Les miserables penguin classics paperback april 29, 1982. It was an instant popular success and was quickly translated into several languages. With its gargantuan length and exaggerated coincidences, les miserables is not read for its subtlety or the cleverness of the plot. Before i dig into this classic work of literature, i asked a few friends what i should know before reading les miserables. When hes done with that, he gives a long discussion of paris as though the city were a sort of person with a specific personality. Everyday low prices on a huge range of new releases and classic fiction. So long as there shall exist, by virtue of law and custom, decrees of damnation pronounced by society, artificially creating hells amid the civilization of earth, and adding the element of human fate to. Les miserables how long did it take for you to read through les. Based on the novel by victor hugo, les miserables travels with prisoneronparole, 24601, jean valjean, as he runs from the ruthless inspector javert on a journey beyond the barricades, at. I know this not because ive ever seen an interview where they.
I read through 12% of the book before wondering how long will it take me to finish. The convict jean valjean is released from a french prison after serving nineteen years for stealing a loaf of bread and for subsequent attempts to escape from prison. My friend dawn, who writes at 5 minutes for books, has been obsessed with all things les miz for twenty years. Hi, i was wondering how long it usually lasts to get through les miserables.
It is only after book ten of the fourth volume do we get to june 5th 1832. Hugos wrenching story centers on jean valjean, an honest peasant sentenced to five years hard labor for stealing a loaf of bread, then nineteen more for trying to. Les miserables tells the fictional story of jean valjean, a man who has unjustly been condemned to nearly two decades of prison for stealing a. Do you find the ending of this book hopeful, pessimistic, or neither. Les miserables the book by victor hugo is incredibly long, but. With hugh jackman, russell crowe, anne hathaway, amanda seyfried. What to know before reading les miserables by victor hugo. Along the way, the exconvict joins a revolution, adopts a daughter, and beats people up. If i had only one book outside the bible to take with me through the rest of my life it would be victor hugos les miserables. Free download or read online les miserables pdf epub les miserables series book.
Boublil and schonberg writers of les mis the musical deeply loved this novel. Set in the parisian underworld and plotted like a detective story, the work follows the fortunes of the convict jean valjean, a victim of society who has been imprisoned for 19 years for stealing a loaf of bread. The book was published in multiple languages including english, consists of 1463 pages and is available in mass market paperback format. Les miserables is a terrific insight into french history. Pdf les miserables book les miserables free download. Buy les miserables classics by hugo, victor, denny, norman, denny, norman, denny, norman from amazons fiction books store. Les miserables, victor hugo les miserables is a french historical novel by victor hugo, first published in 1862, that is considered one of the greatest novels of the 19th century. The average reader will spend hours and 48 minutes reading this book at 250 wpm words per minute.
At digne, he is repeatedly refused shelter for the night. Fantines coworkers find out about cosette, however, and fantine is fired. Les miserables i have been posting quotes from this book for a while now. If a writer wrote merely for his time, i would have to break my pen and throw it away, the largerthanlife victor hugo once confessed. At 1260 pages depending on the edition, its quite possibly the longest book ive ever read. So long as there shall exist, by reason of law and custom, a social condemnation, which, in the face of civilization, artificially creates. Victor hugos les miserables is widely considered one of the most famous and classic pieces of world literature. In montreuil, fantine finds work in madeleines factory.
Those details about religious orders and the battle of waterloo dont add to the story at all. The thenardiers agree to look after cosette as long as fantine sends them a monthly allowance. However, several alternatives have been used, including the miserables. Click the link for more information on the show, to buy tickets and much much more. The main characters of this classics, historical story are jean valjean, javert.
It would be good if whisoersync for kindle was made available. I am scaling victor hugos les miserables and keeping a. Victor hugos les miserables debuted 150 years ago in 1862 and now has become the literal definition of the big book. More than any other book, les miserables changed that. Dominic west, david oyewolo, lily collins and olivia colman star in an epic adaption of les miserables, premiering sunday, april 14, 98c on masterpiece. If youre really up to it and like a good long book, the unabridged is about 4500 pages, but its divided into 5 volumes and then the books in each. The first edition of the novel was published in 1862, and was written by victor hugo. In the englishspeaking world, the novel is usually referred to by its original french title. While i know absolutely nothing in the way of the french language, i can tell you that les miserables is an absolutely fantastic book. Les miserables by victor hugo paste paste magazine. Movie i am proud of my naming abilities, and ill be examining books and. Les miserables was possibly the first book where i thought an abridged version would make it a better book.
Jean valjean, after spending nineteen years in jail and in the galleys for stealing a loaf of bread and for several attempts to escape, is finally released, but his past keeps haunting him. In 19thcentury france, jean valjean, who for decades has been hunted by the ruthless policeman javert after breaking parole, agrees to care for a factory workers daughter. The book is missing the entire part of the story where fantine lost her job, fell to prostitution, became ill, attacked jean val jean, and was taken in by him. Set in the parisian underworld and plotted like a detective story, les miserables follows jean valjean, originally an honest peasant, who has been imprisoned for 19 years for stealing a loaf of bread to feed his sisters starving family. Les miserables the book by victor hugo is incredibly long. Les miserables how long did it take for you to read. The book is nearly 3,000 pages long and considered an epic.
On another level, it is a drama of crime, punishment and rehabilitation set against a panoramic description of french society after napoleon. A new sixpart tv adaptation, debuting sunday on pbs, hews much more closely to victor hugos often tragic novel than to the famous musical version. Does it need to be, or could hugo have gotten his point across in, say, 350 words. Published in 1862, the book referenced what were already historic events. On one level les miserables is a detective story in which the relentless inspector javert obsessively pursues the escaped convict jean valjean. Only the saintly bishop, monseigneur myriel, welcomes him. I am scaling victor hugos les miserables and keeping a journal of my ascent of the 1200page hill, scouting the terrain on behalf of prospective readers tempted by the upcoming film adaptation. Book one, fantine so ive decided to take the plunge and make another attempt at victor hugos epic masterpiece, les miserables. Two thirds of the book doesnt advance the plot, but it is a description of french life with amazing attention to detail. Les miserables, one of the most popular musicals of all time, is based on a novel of the same name by french author victor hugo.
Les miserables or, as it is often shortened, les mis is a novel by victor hugo, published in 1862. A hardened criminal upon his release, he eventually reforms, becoming a successful industrialist and town mayor. The strange power of les mis, the book the new republic. If it were just the pure story, the narrative would positively zip along. Set during the period 1815 to 1832 in france, countless people have enjoyed this novel about jean. This was at a time when i had just finished a grueling job rushing through 18 to 20 hour days nonstop which had lasted 7 years, and id spent much of that time dreaming of just sitting and reading long novels, without being bothered by any thoughts of pending deadlines. Les miserables is a french historical novel by victor hugo, first published in. The title is french, translating in english to the wretched ones. As soon as you read les miserables, you graduate from the massive crowd of people who aspire to read the book into the much more exclusive. When valjean arrives at the town of digne, no one is willing to give him shelter because he is an exconvict. How les miserables was the biggest deal in book history. If you are good at picking up languages then it might be completely possible to start learning french and learning about france while reading a book set in france.
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