Project Gutenberg

http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/135

But it's just a bit less trouble doing the one click thing on Amazon.

my link is also just one click, but with more choices, and it's forever free.

It fascinates me that here on DU, where Wal-Mart is regularly excoriated, Amazon, with its predatory marketing and neo-slavery in its employment practices far worse than Wal-Mart's, is the first choice for so many.

Just because they make it easy.

Not necessarily one click to install depending on device. Not everyone is that savvy and some appreciate the convenience.

I don't tell anyone where to shop whether it's Wal-Mart or Amazon. I figure people can make their own choices and if they don't like the source there are others. If you want to rain on that parade, more power to you, but I'm not sure this is the proper forum for it. Not to mention the book is free and hardly contributes to Amazon's evil apocalyptic world slavery scheme.

Just sayin'

Hugo has a lot to answer for as an author. Les Miserables is one of the most boring books ever written. At least a quarter of the book is used for Hugo to go off on massive digressions, on politics, history, religion, you name it. It takes fourteen chapters just to get to the beginning of the story of Jean Valjean.

I first read an abridged version of the novel -- back in college, I believe. I loved the story, and was thrilled when the musical was created. But when I later read the unabridged version . . . well, I made it through, but I gave strong consideration to personal eye-gouging.

He's been reading the unabridged version ever since. He'll come to me with "Can you believe Vicky just wrote 17 chapters about Waterloo?" But, he's making progress, about 60% of the way through in ten days. I have to think he'll make it. Why is probably a better question, but when he gets something in his sights, he's pretty dedicated. (Son = 24 year old, not a kid.)

I read the unabridged edition over a period of months. I would hit the same sorts of digressions that your son mentioned, set the book down in disgust, and pick it up days (or weeks!) later.

Tell your son one of the old ladies on DU is quite impressed!