Home Feed
Home
Search
Search
Add Review, Blurb, Quote
Add
Activity
Activity
Profile
Profile
The Novel of the Century
The Novel of the Century: The Extraordinary Adventure of Les Misrables | David Bellos
12 posts | 3 read | 17 to read
The extraordinary story of how a simple tale of love and revolution, the poor and the downtrodden - Victor Hugo's beloved classic Les Misrables - conquered the world. There has never been a book like it. It is the most widely read and frequently adapted story of all time, on stage and on film. But why is Les Misrables the novel of the century? David Bellos's remarkable new book brings to life the extraordinary story of how Hugo managed to write his epic novel despite a revolution, a coup d'tat and political exile; how he pulled off the deal of the century to get it published, and set it on course to become the novel that epitomizes the grand sweep of history in the nineteenth century. Packed full of information about the background and design of Les Misrables, this biography of a masterpiece nonetheless insists that the moral and social message of Hugo's ever-popular novel is just as important for our century as it was for its own. The Novel of the Century is a book as rich, remarkable and long-lasting as the novel at its heart. Les Misrables is available as a Penguin Classic, in an acclaimed new translation by Christine Donougher, with an introduction by Robert Tombs.
Amazon Indiebound Barnes and Noble WorldCat Goodreads LibraryThing
Pick icon
100%
blurb
Vansa
post image

#wondrouswednesday @Eggs
1.My husband got me this because Les Miserables is one of my favourite books.Absolutely gorgeous book about the writing of one of the most important books.
2.Sing,unburied sing.Im not one for magical realism at all,so read it with reservations,but absolutely loved it.
3.An American marriage!I didn't like the characters at all,I found her very shallow,and If Beale Street could talk was better.
Fun prompt!

Eggs # 1 How nice! # 2 I loved Sing Unburied Sing also! Thanks for playing 📚🤗👏🏻 3y
12 likes1 comment
quote
Vansa
post image

Absolutely fascinating. Something that struck me when I was reading Samanth Subramaniam's ' This divided island ' was that the bloody civil.war in Sri Lanka was referred to as 'prachanai ' or ' The troubles '.

quote
Vansa
post image

quote
Vansa
post image

(3/3)

quote
Vansa
post image

(2/3)

quote
Vansa
post image

Absolutely brilliant book about the writing of one of my favourite books.

2 likes1 stack add
blurb
Vansa
post image

Day 3 of #RiotGrams #Februarychallenge @bookriot - #nakedhardcovers. 'Les Miserables ' is one of my favourite books and my husband has heard me expounding about it ad nauseam. So David Bellos
' book about the writing of it was the perfect birthday present!

blurb
vivastory
post image

Bellos' latest was a good excuse to also buy the amazing Penguin Deluxe Edition. I read Les Miserables in high school and loved it. I'm definitely due for a reread.

saresmoore Yeah, like you needed an excuse. 😏 7y
vivastory @saresmoore 😝 I'm not sure how this edition slipped past me. It's one of my favorites. 7y
saresmoore I haven't read Les Mis, but I think this edition would help motivate me. Ha! That's my theory (excuse) with Moby-Dick, too. 7y
See All 10 Comments
vivastory @saresmoore Moby Dick is on my must read list for the year. BTW I'm doing a read along of "Brief History of Seven Killings" with @rachellayown if you are interested. I'm starting next Tuesday 7y
vivastory @saresmoore I'm going to start Master & Margarita on the 4th or 5th 7y
saresmoore I'll probably start M&M on the 1st, just in case I don't have time to read at Scott-speed. :) Brief History is a serious doorstopper, isn't it? I plan to read The Tenant of Wildfell Hall with @batsy, so probably shouldn't add another read along, although I'm tempted... 7y
vivastory @saresmoore I think it's about 700 pages. I'm looking forward to your thoughts on Tenant. I've heard only good things about it 7y
readinginthedark That copy is beautiful! 7y
vivastory @readinginthedark I love it. Couldn't resist 7y
RohitSawant The Les Mis edition is fabulous!! 7y
59 likes10 comments
blurb
MrBook
post image

#TBRtemptation post 1! Must. Make. Mine!!! Who has enjoyed "Les Misérables" whether it be the book, play, or film?! Okay, who has loved it? Lol. Who wants to get to know it better and understand why it's been one of the world's most impactful works of fiction? Then this is the read you need! This isn't just a sweeping history of the 19th-Century with Hugo's masterpiece at its center, for it extends much further. #blameLitsy #blameMrBook ?

DGRachel I bought this a couple weeks ago when someone posted a gorgeous copy of Les Mis (I bought that edition of Les Mis, too...) 7y
MrBook @DGRachel 😁👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 7y
Lwiesman Les Mis is in my TBR list. 7y
LitsyGoesPostal 😊👍🏻 7y
77 likes9 stack adds4 comments
review
Betty_Bookworm
post image
Pickpick

Well done.

blurb
SharonGoforth
post image

Came home with these today after reading a review of the tagged book in today's NY Times Book Review. It is a "back story" of Hugo's writing of Les Miserables. I've never read Les Mis, and after seeing posts here by @LitHousewife and others for #lesmislovescompany , I thought I would join in if it isn't too late.

LitHousewife I'm so glad you're going to join us! You're more than welcome!!! 7y
SharonGoforth @LitHousewife Thanks! Will start tonight 😊 7y
DGRachel I love that cover on your copy of Les Mis! 7y
SharonGoforth @DGRachel Thank you! It is the Penguin Classics Deluxe Edition, and apparently it is one of the most recent translations. 7y
55 likes1 stack add4 comments
blurb
scripturient
post image

#TBRtemptation - This looks like it wants a place on my bookshelf. 😍

BookishMarginalia Ooooo. Yes please. 7y
106 likes5 stack adds1 comment