Chris in VA Posted August 18, 2012 Share Posted August 18, 2012 I am actually READING THE BOOK!! Hee hee--some "Classical Homeschooler..." I haven't read a lot of the longer classics. I wanted to before the movie comes out in Dec. I do keep hearing the soundtrack to the Broadway production as I read, tho--Fantine better hurry up and kick off, b/c I've heard "I Dreamed A Dream" for 40 pages now... Have you read it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OnTheBrink Posted August 18, 2012 Share Posted August 18, 2012 No, but it's on our list as a read-aloud (well, probably the ONLY read-aloud) for this year. I've heard a radio show done by Orson Welles, so I know the gist of the story. I can't wait to read the book (and see the movie this December!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jean in Newcastle Posted August 18, 2012 Share Posted August 18, 2012 It is one of my favorite books along with Moby Dick. Why do I l like long books? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris in VA Posted August 18, 2012 Author Share Posted August 18, 2012 In the forward to the edition I have, the translator says he moved a couple of things around, putting two small sections as appendices. They don't move the story forward, and --mmm, can't recall the other reason (it's Penguin Classics, I think). You might want to know that if you are reading it aloud. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elinor Everywhere Posted August 18, 2012 Share Posted August 18, 2012 Yes! I love Les Miz! Although, I think there are parts that definitely do not move the story and the last couple of times through I (gasp!) skipped those parts (Waterloo!). And wait......are you saying the MUSICAL version is coming out as a movie in Dec?? I've seen the play a lot of times, and am taking my daughter to see it in 3 weeks. She has memorized the songs and I'm so excited for her to see it! She was just saying this morning how she wished a movie would come out of the musical. That would awesome! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Mungo Posted August 19, 2012 Share Posted August 19, 2012 I read it the first time in high school. Eldest will be reading it this year so that we can see the movie. And yes, it is a film version of the musical. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Critterfixer Posted August 19, 2012 Share Posted August 19, 2012 Squeal! I was looking for a new book to read through and was toying with Tolstoy again. But I've not read Les Mis. Now I have my next library check out! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris in VA Posted August 19, 2012 Author Share Posted August 19, 2012 Elinor, here's the trailer for the Dec film. Can't wait!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happyhomemaker Posted August 19, 2012 Share Posted August 19, 2012 It's my favorite book!! I am getting dh to read it for the first time, and I have loved discussing it with him. I am eagerly awaiting the movie! The play is coming here, and I am trying to convince him to see it with me. He's not a musical kind of guy, but I think he might make and exception for Les Mis. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShannonS Posted August 19, 2012 Share Posted August 19, 2012 This was a high school one for me too. Didn't get it then. Love it now. Love the name Cosette too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sparrow Posted August 19, 2012 Share Posted August 19, 2012 My kids' piano teacher is 76 years old and read it for the first time last year. She was telling anyone who would listen that they MUST read it :001_smile:. I forgot that I wanted to read it, so thanks for the reminder! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Girl Power Posted August 19, 2012 Share Posted August 19, 2012 What version do you recommend? Does anyone know what version SWB recommends in Well Educated Mind? tx! Beck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rwjx2khsmj Posted August 19, 2012 Share Posted August 19, 2012 I loved the story and the characters but Hugo's penchant for digression drove me crazy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Annie G Posted August 19, 2012 Share Posted August 19, 2012 I'd also like a recommendation for a specific version. It's my favorite musical and we've seen it a dozen times...always moves me. Can't wait to see the movie! And yet I just cannot get into the book. I've only tried the ones our local library has- so I really need a recommendation here. I really want to read it and enjoy it but every time I try I just can't believe that my favorite musical was culled from that mind-numbing book. