I can’t let this little gem go
before moving on from the nonfiction book of March, “The Novel of the Century”
by David Bellos (see earlier blogpost called “Miserables Thoughts”).
In 1862, when we didn’t have
Google, Facebook, or even Instagram, we had a novel.
"Les Miserables" by Victor Hugo was such a hot
item it was translated just about everywhere. And get this: The novel that has
since been known as the touchstone for revolutionaries, rights for the poor,
slavery is evil, women and men deserve equal standing before the law, was a
runaway favorite of soldiers fighting for the right to continue to enslave people.
Check this
out, a blogpost from the NY Times Opinion folks in 2013 http://nyti.ms/2nt5pCS, or just eyeball this money quote: “The [Confederate] soldiers, little familiar
with the Gallic pronunciation, called the book ‘Lee’s Miserables!’ Then another
step was taken. It was no longer the book, but themselves whom they referred to
by that name. The old veterans of the army henceforth laughed at their
miseries, and dubbed themselves grimly, ‘Lee’s Miserables!’ ”
(Personal note: when it comes to creative news
out of Richmond, consider that is where, more than 120 years later, I met my wife, M … And
so it goes …)
Next: Running for Your Life: A Word About Knees
