My friend dawn, who writes at 5 minutes for books, has been obsessed with all things les miz for twenty years. I had previously seen the play and quite enjoyed it. I compared it with a real complete and unabridged version of the book, and that. Themes and colors key litcharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in les miserables, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work. Overall the movie was good, there were a few places where the accents were off, sounded more like oliver or nicholas nickleby, an english accent more than french. A magnificent story marvelously captured in this new unabridged translation by julie. Victor hugos masterpiece of adventure, rebellion, and human redemption burst onto the french literary scene in 1862. Bill homewood has worked extensively for television and on stage in the west end, major theatres and the rsc. Jul 15, 2008 i get much more resentful when i find a book is abridged after i bought it, if such a fact was hidden from me when the book was offered. Id expect the multivolume sets are most common, for the cheapest paperback editions, meaning that you must be careful when searching and making sure that you get the right volumes. Shes my les miserables expert and heres some pointers for first time readers.
The book, first published in 1862, is set in 19th century france and still captures imagination and emotion today. Englishfrench volume 1 by victor hugo and sarah e holroyd jan 26, 2016 2. However, immediately after coming out of the movie theater, i knew that i was going to have to read the book, which i do every few years as it is one of my favorites. Nice to know about waterloo, french revolution, french slang words, the paris sewer system, etc, but way to much information. I picked up a modern translation of les miserables recently and decided i didnt like it since it was overly abridged and too modern. Nice to know about waterloo, french revolution, french slang words, the. I know the unabridged version of the book starts out very slow, but i heard after that part the story starts to pick up and get very interesting. Read a plot overview of the entire book or a chapter by chapter summary and analysis. Les miserables is a novel by victor hugo that was first published in 1862. When i had finished the abridged edition, i immediately turned around and read the unabridged edition. What is the best version of the book les miserables by vitor hugo. 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.
The book is in 3 volumes of about 500 pages each, so im assuming that its the unabridged version. Penguin classics recently released a new deluxe edition translated by christine donougher with a beautiful. 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. Set in the parisian underworld and plotted like a detective story, les misrables follows the adventures of jean valjean, originally an honest peasant, who has been imprisoned for nineteen years for stealing a loaf of bread to feed his sisters starving family. Some parts that dawn gave me permission to skipskim are. Abridged books are an insult to the authors and to the readers. Amazon has a paperback that specifically says unabridged which is 1488 pages. Marius is a seventeenyearold who lives with his grandfather, m. Complete and unabridged 9781566199155 by victor hugo and a great selection of similar new, used and collectible books available now at great prices.
Les miserables les miserables audiobook, by victor hugo. At the same time, i was impressed with how well the movie caught the emotion of the book. This version has just over 1450 pages, and claims to be the only complete and unabridged version. One day, an ex convict wanders into the bishops village and cant find any food or lodging because everyone turns him away. Naxos audiobooks les miserables abridged bill homewood. Hugo develops the plot beautifully as former convict jean valjean struggles to escape his past and is pursuer inspector javert. The books opens by describing the life of a really upstanding dude named bishop myriel. He was on foot, and the few people about looked at him suspiciously.
Les miserables jean valjean, galleyslave early in october 1815, at the close of the afternoon, a man came into the little town of d. 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. Les miserables i have been posting quotes from this book for a while now. After repeated attempts to escape, he ends up spending twenty years. Les miserables abridged vs unabridged showing 150 of 84. Madeleine, who has established a flourishing industry that he runs not only efficiently but with much humanity. As soon as i started reading the book unabridged, i realized just how much the movie had to cut to fit within the timeframe of a movie. The book, first published in 1862, is set in 19th century.
A new translation of the full work, with a detailed biographical sketch of victor hugos life, a chronology, and notes. Imagine getting to the end of an abridged clarissa or les miserables only to find that you had not read it all. First of all, if your copy is abridged, it should and would say that somewhere. This is extremely abridged, and some of the most important parts have been omitted. Mar 31, 2015 what to know before reading les miserables. Im curious what peoples opinions are about reading abridged books instead of the. Les miserables tells the story of exconvict, jean valjean, and his valiant struggle to redeem his past. I am obsessed with the musical thats is why i did not skip anything. I have no interest in reading an abridged book for exactly the reason jveezer states in message 8, so i ended up selling it on ebay at a loss. I have just finished reading this book, and can say it was as good as i expected but wow it isnt exaggerated that it is long. Les miserables abridged by victor hugo teen book ratings. Instant downloads of all 1297 litchart pdfs including les miserables. Not sure whether this belongs here, as it takes on both the film and the book at once. Les miserables unabridged in french book talk librarything.