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rosie_0801 Posted August 19, 2012 Share Posted August 19, 2012 I love it. It was my first real, proper, grown up book. :) Rosie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OnTheBrink Posted August 19, 2012 Share Posted August 19, 2012 (edited) I got this version. A friend is reading it with her dd this year and suggested this one. It's annotated, which is great for us. We like notes. :) And, I have to add, I'm so excited to see the movie. The Broadway musical will be in both St. Louis and Chicago and I'm very tempted to get tickets, but I'm afraid dd may not like it and I hate to waste $$ on tickets to have her not enjoy it. So, I'm settling for the movie. And, I'm about to reveal what a nerd I am, but, I have "I Dreamed a Dream" on my itunes, but it's the Glee version. I never understood the song before, but since I've heard the radio show, I get it. So, whenever I hear it, I cry! I'm bringing a new box of Puffs with me to the movie. I imagine the waterworks are gonna flow. Edited August 19, 2012 by OnTheBrink Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
QueenCat Posted August 19, 2012 Share Posted August 19, 2012 Have you read it? YES! One of my favorites! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carina Posted August 19, 2012 Share Posted August 19, 2012 We named DD after Cosette! I hope it doesn't make her name popular, but I can hope that it will help people pronounce her name correctly! Now we need to read it, I just got it on my kindle last night for free. Not the best version, but I want to save the best version to have in real book form. :) And I can hardly wait to read the original French in a few years when we actually understand French :P haha Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lady Florida. Posted August 19, 2012 Share Posted August 19, 2012 I loved it in high school, but I had a teacher who made it so. I started re-reading it on my Kindle but got distracted by other books. I might try again before the movie comes out. I have a friend from France (she married an American soldier she met in Germany) and she said reading it is part of the national curriculum there. They start in first grade! She said in the younger years they only read parts of it; parts they can understand. By the time they reach our equivalent of a senior in high school, the story is very familiar to them, and they read the whole thing unabridged. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Swimtaxi234 Posted August 19, 2012 Share Posted August 19, 2012 Yes! I love Les Miz! Although, I think there are parts that definitely do not move the story and the last couple of times through I (gasp!) skipped those parts (Waterloo!). :iagree: The second time I read the book, I skipped that part too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deacongirl Posted August 19, 2012 Share Posted August 19, 2012 I got this version. A friend is reading it with her dd this year and suggested this one. It's annotated, which is great for us. We like notes. :) And, I have to add, I'm so excited to see the movie. The Broadway musical will be in both St. Louis and Chicago and I'm very tempted to get tickets, but I'm afraid dd may not like it and I hate to waste $$ on tickets to have her not enjoy it. So, I'm settling for the movie. And, I'm about to reveal what a nerd I am, but, I have "I Dreamed a Dream" on my itunes, but it's the Glee version. I never understood the song before, but since I've heard the radio show, I get it. So, whenever I hear it, I cry! I'm bringing a new box of Puffs with me to the movie. I imagine the waterworks are gonna flow. I have done the ugly cry (as silently as possible) every time I saw the musical. I already told dh that he is watching the littles on opening night of the movie so I can take dd11! I love that they introduce it to kids as young as first grade in France. I think the message of grace and redemption is so so beautiful. I can also think of a few public figures I would like to send a copy of it to... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bugs Posted August 19, 2012 Share Posted August 19, 2012 It is one of my favorite books along with Moby Dick. Why do I l like long books? I like long books, too. I think it is because there is so much character development and story intricacies. Yes! I love Les Miz! Although, I think there are parts that definitely do not move the story and the last couple of times through I (gasp!) skipped those parts (Waterloo!). I loved it too and would skip a couple of parts as well, but it wouldn't be the section on Waterloo! That was fascinating and it ended up giving the reader part of the story. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DianeW88 Posted August 19, 2012 Share Posted August 19, 2012 It took me a loooooong time to try and recover from having to read it in FRENCH in high school. :glare: Like 30 years. :lol: Love it now, but oh my, it about did me in way back when! