The Singular Adventures of Baron Munchausen by Rudolph Raspe

3 stars

The Beloved Baron Himself

The Baron Munchausen is quite a character. He can singlehandedly defeat great beasts, make ships fly, discover new lands (even those on the moon) and in general, always save the day. He reminds me a great deal of Don Quixote, actually. Although instead of Rocinante, he has a bevy of fine beasts: one horse whom only he could tame (and then of course ride inside for tea, because, why not?), some fabulously brilliant dogs who smell game even in the middle of the ocean (and I can't even get my dog to sit more than 2 seconds), a gigantic seahorse whose eyes he gouged out and then took to riding, and a pair of great eagles whom he rode all around with, and also enabled them to get very drunk on native fruit (such a good influence). Each story is more ridiculous than the next, but he does succeed in creating a welcome distraction from the real world. I recommend reading some of his exploits to escape with a light read.

Origins of the Baron

Unlike Quixote, Baron Munchausen is a real person. He was a German aristocrat who lived from 1720-1797. His main contribution to posterity was his love of telling tall tales, especially at dinner parties with his friends. The legend he built himself up to be was snatched by the literary presses in the 1780s. The first English version was published by Rudolph Raspe  in 1785. Not to be outdone, the tales were translated back into German the following year. 

The Baron has appeared in more than 100 different volumes to date. His exploits have been heard on the radio and seen on the stage. He has been a cartoon and part of a feature film. So it seems that he did achieve great things, just perhaps not what he intended to be known for, but has been an enchanting diversion to audiences for more than two centuries.

I've always been a fan of Top Ten Tuesday, which comes to us from The Broke and The Bookish.

This week's topic is which books I'd like to re-read if we were in an ideal world where I actually had time for such things. Here are mine, but let me know yours as well!

1. The Entire Harry Potter Series. These books truly enchanted me and I love the immersive feeling of being a part of the wizarding world. Since I don't re-read because there are far too many books in the world, I have to content myself with re-watching the movies now and again. At least I have that.

2. Snow White and Rose Red by Patricia Wrede. This is an adult retelling of the classic fairytale and one of my absolute favorite books. It has been so long since I've read it and I long to return to the coziness of its beautifully woven story.

3. Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte. Another one of my favs. I've watched movies but none can get it just right for me. The only thing I can do is return.

4. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen. There are some pretty good movie versions of this one (ahem Colin Firth, soaking wet) but the book will always hold a special place in my heart.

5. The Witching Hour by Anne Rice. This one puts together an intricate and dark genealogy of the Mayfair witches, stretching back generations. I love how much love was put into each and every story.

6. The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield. Fabulous and dark, with so many twists I'm pretty sure I missed something in my first reading.

7. If on a Winter's Night a Traveler by Italo Calvino. I'd love to forget I've read this one and read it again from scratch. I had such a great time with this book! Note: If you haven't read it yet, go do it. Now.

8. Kafka on the Shore by Haruki Murakami. Murakami is so beautifully layered that I am sure that if I reread this book it would be like reading it for the first time all over again. There are so many details that may only surface the second time around.

9. Jewels of the Sun by Nora Roberts. My first Roberts read and one that I truly loved. I would hope to recapture the magic it gave me the first time. I've read other Roberts books since this one, but none have quite reached this level for me.

10. The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde. These books are true pleasures. They are so smart and witty and just fun. I'd love to go back to the beginning.

Well there's mine. What made your list?