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Modern Library
July 2008
On Sale: July 8, 2008
1376 pages
ISBN: 0679643338
EAN: 9780679643333
Hardcover
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Non-Fiction
In this major new rendition by the acclaimed translator Julie Rose, Victor Hugoโs tour de force, Les Misรฉrables, is revealed in its full unabridged glory. A favorite of readers for nearly 150 years, and the basis for one of the most beloved stage musicals ever, this stirring tale of crime, punishment, justice, and redemption pulses with life and energy. Hugo sweeps readers from the French provinces to the back alleys of Paris, and from the battlefield of Waterloo to the bloody ramparts of Paris during the uprising of 1832. First published in 1862, this sprawling novel is an extravagant historical epic that is teeming with harrowing adventures and unforgettable characters. In the protagonist, Jean Valjean, a quintessential prisoner of conscience who languished for years in prison for stealing bread to feed his starving family, Les Misรฉrables depicts one of the grand themes in literatureโthat of the hunted man. Woven into the narrative are the prevalent social issues of Hugoโs day: injustice, authoritarian rule, social inequality, civic unrest. And this new translation brings astonishing vivacity and depth to Hugoโs immortal dramatis personaeโthe relentless police detective Javert, the saintly bishop Myriel, the tragic prostitute Fantine and her innocent daughter, Cosette, the dashing lover Marius, and many others whom Jean Valjean encounters on his path to sublime sacrifice. Featuring an Introduction by the award-winning journalist and author Adam Gopnik, this Modern Library edition is an outstanding, authoritative translation of a masterpiece, a literary high-wire act that continues to astonish, stimulate, enlighten, and entertain readers around the world.
 Media BuzzAll Things Considered - November 22, 2008
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