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chocolate Rose Posted August 19, 2012 Share Posted August 19, 2012 So, whenever I hear it, I cry! I'm bringing a new box of Puffs with me to the movie. I imagine the waterworks are gonna flow. I took dd to see it on stage in Seattle in May for her birthday. AWESOME company! We LOVED it. But, I didn't even think to bring kleenex. I was in tears from the first act all the way through. Dd commented "how could you not know you'd be crying, everyone dies". Well, yes, but I just didn't think to pack the kleenex. I am REALLY excited about the movie coming out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elinor Everywhere Posted August 19, 2012 Share Posted August 19, 2012 And yes, it is a film version of the musical. :) :party: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OnTheBrink Posted August 19, 2012 Share Posted August 19, 2012 So, if there are parts in the book that are skippable, what parts are they? Which chapters or sections? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Mungo Posted August 19, 2012 Share Posted August 19, 2012 (edited) I like long books, too. I think it is because there is so much character development and story intricacies. I loved it too and would skip a couple of parts as well, but it wouldn't be the section on Waterloo! That was fascinating and it ended up giving the reader part of the story. I didn't like those parts until I learned more about The French Revolution. I learned a lot about it by reading the Horatio Hornblower books. ;) So, if there are parts in the book that are skippable, what parts are they? Which chapters or sections? There are long sections on 1) battles of the French Revolution (especially Waterloo) and 2) the Paris sewers. Lots of people skip those. Edited August 21, 2012 by Mrs Mungo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris in VA Posted August 20, 2012 Author Share Posted August 20, 2012 If you skip Waterloo (it's inaccurate, for one...not that that matters...), be sure to read the last several pages, as Thenardier comes in and it's important to the story. The description of the convent and order goes on and on, but it's pretty interesting--considering he made up the order. I thought the very first few chapters (where the Bishop is the main character) were a little off-putting at first, because I was waiting for Jean Valjean to come into the picture. However, looking back, I realized how important it is to the story, to see a truly moral man who is not "just" a law-follower. I'm actually going to put quotes from it up as my status on FB...:D I'm almost done--It's been GREAT. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silliness7 Posted August 20, 2012 Share Posted August 20, 2012 My book club actually read this book. :glare: I wasn't feeling the love. There were two members who absolutely LOVED, LOVED it. I was baffled. They had the same edition of the book though and I think that had something to do with it. Are there different translations out there? That could make an *enormous* difference. I think it does help if some sections are portioned out in an appendix. I wish I had read a different one. The parts that I liked I really did like. The graveyard section is very good. :001_smile: But there was too much -waaaayyyy tooo much- that was not that great. :tongue_smilie: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fourisenough Posted August 20, 2012 Share Posted August 20, 2012 I started it a few years ago and just couldn't get into it; I'm inspired to begin again, in anticipation of the movie. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silliness7 Posted August 20, 2012 Share Posted August 20, 2012 I'd also like a recommendation for a specific version. It's my favorite musical and we've seen it a dozen times...always moves me. Can't wait to see the movie! And yet I just cannot get into the book. I've only tried the ones our local library has- so I really need a recommendation here. I really want to read it and enjoy it but every time I try I just can't believe that my favorite musical was culled from that mind-numbing book. Years ago I saw a recommendation in a homeschool publication for a specific edition of this book. I *think* it was from Veritas Press. It caught my eye because the reviewer said they never, ever recommend abridgements but that this one was exceptional and made the book more accessible. I searched and searched and searched for where I had read this information when my book club picked it, but I couldn't find it again. I truly think edition matters. But I'm at a loss as to which. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elinor Everywhere Posted August 22, 2012 Share Posted August 22, 2012 Elinor, here's the trailer for the Dec film. Can't wait!!! Chris, THANK YOU!!! :drool5: The trailer looks fantastic, and Hugh Jackman, Russell Crowe, and Anne Hathaway? What a great cast! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mommy22alyns Posted August 22, 2012 Share Posted August 22, 2012 Well, you've inspired me to get my huge copy off the shelf and start it. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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