Les Miserables (in 3 vols)

London: Hurst Blackett, 1862. First U.K. edition. An attractive set of Hugo's masterpiece and the first completed English language translation. 3 volumes, octavo (182 x 116 mm). Contemporary red quarter roan, spine lettered and decorated in gilt, red pebble-grain cloth sides, marbled endpapers and edges. Ownership inscription dated 1865 to half-title. Head of vol. I spine expertly repaired, bindings a little marked, edges rubbed, minor corner wear, scattered foxing, inner hinge cracked at last page of vol. I. An excellent set.

First authorized English edition. Released in October within months of the original French-language book, it was preceded only by the first two instalments of the American pirated version (Fantine in June and Cosette in July of the same year). The British edition remains considerably scarcer than its US counterpart.

Sir Charles Lascelles Wraxall, a military historian, was an eccentric choice of translator. He was recommended to Hugo by Alphonse Esquiros, a controversial French politician and author exiled to Britain, where he taught at the Royal Military Academy. Wraxall "fancied himself an expert on Waterloo", and "did not hesitate to alter the meaning of Hugo's novel whenever he disagreed with passages pertaining to Napoleon Bonaparte's downfall" (Grey).

Widely regarded as one of the greatest novels of the 19th century, although contemporary reviews were mixed. Hugo's massive work follows the struggles of ex-convict, Jean Valjean, as he seeks spiritual redemption, despite the past ever following upon his heels. It is a social commentary not just on modern France, but upon all communities where there is crime, hunger, poverty and injustice. Moreover, Hugo inserts his own commentaries throughout the work, whether they relate to the current action or not. Successfully adapted to the screen and the stage, most recently by Tom Hooper in 2012 for Universal Pictures. A work that speaks across time and place and continues to touch and inspire its readers.

Tobias Grey, "The Legacy of ‘Les Miserables': Charting the Life of a Classic", The New York Times, accessible online.