Les Miserables (Modern Library)

Book Description

Sensational, dramatic, packed with rich excitement and filled with the sweep and violence of human passions, LES MISERABLES is not only superb adventure but a powerful social document. The story of how the convict Jean-Valjean struggled to escape his past and reaffirm his humanity, in a world brutalized by poverty and ignorance, became the gospel of the poor and the oppressed.

From the Paperback edition.

Customer Reviews:

Les Miserables.......2007-05-25

This is an excellent translation of the classic Les Miserables by Victor Hugo. The section on the Battle of Waterloo makes the reader feel as if he were actually present. This is only one of the memorable parts of this wonderful book. My advise-don't waste your time on an abridged version of this book!

The mind of a genius, the work of a lifetime.......2006-09-10

As close to flawless as you could come, no other author can match the storytelling and characterisation. Describes a turbulent period in France, with incredible political and social commentary. Hugo's monumental work explores many themes i.e. why the Restoration was a backward step, the difference between a revolution and a riot; he describes many life's experiences and emotions: the myriad ways people can fall between the cracks into destitution (Fantine, Montepercy); one of the greatest descriptions of falling in love (Marius and Cosette) and how it feels to be in love, the greatest description of a battle (Waterloo), the desperation of a convict (reminds of Henry Charrier -Papillon), the making of men (Marius), unbounding heroism and selflessness(Eponine, Jean Valjean); explores patience, loss, asceticism, rebellion, fulfillment, nationalism, the administation of justice and the overriding theme is CONSCIENCE. I read this and then discovered that Hugo's own daughter lived in Barbados for a number of years living 'on the edge' of destitution. Small world.

We should be better for reading it..........2006-06-29

... but this was the most popular book, read by soldiers, North and South, during our Civil War. We should be better for hearing democracy in Beethoven, piety in Bach, compassion in Mozart -- and perhaps we do, one person at a time, but I fear we are always running out of time.

I read this book thirty years ago, over two winters, setting it down midway in March 1977 I believe. I had heard a near-complete reading on NPR, spread over at least a month of Saturday afternoons. I always made sure I was home for that; I was a single parent, then, father of a seven year old boy. To use a cheap term of the day, I could 'relate' to Jean Valjean, and I was thrilled by the music that opened each episode: the March to the Scaffold from Berlioz' "Symphony Fantastique." After the final episode, I went out and bought the Modern Library Giant, and began to read.

The radio production was not complete! While I found the details surrounding the Battle of Waterloo truly informative -- the description of the battlefield as a captial A was a vivid model of simplicity -- the long section on the history of the nuns' order where Valjean and his young ward take refuge, and where she is educated, invited a lot of skimming.

Skim where you will, but try to read the complete book. At some later time you can return to those pages you skimmed, and discover what you missed.

Les Miserable, The Brothers Karamazov, War and Peace, Moby-Dick, Joseph and His Brothers, Remembrance Of Things Past (okay, In Search Of Lost Time), Ulysses -- all of these demand much of us, particularly our time. That is a good thing, considering the many ways modern life invites us to waste time, and I could not begin to choose the best among these. Fortunately I don't have to; I might run to "As I Lay Dying" or "Lord Jim" instead.

Meanwhile, I'm glad I devoted a chunk of my life to this book. I do know I emerged a better man for that, and how sad I was when I read the final page, and closed the book.

Be ready for repetition!.......2006-01-20

This book was written before novels were popularized and thus was written in parts. To bring readers up to speed, many sections of Les Miserables are repetitive. Likewise, there are also many drawn-out sections on the French Revolution.

There are reasons this book is abridged over and over again. It has little to do with length!

I do recommend this version, however. It is the original, unabridged edition by one of Hugo's friends (so you know it's accurate with what Hugo wanted). Start from the beginning, and if you hit a repetitive section or a long section about the French Revolution, don't be afraid to skim over it.

Though it is impressive to say "I've read the Whole Thing," swallow your pride--some sections are honestly not interesting unless you are a real scholar of the French Revolution.

Oh, by the way, this is the greatest story ever written--hands down.

