Robert M. (shotokanchef) reviewed Adventures of a Simpleton (Simplicissimus) on + 813 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 2
The jacket praises this as being a tale of a German Candide, although it was written some 90 years earlier (1669) than Voltaires classic (1760). Nonetheless, there are similarities. It is also somewhat akin to the misadventures of Don Quixote (1605, or thereabouts), and Gil Blas (1715-1735). The first part of Defoes Memoirs of a Cavalier (1720) covers similar ground during the 30-year war between Sweden and Germany. As some parts are also quite fantastic, it might also be a predecessor to Raspes Baron Munchausen and Vernes Journey to the Center of the Earth (1864), although this printing omits Simplicius visit to inner Earth. And, at this point, I might also throw in Edgar Rice Burroughs Pelucidar (1914 and later) and Caspak (1918) novels. So, heres a reading list for you to peruse and compare. In spite of the obscurity of this novel, it is worth pursuingif you can find it.
