Hugo's Les Misérables was an 1862 hit

Victor Hugo

It is the birthday of writer Victor Hugo, whose best known work, Les Misérables (1862), took him 17 years to finish and publish. It is considered one of the greatest novels of the 19th century. It covers 17 years in the life of an ex-convict and his journey to redemption. Hugo is said to have sent a telegram to his publisher asking about the book's reception. He simply wrote "?" The book was a sensation. The publisher sent a telegram in reply: "!" Hugo also wrote The Hunchback of Notre-Dame (1831), which he put off finishing for more than a year even though he had a contract with his publisher. Finally, the publisher insisted he focus on it. He worked non-stop and finished it in six months. It tells the story of Quasimodo, the hunchback bell-ringer of Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris and his relationship with Esmeralda, a beautiful gypsy. The book's publication led to the city's restoration of the neglected cathedral.