March 16, 2001

The Truth About Don Quixote

To the Editor:

Scott Heller's "The New Geography of Classic Spanish Literature" (February 2) deserves a lengthy discussion that cannot occur here. One can point out, however, some untrue, unlikely, or inappropriate statements made in the article.

For instance, it is untrue that Don Quixote's library was burned by "inquisitors." There were no inquisitors in sight, just the old gentleman's friends and relatives, trying to protect him, rightly or wrongly, from the readings that