Les miserables by victor hugo abridged content rating. I enjoy abridged books for my children for the reasons you listed. Abridged books folio society devotees librarything. I thought that since we discuss books elsewhere on this forum, it could be risked, but if not, feel free to delete it, teague. Old manners reign there, and men and actions are judged harshly in the salon. See a complete list of the characters in les miserables and indepth analyses of jean valjean, cosette, javert, marius pontmercy, and fantine. What i had previously spurned as tedious and long winded added an entirely new dimension to the book. Ive read 3 different versions of les miserables, two of which are unabridged. 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 read by christopher cazenove and it is part of the classics read by celebrities audiobook series. Apr 25, 2008 set in the parisian underworld and plotted like a detective story, les misrables follows the adventures of jean valjean, originally an honest peasant, who has been imprisoned for nineteen years for stealing a loaf of bread to feed his sisters starving family.
It is also a historical novel of great scope, and provides a detailed vision of nineteenthcentury french politics and society. It omits the history of the religious order part ii, books 6 and 7. Hugo now turns to another leading character, marius. Sep 23, 2008 first of all, if your copy is abridged, it should and would say that somewhere. Book v, chapters 17 summary in 1818, montreuil becomes much more prosperous than it has previously been, thanks to a mysterious stranger, m. Gillenormand, by threatening to disinherit marius, has forced georges. I recommend the wilbour translation or the dennys translation.
Les miserables, five volumes, complete by victor hugo. Posts where someone is actually discussing a novel and even so much as wonders if there are similar books to it are immediately deleted by the mods who shout them down about posting on rsuggestmeabook instead. It was hard to believe that she really loved him with so little interaction between them. Detailed explanations, analysis, and citation info for every important quote on litcharts. The difference between an abridged and an unabridged. Shop for les miserables book hardcover online at target. 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.
Teach your students to analyze literature like litcharts does. Enriched classics offer readers accessible editions of great works of literature enhanced by helpful notes and commentary. I purchased this kindle version in 20 but did not start reading it until january, 2019 and finished in october, 2019. For instance, it would probably be on the title page and most likely on the cover. If you want the pure version, go with the unabridged. In a nearby town, georges pontmercy, marius father, a hero of the napoleonic wars, lives in retirement. Les miserables illustrated by victor hugo nook book. This topic is currently marked as dormantthe last message is more than 90 days old.
The traveller was of wretched appearance, though stout and robust, and in the full vigour of life. In the englishspeaking world, the novel is usually referred to by its original french title, which can be translated from the french as. Les miserablesunabridged and illustrated by victor hugo. However, several alternatives have been used, including the miserables. A hardened criminal upon his release, he eventually reforms, becoming a successful industrialist and town mayor.
My edition of les miserables was abridged by lawrence m. Dec 28, 2012 les miserables is an even better novel. A better understanding, especially when we read through an updated pilgrims progress. What a great book, but some of the history lessons were a little too long. Overall the movie was good, there were a few places where the accents were off, sounded more like oliver or.
The friends of the abcs are goobers, funny funny goobers marius bangs his head against a tree for. Aug 05, 2008 the book les miserables, abridged or unabridged. What to know before reading les miserables by victor hugo. Free chapter notes book summary chapter summaries with notes analysis fantine book first. 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. Jan 10, 20 i finally went to see les miserables, the movie. Les miserables characters kotoba cafe january 14, 20 at 11. Hugos long explanations and histories left me lost. Again, in million dollar outlines, david farland explores several ways a writer can give her story an epic feel. I would recommend reading either the unabridged version or a much longer abridged version to get the full effect of this wonderful and moving piece of literature. 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. The narrator lists dozens of names, all of whom constitute parisian high royalist society. Victor hugo tells his classic story of redemption and struggle, now a major motion picture, of a tormenting police officer and a former convict.
Of course, the book would flesh everything out more it has more. I read the entire book the entire unabridged not skipping anything. The difference between an abridged and an unabridged version. I think the abridged version doesnt have the sidetracking. I also have a struggling reader and les miserables would have sunk him. 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. An unabridged edition based on the wilbour translation with its language modernized.
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