Les Misérables is easily the best book I’ve ever read in my entire life. A few years ago I read a shorthened version of it and even then I was fascinated by it. I finished reading the full text two months ago and oh my fucking god this book is the best thing ever written.
I’m Turkish so I read the Turkish translation (will read the full text in English and French when I learn it) and on the back of it, it says something along these lines:
“… Les Misérables is the third and the most majestic collumn of the author’s novel trilogy that tells of the society…”
And I completely agree with that. This book is simply timeless. The characters, situations, unjustice, inequalities, all the suffering in it could be applied to any society. This book is real.
The messages that it sends are solutions to topics that seemingly anybody with a functioning brain should be capable of thinking and realizing. And yet, these solutions are ignored and refused because of greed, revenge, bloodlust and most important of all, ignorance.
The main character of the book, Jean Valjean is the embodiment of redemption. His entire arc teaches us how to treat criminals. Some countries today are taking these lessons and applying them. The lessons being; treat them as human, rehabilitate them. The result? They actually do heal and return to society as normal human beings.
And yet you see people against this practice. Those kinds of people are blinded by bloodlust and revenge. They are the same kind of people that were racist, sexist and much more back in the day. The arguments that these people bring don’t hold up either. The most common one I see (at least from my perspective) is this:
“You wouldn’t react this way if they hurt one of your loved ones!”
The fact that these people don’t know anything about me aside, this argument is pointless as it implies that I would be blind to fact and logic when I’m in pain. And while that is true, me being angry over an apple falling onto my head won’t make gravity any less real. In other words, so what?
The biggest victims of this mentality are pedofiles. Not the ones that do engage in action. But rather the ones that don’t harm anybody are aware of their issue. For instance, if a non-engaging pedo went to a therapist and told them of their issue, what would the therapist do? Call the police of course. And what would that do? Their life would be pretty screwed from that point forward. Assuming they are the non-engaging type, of course. I don’t believe this to be the correct attitude towards these kind of cases.
I would also like to dive into other topics that the book covers (and perhaps extend on this one) but it would be way too long for a comment. Thank you anyone reading this far. I would like to hear your opinions on the matter and discuss even!
I read it in high school (by choice because of the musical), but I think I was not mature enough to truly grasp many of the themes.
This makes me want to re-read it. I can read French at an okay level, and I’m wondering if I should try…or if I should stick with English again first to get the major points and then branch out.
English translation is pretty damn good. If you want to work on your French by all means go for it, but wouldn’t do it out of concern you’d be missing something from the English version.
Thanks for letting me know!
I’ve seen the musical a bunch of times and when I finally managed to read it last year it was a revelation. While I still love the musical the book is so much more intriguing and interesting and just manages to much more perfectly capture the main theme.
Night need to re-read this one soon ;)
Asimov’s Foundation series (two times polish translation and once original) and The Hitchikerms Guide to Galaxy by Adams Douglas (once in polish, twice original)
It’s even more fun if you read the entire Asimov book catalog that’s set in the same universe as Foundation using the in-universe chronological order… unless you meant that’s what you did. That’s broadly “I, Robot”, the Robots series, the Empire Series, and the Foundation series. I’m sure some people don’t like his later books that tie it all together, but most of them are probably elderly and read the original series before the newer ones were published or something.
I read the original Foundation trilogy, then all the ones in the Robot, Empire and Foundation series in order of publication, followed by the Benford/Bryn/Bear trilogy.
Then I went back and re-read the original Foundation trilogy, and it still stands out as my favorite thing Asimov ever did.
The Discworld series, the Culture series by Iain Banks, Tolkien, Illuminatus!, GEB: The Eternal Golden Braid, The Book of Swords…
Oh, and I almost forgot, Roger Zelazny’s Lord of Light.
Illuminatus! was my answer. Never got into serious fantasy, but otherwise this is a solid list. This further encourages me to read the Culture series.
The stand, by Stephen King
M-O-O-N that spells, The Stand!
I just read the 4 Stormlight Archives books this past year (in addition to the novellas) but I’m already itching to reread them.
I got into the Cosmere about three years back. I started with The Way Of Kings just because I had heard Sanderson was good and had an audible credit. Then I learned about the whole Cosmere and flew through the rest of it. I’m up to Words Of Radiance on my first re read before #5 comes out.
I reread the whole Cosmere last year. It was worth it.
I started reading more when the Reddit API stuff happened. Meant to pick up Mistborn AGES ago at a friend’s behest and then went to Way of Kings after Mistborn Era 1 was over.
Haven’t looked back, and have barely read anything not written by Brando Sando since then.
Anything by Sanderson. His consistency is so, so wonderful. I hate ass-pull macguffins.
Mistborn was amazing for this.
there is a lot of books i have read more than once. but one stands out over all others, yet there is no storyline to speak of. The C Programming Language by Brian Kernighan and Dennis Ritchie.
I have re-read The Lord of the Rings and all of Larry Niven’s books (many in the Ringworld universe).
Seconding Lord of the Rings.
Haven’t heard of that one. What’s it about?
" When Mr. Bilbo Baggins of Bag End announced that he would shortly be celebrating his eleventy-first birthday with a party of special magnificence, there was much talk and excitement in Hobbiton. "
A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson and Sailing Alone Around the World by Joshua Slocum
Currently there is a Humble Bundle with Cory Doctorow’s books. I liked Little Brother and read it twice. Maybe I’m going to read some more of his work.
Pretty much all of Discworld but especially the Moist Von Lipwig and Vimes ones.
The best part of rereading those books is the hidden puns and jokes that you only get when you get older. And yes, commander Vîmes and Moist are excellent characters.
I’ve definitely gone through the Harry Potter series a couple of times at different phases of my life. Definitely had a different experience with every reading. Not always positive, but at this point it’s part of the tapestry of my childhood.
at this point it’s part of the tapestry of my childhood.
Mine too. I haven’t read them in a long time because of obvious reasons, but a part of me still wants to. I was truly obsessed with them for several years as a kid.
Don’t let her shitty politics get in the way of doing something you enjoy. Death of the author and all that. If you’re worried about fiscally supporting her, I’m certain you can find the whole series at reasonable prices in any secondhand bookstore.
Or just download ebooks.
Malazan Book of the Fallen, Gentlemen Bastards series, most of Neil Gaiman’s work, The Library at Mount Char, the Baru Cormorant series, Gatsby, Flowers for Algernon, and most of Plath’s work - I go back to most of those every few years.
The Stand by Steven King. Also, his Gunslinger series.
Ka is a wheel after all
Long days and pleasant nights
I have reread several books but most of them have several years or decades in between.
Especially Terry Pratchetts’ books are better after and worthy of a second read.
