Don Quixote is a Spanish, 17th century, epic novel by Miguel de Cervantes and one of the greatest works ever written. It is based on the quests of Alonso Quijano from La Mancha, a low class man who reads so many chivalric romances that he either loses or pretends to have lost his mind. He decides to live in a fictional world, become a knight-errant and wander the land in search of adventures under the name Don Quixote de la Mancha along with his humble companion, Sancho Panza. The book is often cited as the first modern novel, the character of Quixote is considered an archetype, and the word “quixotic” is nowadays used to describe the impractical pursuit of idealistic goals.