The Ingenious Gentleman Don Quixote of La Mancha known simply as Don Quixote is a Spanish novel by Miguel de Cervantes, originally published in two parts, in 1605 and 1615 and considered a founding work of Western literature. It's often said to be the first modern novel. The novel has been labelled by many well-known authors as the "best novel of all time" and the "best and most central work in world literature". Don Quixote is also one of the most-translated books in the world and one of the best-selling novels of all time.