Great Story!!!.......2005-10-01

Les Miserables is a wonderful story told in a magnificent manner. Victor Hugo has been excellent in portraying characters, events and emotions experienced at varying levels of human conscience.

At some places, the lengthy and descriptive background information made me feel slightly bored but in the end it all summed up to be an experience for the lifetime.

Finally, as they have written in Editorial Review:

"LES MISERABLES is not only superb adventure but a powerful social document"

Average customer rating:

...and I read the book, too.
a true romantic love story...
Ahhhh... Good old Notes....
It's really great!
My Fave Book EVER

Hugo's Les Miserables (Cliffs Notes)
Amy L. Marsland , and George Klin
Manufacturer: Cliffs Notes
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0822007355

Book Description

The original CliffsNotes study guides offer expert commentary on major themes, plots, characters, literary devices, and historical background. The latest generation of titles in this series also feature glossaries and visual elements that complement the classic, familiar format.

In CliffsNotes on Les Miserables, you examine two themes from Victor Hugo's epic: the struggle between good and evil in the soul of one man, and society's struggle toward a greater good. Addressing many of the social issues of his day, Hugo wrote this novel, which traces the path of Jean Valjean as he changes from convict to saint. Hugo believed in the spiritual possibilities of human beings and has chosen the story of the poor and outcast to illustrate this "perfectibility of man."

With expert commentaries and critical analyses, this study guide helps you explore the profound social problems of the early 1800s, which influenced Hugo's work. You'll also gain insight into the author's life and other major works. Other features that help you study include

Introduction to the novel
A brief synopsis of the novel
Chapter summaries and analyses
An Interactive quiz to test your knowledge
Essay topics and review questions

Classic literature or modern modern-day treasure – you'll understand it all with expert information and insight from CliffsNotes study guides.

Customer Reviews:

...and I read the book, too........2002-08-13

Well, it's Cliff's Notes. There isn't much to say. But it does quite a fair job of clarifying the splendid cluttered mess that is Hugo's novel, and my ten-year-old copy is much loved. Don't read an abridged "Les Mis"; read the unabridged, with this on hand. It's much more fun.

a true romantic love story..........2002-07-02

the first time i read the unabridged copy of les mis, i was in high school, and we had just started the book when we all took a hugh trip to ny to see the play on broadway. i was sitting next to me very best friend Tynaries, when intermission ended and eponine came out and sang "on my own", when just as she lie dying in marius' arms at the barricade he kissed her lightly, then i gasped and gripped the arm of my chair. but suddenly, Ty grabbed my hand, gave it a tiny squeeze, then leaned over close to me, kissed my lips softly and whispered, "i'll keep you safe, always...," and handed me a very old hand-kerchief which was the one i had made him in home ec when we were 12, i had embroidered (really badly) his initials on the corner. we've been together since, and that has been almost 7 years, and he wrapped my engagement ring in it the night he proposed. but to get back to the main topic, i just previously picked the clift notes up at a local bookshop and found it to be just as i remembered that night so very long ago in my heart. [i love you Ty, always....]

Ahhhh... Good old Notes...........2000-03-25

Okay, I was browsing through my library and I stumbled across the Les Miserables cliff notes (I have read the whole thing unabridged 4 times). I picked it up to look it over, and was impressed. I checked it out, and took it to school the next day and gave it to my friend who was reading the abridged version and I gave it to her to read. She liked it much better. She said it was, "Shorter (she's not exactly into long books), more emmotional (eep), and included many things that the abridgement left out. Two of my personal favorite parts- Jean Prouvaire's Last Poem, and Orestes Fasting and Pylades Drunk, which were included in Cliff's Notes. Bravo!

It's really great!.......1999-11-04

Well, I first went to see it in NY, Broadway and it fascinated me.So, I decided to order the Lesmis in concert from the DVD store and also got the book. It's really great. It's set during the French Revolution. I incredibly sugest you buy this for it is sure to reach you in your heart

My Fave Book EVER.......1999-10-21

You really have to be into drama when you read this! You have to love to read and have to understand 5 things going on at once! Victor Hugo wrote an awesome book when he wrote Les Miz!! I fell in love with every character!! He wrote a fantastic book! I have read the abridged 2 time sthe unabridged once and i've seen the play 3 times and have both movies!!

