Les Misérables by Victor Hugo
Set in early 19th-century France, the narrative follows the lives and interactions of several characters, particularly the struggles of ex-convict Jean Valjean and his journey towards redemption. The story touches upon the nature of law and grace, and elaborates upon the history of France, architecture of Paris, politics, moral philosophy, antimonarchism, justice, religion, and the types and nature of romantic and familial love. It is known for its vivid and relatable characters, and its exploration of societal and moral issues.
The 48th greatest book of all time
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This book is on the following lists:
- 11th on The 500 best books of all time from Culture Café users (Culture Café)
- 11th on El Pais Favorite Books of 100 Spanish Authors (El Pais)
- 12th on 100 Books of Classical and Modern Foreign Literature (The Union of Russian Writers)
- 15th on The 100 Greatest Novels (greatbooksguide.com)
- 21st on Top 100 World Literature Titles (Perfection Learning)
- 23rd on Big Read (Hungarian) (Hungaria)
- 25th on 100 Essential Books (Bravo! Magazine)
- 31st on The Complete 500: OCLC (OCLC)
- 36th on The Telegraph’s 100 Novels Everyone Should Read (Telegraph)
- 41st on The 100 Favorite Novels of Librarians (Bookman.com)
- 43rd on Big Read (Bulgarian) (Bulgaria)
- 50th on Pour une Bibliothèque Idéale (Raymond Queneau)
- 97th on The Novel 100: A Ranking of the Greatest Novels of All Time (The Novel 100)
- 97th on Harvard Book Store Staff's Favorite 100 Books (Harvard Book Store)
- 100th on My Favourite Book - Australian Big Read (Australian Big Read)
- 114th on The Big Read (BBC)
- 146th on Our Users' Favorite Books of All Time (The Greatest Books Users)
- The Best Classics (The Times)
- 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die (The Book)
- 222 Best Books of All Time That Deserve a Spot on Your Bookshelf, With Picks from Bestselling Authors and Indie Booksellers (Parade)
- Great Books (The Learning Channel)
- Masterpieces of World Literature (Frank N. Magill)
- The Books You've Always Meant to Read (Waterstones)
- Inteliquest's World's 100 Greatest Books of All-Time (InteliQuest)
- 50 Books to (Re-)Read at 50 (nextavenue)
- William H. F. Lamont’s 100 Best Novels (1947) (archive.org)
- 100 Best Novels in the World (Published in 1899) (The Daily Telegraph)
- 1000 Novels Everyone Must Read (The Guardian)
- 100 Life-Changing Books (National Book Award)
- ZEIT-Bibliothek der 100 Bücher (Die Zeit)
- Best Books Ever (bookdepository.com)
- The 100 Greatest Books Ever Written (Easton Press)
- The Graphic Canon (Book)
- The Bigger Read List (English PEN)