Blog by Douglas J. Lanzo, Copyright 2026
October 20, 2026

Sharing the striking illustration by Émile-Antoine Bayard from the original Les Miserables written by the most beloved French author of all time, Victor Hugo. An author, Senator, National Assemblyman and perhaps most importantly, the most poignant social commentator of his time who moved millions of people to embrace the highest ideals, principles and laws of human nature and fundamental teachings of God – such as love, mercy, compassion and freedom. His funeral procession from the Arc de Triomphe to the Pantheon attracted between 2 and 3 million, rivaling the entire population of Paris in 1885.

I just completed this amazing book this weekend and feel compelled to share it that others may derive similar inspiration and admiration for this ineffably sublime masterpiece of literature, history and philosophy which has uplifted and pierced the hearts, minds and souls of people in France and beyond since it was written.

My review post today on Goodreads and BookBub:

“An epic, monumental, intensely passionate, compassionate, provocative, deeply philosophical, moving and inspirational work. Every page is full of meaning, truth, emotion and wisdom woven together in a wonderful tapestry. Victor Hugo received the largest funeral in French history, far eclipsing that of Napoleon and de Gaulle. I picked up this monstrously long 1,460 page novel and told myself I’d read the first 100 pages to understand the writings of a great master novelist. But I was hooked…less than two months after opening it, I raced through the final few hundred pages in a single weekend, riveted to the very last word of the final scene. Hugo’s empathy for the poor, yearning for justice and freedom divinely granted, and extrolling of true love, humility and virtue is a blazing torch lighting the way. He is often called a Deist, but when you read this work, you will see a man who believe in a God who powerfuly and for good intervened and shaped human destiny even on the grandest stages of our existence – A man whose last line in his will stated: “I believe in God.”

by Douglas J. Lanzo, Author and Poet (The Year of the Bill; I Have Lived; Moral Courage to Shine with Christ’s Love and of over 610 internationally published poems)

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