Average customer rating:

York, A+; Editor, D
"Les Miserables" : Victor Hugo's grestest achievement
Reading as Epic Journey
Long but worth the read
Eponine: Truly the most fascinating character of the novel!

Les Miserables (Enriched Classics)
Victor Hugo
Manufacturer: Pocket
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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ASIN: 141650026X

Book Description

ENDURING LITERATURE ILLUMINATED

BY PRACTICAL SCHOLARSHIP

An ex-convict struggles for redemption in the punishing world of post-Napoleonic France.

EACH ENRICHED CLASSIC EDITION INCLUDES:

• A concise introduction that gives readers important background information

• A chronology of the author's life and work

• A timeline of significant events that provides the book's historical context

• An outline of key themes and plot points to help readers form their own interpretations

• Detailed explanatory notes

• Critical analysis, including contemporary and modern perspectives on the work

• Discussion questions to promote lively classroom and book group interaction

• A list of recommended related books and films to broaden the reader's experience

Enriched Classics offer readers affordable editions of great works of literature enhanced by helpful notes and insightful commentary. The scholarship provided in Enriched Classics enables readers to appreciate, understand, and enjoy the world's finest books to their full potential.

SERIES EDITED BY CYNTHIA BRANTLEY JOHNSON

Download Description

Since geniuses, like demons, recognize the presence of a superior God by certain signs, Thenardier comprehended that he had to deal with a very strong person. It was like an intuition; he comprehended it with his clear and sagacious promptitude.

Customer Reviews:

York, A+; Editor, D.......2006-10-05

If you ever thought Hey, it must be easy to be an actor, just pay attention to Michael York, who's using only his voice! He keeps separate several characters, male and female, with nuances and accents that we can understand instantly.
Pity about this abridgement is that the translation was never edited. There is no distinction between that and which, for instance. "Which" is used exclusively.
But I'll keep listening to M. York, c'est formidable!

"Les Miserables" : Victor Hugo's grestest achievement.......2001-09-16

If you are the kind of person thirsting for the image of Man as a being to whom nothing is impossible - and to whom everything great is possible, then "Les Miserables" is the novel for you.
With a few exceptions, such as Ayn Rand, there is no writer in world literature who has portrayed such a grand, noble, sublime and inspiring image of man as Victor Hugo.
In "Les Miserables", Hugo has given the best expression that his genius could to this element.

The theme of this masterpiece is : "The projection and glorification of a moral-spiritual force based on Love, Compassion and above all Conscience, aimed at overthrowing the existing order of human existence and establish a new world where these cardinal values will guide human life."

Such an important, profound and philosophical theme could only have been selected by a visionary such as Victor Hugo - whom I consider the greatest novelist of the 19th Century.

Other than Ayn Rand's "Atlas Shrugged" I do not know any single novel in world literature which seeks to present a unique philosophy to change the world and give a new direction to human existence.

According to me, the plot-theme is : "The step-by-step purification of a man's soul and his achievement of spiritual perfection."

Jean Valjean is the hero of the novel. The best years of his life have been wasted because of the iniquities and injustice of the prevailing social order. Emerging from prison after 19 years, his soul is immersed in anger, bitterness, hatred and a feeling of vengeance against society. How he acieves spiritual perfection, as viewed by Hugo, is what the story is all about.

However, this point has not been recognised by many. While most say that the theme is : "The injustice of society towards the lower classes", Hugo's intention was to dramatise "Man's struggle against the laws of society".

Keeping this in view, the accepted plot theme is (as best defined by Ayn Rand) : "The lifelong flight of an ex-convict from a ruthless representative of the law", this representative being Javert.

However, the struggle of Jean Valjean continues long after his conflict with Javert is resolved.
Victor Hugo is not just showing that Conscience is above Law, but this: what is the highest level of selflessness and self-sacrifice a man is capable of and what makes it possible.
As far as I can see, the accepted plot-theme has been identified the way it has been, because it defines a specific purpose(i.e., Javert's pursuit of Jean Valjean). Perhaps critcs would dismiss my point of view because neither is it Jean Valjean's explicit goal to become perfect nor does he set himself an objective which would symbolize his attainment of perfection.
But I look at the plot to have been construsted in a manner which inevitably leads Jean Valjean to perfection.

