the constricted world of church, local police and the peasant community at the verge of modernity as well as his classic themes of catholicism and communism. ( )