The top of the summit: completing "Les Miserables"

Over the course of two years, I dedicated a large amount of time to reading the complete and unabridged version of Victor Hugo’s “Les Miserables.”

I really had no idea what I was getting myself into when I decided to read it. I had seen previews for the 2012 movie “Les Miserables” staring Hugh Jackman, Russell Crowe, and Anne Hathaway and thought to myself “Hmm. I think I will read the book first.”

I dove into this decision by reading the first volume, “Fantine.” It was only after I finished the first volume that I realize there were four more.

What? I had a decision to make. Stop or keep going.

I figured I would continue the journey through Victor Hugo’s story about Jean Valgean, an ex convict on a path of redemption. So, I did.

I am not going to lie, there are periods where I would go a couple of months before venturing into the depths of one of the longest novels ever written. The novel is divided into five volumes, each volume is then divided into several books, which are then divided into several chapters.

It may have taken me two years, but I am proud to say that I read all five volumes, or a total of 48 books and 365 chapters. Through this book I truly experienced a wide range of emotions, including anger, happiness, sadness, sympathy and wonder. At times, I did experience boredom. This came with Hugo’s tangents, which you had to pay close attention to because he would bring it up later on in the book.

For example: I read about 50 pages on the Waterloo battle. While it was interesting, I didn’t know until halfway through the next book why Hugo had included it in the novel.

Every once in a while I would share with my coworkers or husband tidbits about the book. Sometimes they would reply “You’re still reading that? Just give up.”

But I wouldn’t. One of my coworkers said “This book it like your Everest.” I guess he was right. It was something I was bound and determined to finish no matter how long it took me.

For the record, I just didn’t read “Les Miserables” the entire time. I also read several other books when I needed a break.

After I completed the novel, I discovered I was not finished. I read the book on my Kindle, which worked perfectly since it took me so long to read, but I sort of felt bummed. There is just something about closing a physical book after reading it that just makes one feel like they’ve really accomplished something.

With this in mind, I started the search for a hard copy of the complete and unabridged version. It didn’t take long. I called the Sweetwater County Library and an employee pulled it off the shelf and reserved it for me.

When I arrived at the library to pick it up, the copy that I had envisioned in my mind was there. I envisioned reading a book the thickness of a dictionary and I was right.

After the librarian found the book, she asked if I was doing some light reading and chuckled. I explained to her that I had read it my Kindle and just felt like I didn’t get the full experience. Will I read the whole book again?

NO!

I just want to sift through it and see what it looks like in book form.

I wanted to feel the heaviness, smell the pages and smile at the feat I had completed.

I went back to work and boosted of my accomplishments, a little too much. I may have pointed to the huge book in my hand and said “That’s right. I read this.”

I feel a whole sense of accomplishment and feel as though nothing is too big or too long for me to read.

As for my next book, I am already reading “Dying for Joe McCarthy’s Sins: The Suicide of Wyoming Senator Lester Hunt.” It’s not nearly as long, but it’s still a good nonfiction. After that, I am going to read “Greyhound Therapy” by J.R. Conway. I am sure these books won’t take me two years to complete.

What I really learned from this whole experience is if you set you mind to do something it may take a long time to complete it, but eventually it will get done.

 

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