Bishop Myriel is the guiding image for Jean Valjean:his role represents how love and compassion can resurrect a man's conscience.

Fantine is the symbol of the woman and Cossette is the symbol of the child who are the victims of social evils.

Javert-the implaccable, ruthless and awe-inspiring policeman who shall never compromise on his values - is the symbol of blind conformity to the existing legal and social order.

One of the greatest achievements of "Les Miserables" is its sweeping sense of drama. What I love most about Hugo is the superb dramatic situations - suspenseful, thrilling, emotionally intense - he creates.
The scenes are so breathtakingly grandiose and mind-blowing that one can only think : "How did he get such a brilliant idea??!!"
The best part of the novel is the fighting at the barricades during the July Revolution in Paris - led by, perhaps the most admirable hero in 19th Century Romantic fiction - Enjolras.
Enjolras - despite a minor role - made a greater impact on me than the two central characters - Jean Valjean and Marius. One also cannot forget the lovable, heroic, 12 year old Gavroche.

The greatest drawback of "Les Miserables" is the plethore of esssays on various social, historical, religious and other issues, which are exasperatingly long, which interrupt the plot, make the novel cumbersome and the reader impatient.
However, they give the reader a picture of the world which Hugo had in mind (and which he wanted to revolutionize-and how) while writing the book.
They may not be directly related to the plot, but are certainly related to the meaning of the novel.

Further, the plot tends to become loose at times. The coincidences are rather naive and force the reader to conclude that they are meant solely to bring coherence in the story or to present a particular aspect of Hugo's philosophy.
Some may find the descriptions unnecessarily meticulous, though in poetic terms they are stunningly beautiful.

However, all this seems irrelevant if we concentrate on the profound pschycological analysis of the value-conflicts of Jean Valjean (and Javert) rarely matched in world literature; the scope and intellectual value of the novel; its immense social and philosophical significance and its wonderful portrayal of man as a heroic being.

But above all is the unsurpassable dramatic treatment rendered by Hugo's genius : the sheer artistry, the incomparable ingenuity, the soulful emotional content, the startling originality and compelling suspense-there is NO OTHER SINGLE WRITER IN THE WORLD who has equalled Hugo in this aspect-make, in addition to its numerous merits, "Les Miserables" one of the greatest achievements of the human mind.

Reading as Epic Journey.......1999-08-04

You look at this book cautiouly, circling it warily. 1,260 pags?!! (Do not even consider an abridgement, for that is wicked) To read this massive work, you must be brave and determined. It is not easy or light, and, although it is far and away my favorite book, there were many times when I would lay it aside and blink with that slow, "God give me strength" air. Yet what epic journey worth its scratch is fluffy, over-in-a-day fun? Jean Valjean has hardship, so does the reader. One doesn't so much read as inhabit Les Miserables. I lived with this book for an entire semester, and had been dipping my toes into itt for over a year. When I finally read the last pages, there were tears streaking my face. That is a rare compliment to Hugo. My tears were not only for the sad fate of the convict-saint, but for th completion of such a long journey. I never rea Les Miserables to finish it. Perhaps this is merely an indication of insanity, perhaps an accurate reflection of the mind set necessary to read and enjoy Hugo. Get lost in his page-long sentences and revel in the vrebiosity! Be brave, and don't give up.

Long but worth the read.......1999-01-06

I have had the CD of the Original London Cast Musical of Les Miserable for about 10 years and have been a huge fan but nothing could prepare me for the book which although a long and hard read, is the most amazing book I have ever read. Everyone has something to learn from it and if you are looking for a reason to read it heres a reason: in the words of the great Victor Hugo himself : "As long as ignorance and misery remain on earth, books like this can never be useless."

Eponine: Truly the most fascinating character of the novel!.......1998-01-05

I read Les Mis last year as an assignment for my high school English class and instantly feel in love with the story and characters (I ended up reading the abridged version 3 times).

