Don Quixote is an epic and classic Spanish novel written by Miguel de Cervantes. Its full title is The Ingenious Gentleman Don Quixote of La Mancha, or El ingenious hidalgo don Quixote, de la Mancha in Spanish. It was first published in two parts in 1605 and 1615. It is frequently referred to as the first modern book and one of the greatest works ever written. It is a foundational piece of Western literature. One of the most translated books in the world is Don Quixote. The story follows the exploits of Alonso Quijano, a hidalgo from La Mancha who belongs to the lowest class, who reads so many chivalric romances that he either goes insane or pretends to be insane in order to take the name Don Quixote de la Mancha and become a knight-errant (caballero andante) in order to restore chivalry and serve his country. Sancho Panza, a common farmer whom he hires as his squire, deals with Don Quixote's rhetorical monologues on knighthood, which are already regarded as archaic at the time, with a special, earthy wit, and represents the drollest realism in contrast to his master's idealism. The story spans a significant amount of time with recurring themes like the nature of reality and discourse.