Les Misérables question

If I could, I would read it in French. Translations can be good, but the original is usually better. Have fun reading!

I think that any book in its original language is better

in french DEFINITELY !!! I've read it in Arabic, french and english and, of course, it has stroke me in its native language the most!! good luck...

Reading it in the original language would be the best choice. I'd read the French version if I were you.

FRENCH

Reading Les Miserables in French is probably the better choice. I wouldn't know for certain, to be honest. However, I do know that to say "reading any book in its original language is better" is not a valid statement. Many, probably most, Germans reasonably fluent in both German and English much prefer to read Kant's Critique of Pure Reason in English even though it was originally written in German (or Prussian). Kant's writing was considerably cleaned up by his translators. Sentences were shortened, pronouns substituted for by their nouns, etc. I have it on good authority that Kant translated into English is much clearer. On the other hand, in support of your case, I have heard Shakespeare loses a lot when translated into any other language, particularly French for some odd reason.

I agree with Citra, if you have the choice ( and the ability) do read it in French. Whenever possible, a book should be read in the original language the author wrote it. Sorry Dan, but as a translator of Novels and Business books, no matter how good the translator is, there's always something that gets lost in the translation. The case you make for Kant's proves the point, German prefer English because it was written in Prussian and therefore difficult to read even for German who read High German. The English translation is a simplification, it may be accurate, then again it may not necessarily be. Translation is a filter, not everything comes through, while the most important does, it is not easy to capture the literary depth or style and rhythm from one language to the other. Another example is the translation of "Madame Bovary" from French to English. The rhythm and subtlety of the writing is very descriptive of what is actually taking place within a very particular Coach ride in French, unfortunately the finesse is lost in the English translation. So Martha, read it in French, you'll love it.

French. One can insist that "it's the same thing" all they want but I agree with Christian-Adam, it is not. It is a challenge but it is most definitely worth it. If you have an e-reader of any kind you can get a French copy just as easily as you can get an English one.

French. Believe me, it's always better in the original language... You are so lucky to be able to read it in French.... =)

Given the option, my advise would be to read it in French but it might confuse you :) since on stage and on the screen, the characters(for the most part) have cockney accents. Maybe they do that because they believe Americans will be more convinced by poor Brits than poor French people?

If you are able to read a book in it's original language you definitely should.

the original one is definitely wonderful. i'm obsessed in this novel <3

French in Hugo's time was different and may be difficult to read, unless you are familiar with the language from that time period. If you're fluent in French, by all means, get a copy, but in modern French. JRG

Definitely in French. We read it in high school in French and then saw it at the Chicago Theatre. The book was definitely better.