Upon reading all of the other reviews, I was startled that nobody even mentioned the character of Eponine. She is the epitome of progress and definately the most intriguing, not to mention original, characters of the novel. She was brought up to lie and steal, but yet had room in her hardended heart to love Marius. At the beginning we see her as a bratty, jealous child and yet in the end she was a martyr. I feel Eponine made one of the most remarkable changes of attitude in the novel. Her progress is commendable. May we all have such great revelations.

Book Description

It was one of the most popular novels of the nineteenth century and Tolstoy called it "the greatest of all novels." Yet today Victor Hugo's Les Misérables is neglected by readers and undervalued by critics. In The Temptation of the Impossible, one of the world's great novelists, Mario Vargas Llosa, helps us to appreciate the incredible ambition, power, and beauty of Hugo's masterpiece and, in the process, presents a humane vision of fiction as an alternative reality that can help us imagine a different and better world.

Hugo, Vargas Llosa says, had at least two goals in Les Misérables--to create a complete fictional world and, through it, to change the real world. Despite the impossibility of these aims, Hugo makes them infectious, sweeping up the reader with his energy and linguistic and narrative skill. Les Misérables, Vargas Llosa argues, embodies a utopian vision of literature--the idea that literature can not only give us a supreme experience of beauty, but also make us more virtuous citizens, and even grant us a glimpse of the "afterlife, the immortal soul, God." If Hugo's aspiration to transform individual and social life through literature now seems innocent, Vargas Llosa says, it is still a powerful ideal that great novels like Les Misérables can persuade us is true.

Average customer rating:

An absolute must...
Incredible
Inspiring!
Gravestone Translation
The Best Book!

Les Miserables (Everyman's Library)
Victor Hugo
Manufacturer: Everyman's Library
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0375403175
Release Date: 1998-03-31

Book Description

Customer Reviews:

An absolute must..........2006-11-04

Les Miserables is the best book that I have ever read (which is saying a lot given how much reading I do). Don't be discouraged by the length of the book. The minute that you finish it all you will want to do is go back to page one and start over again. I don't know anyone that has regretted the time spent reading the unabridged version. It is a powerful story of love, mercy, and justice being exercised in a dark world.

Incredible.......2006-10-28

I admit to having been skeptical when I read accounts that this was one of the greatest novels of all time, but upon completing Les Miserables I'm inclined to believe that this sentiment does not go far enough. There are many novels which are entertaining--few which make you want to be a better man. Les Miserables is a beautiful story told in a manner that is both insightful and inspiring. It is quite a bit longer than the average modern novel, but upon reaching the end you will find yourself wishing for more.

Inspiring!.......2006-05-01

My two favorite books of all time are LES MISERABLES and THE BROTHERS KARAMAZOV. Interestingly, I've read that Fyodor Dostoevsky was a great admirer of Victor Hugo, and of Les Miserables in particular. I first read the abridged version of Les Miserables in high school and was surprised to find that I really, really enjoyed it. Later I went back and read the unabrdiged version to see what I had missed. To me, either way the book is incredible, and the ending gets me feeling emotional every time. The life of Jean Val Jean is the most inspiring I have ever encountered in literature outside of scripture.

Gravestone Translation.......2000-04-23

Hi! I am the 15 year-old who wrote the earlier review entitled "The Best Book" We just got a program for our computer that can translate different languages to English, so I finally found out what it says on Valjeans gravestone. I thought that I would post it for those of us who can't speak french. Feel free to E-mail me if you have any questions of if you want to talk about the book.

He sleeps. Although the fate was for him very strange, he lived. He died when he didn't have his angel anymore; The thing merely of herself arrives, As the night makes itself when the day leaves.

The Best Book!.......2000-03-29

I am now fifteen I was fourteen when I first saw the musical on PBS and absoulutly loved it. My parents bought the musical for me for Christmas. My brother and I both loved it, and we have memorized nearly all the words. I then became intrested in the novel which I knew was like a million pages long, but I love to read and I loved the musical, so I decided to go for it. I thought it would take me months to read, but it was so intriguing that I finished it in one week (and yes is was the unabriged version). The last night I just read all night long until I finished it. It is sometimes hard to remember that the characters are not real people. I love every character, even Javert. I love the chapters in which Hugo takes us inside the minds of Jean Valjean and Javert. I am afraid I disagree with a earlier review which states that the death of Enjolras and Grantaire was the most moving part of the book although it was extremely moving, the death of Jean Valjean was the most moving, I mean it makes you cry for thirty pages, what can be more moving? In my personal opinion this is the greatest book ever written, but I have never read "War and Peace" which I hear some people think is the best. FYI: Leo Tolstoy said that Les Miserables was one of the greatest, if not the greatest novel ever written, but that was before he wrote "War and Peace".

