Which Translation of Hugo's Les Misérables is Right for You? (Patreon)

The first two videos in the guided reading lecture series for Les Misérables will go live on the first day of French autumn (22nd September).

The first is an introduction to Hugo's theory of art, and the second is a deep-dive of the first 70 pages in which the moral, social, and historical groundwork is set. 

I've personally been excited for this Big Read since spring of this year, in which I filmed the above video comparing three popular translations of Hugo's masterpiece:

• Norman Denny (1976) 
• Christine Donougher (2013) 
• Charles Wilbour (1863) 

I can feel the excitement simmering. Many of you have already secured your volume. But if you're still weighing up your options, you may find a Hugo "taste test" valuable.

If you feel yourself gravitating towards one of the translations because you like the rhythm or language choice, then go for that one.

If you wish for your decision to be made for you, grab the Norman Denny as this is the one I'm using for the lecture series.

I've heard from a few readers who are planning to have more than one translation on the go. This is a great option for those who wish to become seriously intimate with the work. I've personally done this with my own readings of Hugo, Cervantes, Proust, and Tolstoy, with great results. 

Questions for You:

1) Which translation do you feel is right for you?

2) What do you think makes a good translation?

Happy reading, everybody!