Nice to know about waterloo, french revolution, french slang words, the paris sewer system, etc, but way to much information. There are two principle differences between my two copies of les miserables. There are few more complete, or more vivid, pictures of france at the beginning of the nineteenth century. The strange power of les mis, the book victor hugos hardnosed melodrama. Aug 05, 2008 the book les miserables, abridged or unabridged. Les miserables is set in paris after the french revolution. Anyway, i checked all over the inside and it doesnt say abridged and yes its extremely long so i think it isnt abridged.
One day, an ex convict wanders into the bishops village and cant find any food or lodging because everyone turns him away. Abridged, with introduction and notes the notes are mainly explanatory of allusions contained in the text, or of events, or biographical. The story of jean valjean, a poor french boy who is arrested at the age of 19 for stealing a loaf of bread for his family, and who is sentenced to the quarries for seven years. I have read les miserables four times and each time it is an experience.
The strange power of les mis, the book the new republic. After receiving the book i realized it had very few pages, i compared it with a real complete and unabridged version of the book, and that one is over pages, when this one is a little over 600. At digne, he is repeatedly refused shelter for the night. Les miserables is at once a thrilling narrative and a social document embracing a wider field than any other novel of its time. Les miserables les miserables audiobook, by victor hugo. In the englishspeaking world, the novel is usually referred to by its original french title, which can be translated from the french as. Check out our revolutionary sidebyside summary and analysis. He is seventyfive years old and lives only with a sister baptistine, ten years younger than he, and an old servant, madame magloire, the same age as his sister. Les miserables is such a gigantic book that it actually covers several genres at once. I picked up a modern translation of les miserables recently and decided i didnt like it since it was overly abridged and too modern. Everyday low prices on a huge range of new releases and classic fiction.
Les miserables abridged vs unabridged showing 150 of 84. The book is nearly 3,000 pages long and considered an epic. I know the unabridged version of the book starts out very slow, but i heard after that part the story starts. Valjean is an exconvict who leaves behind a life of hatred and deceit and makes his fortune with his innovative industrial techniques. What to know before reading les miserables by victor hugo. Some parts that dawn gave me permission to skipskim are. This is classic literature, and i loved every word of it. Abridged books are an insult to the authors and to the readers. Les miserables or, as it is often shortened, les mis is a novel by victor hugo, published in 1862. After doing some research i found out that there was an english translation by charles wilbour personally approved of by victor hugo himself, which is the translation used in this edition. 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 movie version is exquisite, especially the new version with liam neeson playing the hero. Shop for les miserables book hardcover online at target. Sep 23, 2008 im using a copy from a library, and the cover is so messed up that i can hardly read the title.
The title is french, translating in english to the wretched ones. Sometimes, in the midst of his reading, no matter what the book might be which he had in his hand, he would suddenly fall into a profound meditation, whence he only emerged to write a few lines on the pages of the volume itself. Buy les miserables classics by hugo, victor, denny, norman, denny, norman, denny, norman from amazons fiction books store. What a great book, but some of the history lessons were a little too long.
It is read by christopher cazenove and it is part of the classics read by celebrities audiobook series. Mar 31, 2015 what to know before reading les miserables. For starters, its an example of historical fiction because its second half is based on the june rebellion of 1832. Victor hugo les miserables read by bill homewood abridged. Hugo and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. Les miserables by victor hugo, norman denny waterstones. The traveller was of wretched appearance, though stout and robust, and in the full vigour of life. Read a plot overview of the entire book or a chapter by chapter summary and analysis. Les miserables abridged or how i learned to stop worrying and love the french a broadway abridged script that weve been meaning to write since 1862 by gil varod and jennifer jordan scene. My friend dawn, who writes at 5 minutes for books, has been obsessed with all things les miz for twenty years. Click and collect from your local waterstones or get free uk delivery on orders over. These lines have often no connection whatever with the book which contains them. Shes my les miserables expert and heres some pointers for first time readers.
Only the saintly bishop, monseigneur myriel, welcomes him. Set during the period 1815 to 1832 in france, countless people have enjoyed this novel about jean. Free kindle book and epub digitized and proofread by project gutenberg. Les miserables jean valjean, galleyslave early in october 1815, at the close of the afternoon, a man came into the little town of d. The grandfather and the grandson in victor hugos les miserables. Les mis rables is a french historical novel by victor hugo, first published in 1862, that is considered one of the greatest novels of the nineteenth century. This edition is an abridgment of norman dennys translation. He was on foot, and the few people about looked at him suspiciously. Charles francoisbienvenu myriel has been bishop of digne for nine years. A brief outline of the political changes during the period covered by the novel, 1815 to 1832, will, it is hoped, prove useful. Enriched classics offer readers accessible editions of great works of literature enhanced by helpful notes and commentary. However, several alternatives have been used, including the miserables.
He finds fulfillment in loving his adopted daughter and helping people who are in difficult situations, even when it means risking his own life and welfare. See a complete list of the characters in les miserables and indepth analyses of jean valjean, cosette, javert, marius pontmercy, and fantine. In the englishspeaking world, the novel is usually referred to by its original french title. Les miserables, five volumes, complete by victor hugo. Les miserables tells the story of exconvict, jean valjean, and his valiant struggle to redeem his past. Free chapter notes book summary chapter summaries with notes analysis fantine book first.
Les miserables is a novel by victor hugo that was first published in 1862. 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 characters are french and the book is centered around their lives. The books opens by describing the life of a really upstanding dude named bishop myriel. The story opens in 1815 with a detailed description of monsieur myriel, a widower become priest, along with his sister mademoiselle baptistine and their housekeeper, madame magloire. I went to the store today and bought les miserables, only to find out once i got home that it is the abridged version. Les miserables penguin classics hugo, victor, denny, norman, denny. Apr 30, 2016 les miserables i have been posting quotes from this book for a while now. In the sewers and backstreets we encounter the wolflike tread of crime, and assassination for a few sous is all in a days work. Les miserables by victor hugo goodreads share book. The other important part of this book is, of course, its characters. Great book spent 2 hours a day, 5 days a week, for almost two months listening to all 5 volumes of les miserables.
It is obvious that subsequent fiction has mined the treasure chest of les miserables to the extent that it is not hyperbolic to say that every writer, and every piece of fiction or drama of any kind, that has come since, owes a debt, often a huge one, to this book and to hugo. I also read his les miserables again, that is 21 years after i read it for the first time in my high school in france, and i was surprised to see how differently i reacted to this book. Then i realized the book has not changed over these 21 years, but its me who has changed. Buy les miserables by victor hugo, norman denny from waterstones today. The literal meaning of les miserables is the miserable ones. 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. This is a great novel, in the tradition of the hunchback of notre dame, you know. Les miserables illustrated by victor hugo nook book. It is set in france and spans the course of 17 years, starting in 1815 and ending in 1832. Each book includes educational tools alongside the text, enabling students and readers alike to gain a deeper and more developed understanding of the writer and their work. I normally would never read an abridged version, but now i dont know if i should take the book back sometime next week and try to find an unabridged version, or if i should just read the one i have now. Jun 22, 2008 free kindle book and epub digitized and proofread by project gutenberg.
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