Les Mis, the book

[Broadway_Bound_Star]

Posted: 1/1/05 at 10:28pm

Has anyone here read it? I am reading the whole translated one and I'm wondering if I really should try it. Has anyone else?

[My Fair Lady]

Posted: 1/1/05 at 10:30pm

I'll get to it....eventually. I'll probably read it for Humanities.

[StickToPriest]

Posted: 1/1/05 at 10:31pm

It has been a while since I've read Les Miserables, but it is a must read.

Victor Hugo is brilliant.

Also make sure you read Hugo's The Hunchback of Notre Dame. It is one of my favorite novels.

[Broadway_Bound_Star]

Posted: 1/1/05 at 10:33pm

Its split into I think 4 different sections. It must be pretty good because in the bookstore it was under the "Literature" section. I also got Phantom.

[Unknown User]

Posted: 1/1/05 at 10:52pm

The book is amazing. So completely amazing. I loved it. I loved it before the show acctually. But the show is now my favorite. Oh, I would never, NEVER, be able to write like Victor Hugo. How could anyone think up such a complex story-line that would look so good on a stage? Beautiful... Although, Cosette (in the book and in the show) really needs to have more of a personality... She seems to forget to easily who she is and what she loves, and finally only loves Marius. It's even sadder in the book than in the show too.

[BlueWizard]

Posted: 1/1/05 at 11:09pm

Victor Hugo's LES MISERABLES is one of the great works of literature, and quite possibly the most well-regarded French masterpiece.

If you're looking for a really good translation, I recommend the Penguin addition (the cover has a painting of Valjean in a tophat, sitting by a table with a bowl of soup). It's frequently touted as the best unabridged English translation available; some of the others are hit-and-miss.

[kissmycookie]

Posted: 1/1/05 at 11:20pm

It is a masterpiece, as Hugo was a brilliant writer. The depth of the book isn't explored by the staged musical, but then again, it may not have been possible to do so. The intertwining of all the characters in Les Miz (and make sure you read the unabridged version) is pure literary brilliance...

Priest: ditto regarding Hunchback. Another masterpiece. And credited to saving and restoring Notre Dame itself when it was published, as that beautiful cathedral was left to decay...

[Broadway_Bound_Star]

Posted: 1/1/05 at 11:24pm

I finished the Abriged verson but I'mnot tackling the unabriged verson.. But its so long, I know its gonna be worth it.

[LaeloftheLakes]

Posted: 1/2/05 at 1:37am

Tackle it. I've read it upwards of six times...all 1463 pages of it, by the first translation I read. I've actually read it so many times I can read it in French now. And I don't speak French.

It's my favorite book, a classic, and a masterpiece. I can't recommend it more highly.

[GypsyRoseLee]

Posted: 1/2/05 at 1:45am

It's definetly worth reading. But with the unabridged version, you have to be a little patient at times. Hugo likes to go into a lot of details about the history of people or places, but it's such a great story, it's worth it.

Since we're on the topic of classic french literature...

any one read The Count of Monte Cristo?

[babygiraffeboots]

Posted: 1/2/05 at 12:19pm

Amazing book, you have to have a lot of patience though. I can't enjoy it as much as I want to though because I'm rushed to finish certain parts on a schedule (I'm doing it for independent reading in school). I agree with Roxie about Cosette, give the girl something, she often seems to be a love sick puppy with nothing behind it. The book also reinforces my love of Javert.

[buyjupiter]

Posted: 1/4/05 at 7:11pm

read count of monte cristo many many moons ago. read it unabridged if you do. such a wonderful story.

[LaeloftheLakes]

Posted: 1/4/05 at 7:14pm

I'm going to go out on a limb here--ABRIDGED VERSIONS ARE BAD!!!

[Delphine]

Posted: 1/4/05 at 7:14pm

I love the book, especially the Norman Denny translation. It's very lyrical and true to Hugo.

[GypsyRoseLee]

Posted: 1/4/05 at 10:17pm

Abridged versions are good if you read them in addition to the full version. If it's a really long one like Les Mis, abridged is good to make sure you get a firm grip on the story, but shouldn't be used as a replacement for the real thing!

[BlueWizard]

Posted: 1/5/05 at 4:41pm

I've seen some rediculously abridged versions of books out there. I think I've seen a Les Miz that was only 100 pages -- disgraceful!

[#1Elphie]

Posted: 1/5/05 at 4:45pm

I've read the unabridged version of Les Mis, and I would definitely recommend it as well. I don't like abridged versions of anything; you might as well read the whole thing if you're going to read it. And Les Mis is definitely worth it. I'd like to read it again now and see what else I get out of it.

[LaeloftheLakes]

Posted: 1/5/05 at 5:07pm

I've personally never read an abridged version that I liked. If you're going to tackle Hugo, at least tackle Hugo for real. Otherwise you're trying to climb Everest half-assed. Especially since the abridged Les Mis's I've read are SO bad. They pretty much cut out most of my favorite characters AND scenes, leaving a basic plotline that wasn't even very coherent.

[Justice]

Posted: 1/5/05 at 5:17pm

Read it, and it took me a year, because, it is simply one of the worst books. There is no consistency, let alone relevance to anything going on. Hugo goes forty years in the past (of the time period it takes place), then twenty years in the future and then, back fifty years in the past. It's too complicated.

Updated On: 1/6/05 at 05:17 PM

[BSoBW2]

Posted: 1/5/05 at 6:31pm

I have the big Penguin one
the book is amazing!

Can someone answer me this: in some versions of the book (not the penguin one) the word Digne at the very beginning is just blocked out - like it says D---- or something...

I understand Digne, believe me, i know everything about the book and the show...i just never knew why some publishers block out Digne and others Don't...

I have a Frech version of the book and Digne is not blocked out

[Matthew Rask]

Posted: 1/5/05 at 7:04pm

Justice...

I pray you're kidding.

[Delphine]

Posted: 1/5/05 at 7:13pm

BSoBW2, I have come across that as well. It's very strange, and quite annoying when your friends who have that translation call it D----, not Digne.

And Justice, I don't know what you're talking about babe.

[BSoBW2]

Posted: 1/5/05 at 7:44pm

I am just praying for him...


Yeah, i was like why would i buy a book that just omits words?