Victor Hugo's tale of injustice, heroism and love follows the fortunes of Jean V aljean, an escaped convict determined to put his criminal past behind him. But h is attempts to become a respected member of the community are constantly put und er threat: by his own conscience, when, owing to a case of mistaken identity, an other man is arrested in his place; and by the relentless investigations of the dogged Inspector Javert. It is not simply for himself that Valjean must stay fre e, however, for he has sworn to protect the baby daughter of Fantine, driven to prostitution by poverty. Norman Denny's lively English translation is accompani ed by an introduction discussing Hugo's political and artistic aims in writing Les Misérables . Victor Hugo (1802-85) wrote volumes of criticism, dramas, sat irical verse and political journalism but is best remembered for his novels, esp ecially Notre-Dame de Paris (also known as The Hunchback of Notre-Dame ) and Les Misérables , which was adapted into one of the most successful musicals o f all time. 'All human life is here' Cameron Mackintosh, producer of the music al Les Misérables 'One of the half-dozen greatest novels of the world' Upto n Sinclair 'A great writer - inventive, witty, sly, innovatory' A. S. Byatt, a uthor of Possession