I noticed that alot a people feel this book is extremely long and I have to admit that some parts weren't entirely necessary, but I still would recommend reading the unabridged version, you just can't get the full depth of the story unless you read the full version.

Customer Reviews:

Part 2 of a masterpiece.......2007-06-09

I reviewed part 3 as well and pointed out that there are a lot of old fashioned French terms in here that I didn't know. I not only learned some new vocabulary I also ended up learning about French history as well. I am glad I read these in French even though it was quite a challenge compared to picking up an English copy.

Les Miserables: The Novel (Classics on Cassette)

Average customer rating:

Clean abridgement, and clean narration

Les Miserables: The Novel (Classics on Cassette)
Victor Hugo , and Mark McKerracher
Manufacturer: Highbridge Audio
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio Cassette

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ASIN: 0453007856

Customer Reviews:

Clean abridgement, and clean narration.......2005-05-20

This is a grand story, the story of Inspector Javert and Jean Valjean. It is a story of redemption, and of sad hearts redeemed and made noble. It is, too, the story of the Thenardiers, of Marius and Cosette. It is, too, a sad story - of love lost and of the death of noble creatures.

It is more than that, however - it is a love story, a story of Marius and Cosette, and a love story of La Belle France. "I love you" and "Viva la revolution!" ring with equal clarity throughout this book.

The narration is clean, and it is almost easy to forget that it is a book. The narrator's voice is not grand, or noble, or accented, but is like a young friend telling you a story.

The tapes do not have that "End of Side One" audio markings, which can lead to some confusion if you are trying to remember if both sides have been listened to. However, that is not so bad; the worst of it is that there is a large gap between the end of the audio and the end of the tape - sometimes several minutes. That is, however, forgivable (though I do not know why) - it does not take away from the story.

This set of tapes is recommended to all who would like to enjoy Les Miserables - and that should be every one. Oh - and don't cheapen it by calling it "Lay Miz" - say "Lay MizerAHbleh" as the French do ...

Figuring Transcendence in Les Miserables: Hugo's Romantic Sublime

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Figuring Transcendence in Les Miserables: Hugo's Romantic Sublime
Kathryn M. Grossman
Manufacturer: Southern Illinois University
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Book Description

In this first book-length study of Les Misérables, Kathryn M. Grossman, with an authoritative command of Hugo’s work and Hugo criticism, situates the novelist’s masterpiece in relation both to his earlier novels—up to and including Notre-Dame de Paris— and to the poetry published during his exile under the Second Empire. Drawing on Paul Ricoeur’s theory of metaphor and on Thomas Weiskel’s analysis of the romantic sublime, Grossman illustrates how the novel’s motifs and structures correspond to a closely connected set of ethical, spiritual, political, and aesthetic concerns.

The religious motifs in Les Misérables identify the sublime not just with utopian ideals (and the overthrow of Napoleon III’s grotesque Second Empire) but with artistic death and resurrection. Examining the ways the novel is largely concerned with the monstrous "brutalities of progress" called revolutions that must precede the advent of heaven on earth, Grossman traces that link to a mythos of sin and redemption and shows how the moral concerns of the plot also illuminate Hugo’s aesthetics.

Les Misérables explores the tensions between heroes and scoundrels, chaos and order, law and lawlessness. Grossman painstakingly follows the novel’s ethical hierarchy from the grotesque (criminality) to the conventional (bourgeois complacency) and the sublime (sainthood), demonstrating how that hierarchy corresponds to two other hierarchies: the literary and the political.

Average customer rating:

The home library
Victor Hugo
Manufacturer: A.L. Burt
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding
ASIN: B00085MP0K

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