There is absolutely no question, I agree with everyone else before me, did Les Miserables is one of the best novels ever written, and you need to read to unabridged translation to completely Call enjoy it.If you read in abridged edition, you may end up wondering, "What's the point?" The abridgers Usually take out all the meat, anything That might appeal. The bare-bones plot is 19th Century melodrama at its best --- and to 20th century sensibilities ... But I do not recommend reading Les Miserables for the plot. If it's the plot you want, go see the musical, or buy The Complete Symphonic Recording of the musical, and you can get the plot in under three hours, plus the musical has some of the meat.Most people consider Norman Denny's translation (Penguin Classics) to be unabridged. This is NOT THE CASE. Read the introduction and You Will See That Denny admits to editing content for length. This is the definition of abridging. I Compared Denny's translation to the translation I read first, the Lee banner Stock (Signet Classics) translation, and some of my favorite parts are missing. MISSING! And Denny thus moves a couple chapters to the Back of the Book as appendixes. Sorry, but I want to read the novel in the order the author Intended. Denny's is better than most abridged versions, but it is silent on abridged version.When you are done reading Either the original CE Wilbour (Modern Library) translation, or the banner Stock translation, so check out the Smithsonian's Orson Welles radio production. Extremely worthwhile.