I just listened to a super long audiobook, and then realized I had listened to the story before. So, it wasn't just the pop culture knowledge that made it seem so familiar. However, this was a different narration of a different translation, so all was not lost. It was a 250 year old translation of a 400 year old novel, yet it felt like it could have been written a few years ago. Don Quixote is just that good. The narration by Robert Whitfield is excellently performed. The novel is very long, especially with book one and book two included together. At the start, Don Quixote becomes obsessed with knigths and sets off on adventures. Then we meets up with Sancho Panza and they have numerous adventures. He seems to believe that many things are "under enchantment" rather than that they are not "knightly". Many of his friends try to get him to believe the truth before his eyes. Finally, on his death bed, he acknowledges that he was delusional. The length of the novel can be a turn off. However, this is akin to saying a couple seasons of a sitcom is longer than a movie. You could read just the first bit of the books and have a sufficient conversational understanding of Don Quixote. The additional chapters cover additional humorous episodes that further develop the characters. I found Sancho Panza to be the most intriguing. He is both dumb and whitty. He realizes that Don Quixote is crazy, yet he goes along with him anyway, in hopes of getting his great reward. He does get a taste of being a "leader of an island", but tires of it. However, in the process, he actually is a good leader.
Many of Don Quixote's friends try to help him with various ploys. However, none succeed. People do write about his exploits. In multiple occasions, Quixote and Sancho encounter people that have knowledge of them through the stories or written works. They try to correct their misunderstandings - but this often ends up displaying them in worse light.
There is so much to the novel, it is easily worth another long reread.
