Well, maybe I won't be reading Les Miserables any time soon after all...

[neotoma]

Why is the Lee Fahnestock and Norman MacAfee translation of Les Miserables not available as an e-book? I checked on Amazon, and the version for Kindle is listed as the Hapgood translation, which I'm pretty sure I can get for free off of Gutenberg, thank you anyway Amazon...

Comments

[ellen_fremedon]

That's really sucky.

Could you buy a cheap used paper back and split it into five books with a razor blade? Not as convenient as an e-book, but at least it wouldn't break your wrists.

[neotoma]

*blink*

Are you suggesting I deliberately mutilate a book..?

I think I might just borrow a copy from the library, actually.

[ellen_fremedon]

You could buy two copies and mutilate one?

I thought the point of the e-book was that it was lightweight. (And the library copies are more likely to be hardback than not...)

[gehayi]

The Kindle version of Les Miz is free. I know, because I have it.

[neotoma]

Well, the one I found is listed at $0.95, which is almost free, but I still want the Fahnestock and MacFee translation. Admittedly, I will probably be able to pick up a copy at a used bookstore for fairly cheap in a few weeks.

I'm just baffled why Amazon is linking from the paperback of one translation to the Kindle version of a different translation as if the translation itself doesn't matter.

[gehayi]

The Kindle edition I have--the version that became available as of Dec. 16, 2010--is free. The publisher is Public Domain Books, which is probably WHY it's free. The other Kindle version seems to cost 0.95.

http://www.amazon.com/Les-Mis%C3%A9rables-English-language-ebook/dp/B004GHNIRK

What are the differences between the translations?

[neotoma]

Hapgood is the Victorian-era translator, and thus some of the turns of phrase and nuances are not as clear as they could be. Fahnestock and MacFee are the modern (1987) translators, and are their translation is currently most recommended for English language readers.

Does your copy say who the translator was?