The Novel of the Century
eBook - ePub

The Novel of the Century

The Extraordinary Adventure of Les Misérables

  1. 338 pages
  2. English
  3. ePUB (mobile friendly)
  4. Available on iOS & Android
eBook - ePub

The Novel of the Century

The Extraordinary Adventure of Les Misérables

About this book

This "impeccably researched and pithily written" volume reveals the dramatic life of Victor Hugo's literary masterpiece ( The New York Times ).

Les Misérables is among the most popular and enduring novels ever written. Like Inspector Javert's dogged pursuit of Jean Valjean, its appeal has never waned since its first publication in 1862. Whether we encounter Victor Hugo's story on the page, onstage, or on-screen, Les Misérables continues to captivate while also, perhaps unexpectedly, speaking to contemporary concerns. In The Novel of the Century, acclaimed scholar and translator David Bellos tells us why.

This enchanting biography of a classic of world literature is written for " Les Mis" fanatics and novices alike. Casting decades of scholarship into accessible narrative form, Bellos brings to life the extraordinary story of how Victor Hugo managed to write his novel of the downtrodden despite a revolution, a coup d' tat, and political exile; how he pulled off a pathbreaking deal to get it published; and how his approach to the "social question" would define his era's moral imagination. 

More than an ode to Hugo's masterpiece, The Novel of the Century provides a fascinating window into 19th century France and shows how Les Misérables continues to be a timely tale today.

New York Times Book Review Editors' Choice

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Yes, you can access The Novel of the Century by David Bellos in PDF and/or ePUB format, as well as other popular books in Literature & Literary Biographies. We have over one million books available in our catalogue for you to explore.

Table of contents

  1. Cover
  2. Title Page
  3. Copyright Notice
  4. Dedication
  5. Author’s Note: On Reading Les Misérables
  6. Translations and References
  7. Maps
  8. Introduction: The Journey of Les Misérables
  9. Part One: Crimes and Punishments
  10. Part Two: Treasure Islands
  11. Part Three: Rooms With a View
  12. Part Four: War, Peace and Progress
  13. Part Five: Great Expectations
  14. Epilogue: Journey’s End
  15. France in the Nineteenth Century: A Time Line
  16. Acknowledgements
  17. Works Cited
  18. Notes
  19. Index of Names
  20. Also by David Bellos
  21. A Note About the Author
  22. Newsletter Sign-up
  23. Contents
  24. Copyright