#LesMisReadalong on Twitter: Week 7 Highlights and a Les Mis Podcast

It’s been seven weeks since we started the Les Misérables Chapter-a-Day Read-along, and the discussion on Twitter is more interesting than ever. Several people are exploring the background of the book and its author Victor Hugo, and they’re sharing their discoveries with the rest of us. Others are tweeting about the reading experience and how it’s affecting them. You can check out the conversation at #LesMisReadalong. You don’t even need a Twitter account to follow along.

For those of you who may have missed it on Twitter, Briana Lewis has begun the Les Misérables Reading Companion Podcast. Briana is “Associate Professor of French at Allegheny College. I’ve been teaching, researching, and writing on Victor Hugo and Les Misérables since the mid-’00s. I’ve been podcasting since…. just now, when I started this podcast. ” Briana plans on 60 episodes and is currently on episode 8. I’ve listened to about half of episode 8, but I’m very impressed with what I’ve heard so far. Not only is the commentary interesting and relevant, but Briana also provides extras like a Google map of locations in the novel. Plus, you can hear how the names of places and names are actually pronounced! I especially appreciate that Briana is keeping the commentary spoiler-free.

I find it a wonderful instance of what Hugo calls Providence that Briana’s podcast coincides with our chapter-a-day read-along. Be sure to give it a listen. Each episode is about 35-40 minutes long, and you can listen to it on the web, on iTunes, on Stitcher, or on Google Play.

And now, here’s the roundup of some of last week’s tweets:

https://twitter.com/bronasbooks/status/962867764825284608

https://twitter.com/bronasbooks/status/962934872451907584

https://twitter.com/buttontapper/status/963148132065329153

Didn't expect to return to Mons. Bienvenu. Farewell, Bienvenu. #lesmisreadalong

— Denise Gorss (@Denise205) February 13, 2018

Words to guide our ministry toward others: "The supreme happiness of life is the conviction that we are loved; loved for ourselves – say rather, loved in spite of ourselves." Les Miserables (Pt 1,Bk 5, ch 4) #lesmisreadalong

— Russell B Smith (@possiblehorizon) February 13, 2018

"The peasants of Asturias are convinced that in every she-wolf’s litter there is one dog, which is killed by the mother because otherwise as it grew up it would eat the rest of her young. Give this son-of-a-wolf dog a human face, and you have Javert." V1,B5,C5 #lesmisreadalong pic.twitter.com/NpO2IRoUuJ

— Nick Senger (@nsenger) February 13, 2018

https://twitter.com/buttontapper/status/963432115764211712

Javert: "His whole life was contained in two words: waking, watching." V1B5C5 #lesmisreadalong

— Denise Gorss (@Denise205) February 14, 2018

https://twitter.com/bronasbooks/status/963718917515460608

https://twitter.com/buttontapper/status/963805569306869767

Can anybody explain/point me to a source on the use of the title "Father" in this book? #lesmisreadalong

— Denise Gorss (@Denise205) February 15, 2018

https://twitter.com/burns_nancy/status/964045720197193728

https://twitter.com/MissCarrieLA/status/964167697364856832

https://twitter.com/kimpineapple/status/964193011793104896

On gossips: "Some people are malicious from the mere necessity of talking. Their conversation … is like those fireplaces that rapidly burn up wood; they need a great deal of fuel; the fuel is their neighbor" Les Miserables (P1, B5, C8). #lesmisreadalong

— Russell B Smith (@possiblehorizon) February 16, 2018

https://twitter.com/burns_nancy/status/964394352280612864

"There exist beings who, for the sake of obtaining the key to [questions about others], …waste more time… than would be required for ten good actions…. Bk. 5, Ch. 8 #lesmisreadalong Social media??

— Tom Arceneaux (@TomArceneaux) February 16, 2018

https://twitter.com/MissCarrieLA/status/964533329163948033

@nsenger I've just discovered you're leading a #lesmisreadalong — thought participants might be interested in a commentary podcast (coincidentally! launched last month too): see https://t.co/XDL1QubnsY for details.

— The Les Misérables Reading Companion (@readlesmispod) February 16, 2018

https://twitter.com/MissCarrieLA/status/964744713524752385

https://twitter.com/burns_nancy/status/964777938276225024

https://twitter.com/buttontapper/status/964915412235202561

Her beautiful hair fell below her waist.
"What beautiful hair!" exclaimed the barber.
"How much will you give me for it?" said she.
"Ten francs."
"Cut it off."
She bought a knit skirt and sent it to the Thénardiers.
V1 B5 C10 #LesMisReadalong pic.twitter.com/mq2FhzdDCG

— Rick Barry ? (@RickBarry44) February 18, 2018