Les Miserables

Introducing one of the most famous characters in literature, Jean Valjean—the noble peasant imprisoned for stealing a loaf of bread—Les Misérables (1862) ranks among the greatest novels of all time. In it Victor Hugo takes readers deep into the Parisian underworld, immerses them in a battle between good and evil, and carries them onto the barricades during the uprising of 1832 with a breathtaking realism that is unsurpassed in modern prose.

Within his dramatic story are themes that capture the intellect and the emotions: crime and punishment, the relentless persecution of Valjean by Inspector Javert, the desperation of the prostitute Fantine, the amorality of the rogue Thénardier and the universal desire to escape the prisons of our own minds. Les Misérables gave Victor Hugo a canvas upon which he portrayed his criticism of the French political and judicial systems, but the portrait which resulted is larger than life, epic in scope—an extravagant spectacle that dazzles the senses even as it touches the heart.

This Signet Classic edition is translated by Lee Fahnestock and Norman MacAfee, based on the classic nineteenth century Charles E. Wilbour translation. According to Lucy Day (from WeLoveTranslations.com), this version:

• has sold well over a million copies.
• is the official musical tie-in edition; thus the familiar, unchanging Cosette/Flag logo on the cover.
• is the reason fans call Les Miserables “The Brick” (that’s the size and shape of the paperback edition).
• is a complete translation, with the authors digressions left in place. (A 1976 translation had moved and removed some text.)
• is based on the Wilbour translation and retains an archaic flavor.
• is considered faithful to the French original but more accessible in that it updates the language in places and removes untranslated French words and passages that would frustrate those with no knowledge of the language.
• includes an Introduction by Lee Fahnestock and an Afterword by Chris Bohjalian. It does not contain any notes.
• Marva Barnett: “Which translation of Les Miserables do you recommend?” by Marva Barnett
  “This edition contains a few errors of translation and more than a few moments in which I had to turn back to Hugo’s original.”