Abridged vs. Unabridged
In English, Les Misérables is printed by various publishing houses in abridged and unabridged editions. A famously long novel, the original text included many historical asides for background information on topics such as the manufacture of jet jewelry, the Parisian sewer system and the Battle of Waterloo. These asides collectively span hundreds of pages.
Since some believe these asides did not significantly impact a reader's ability to understand the story, abridged versions of the book were published which removed these sections, making for a shorter read. It is largely up to readers to research various editions and to decide which version they prefer.
