I chose to read and review 52 Little Lessons from Les Miserables by Bob Welch with HarperCollins Christian Publishing because, well, Les Miserables! Nuff said! I subscribe to the nerdy passion that gives me an irrational soft spot for anything bearing the name, image or slight reference to any of my favored fandoms. So when given a choice of books, when little Cosette sweeping her old school switch broom was staring up at me, I had no choice, really!

About the Book

Book description from Amazon.com:

Gold Medallion Award-winner Bob Welch crafts 52 nuggets of Bible-based wisdom from one of the most popular novels, musicals, and films of all time: Les Misérables.

In 52 Little Lessons from Les Misérables, Bob Welch walks readers through Hugo’s masterpiece, extracting dozens of uniquely spiritual reflections from this enduring portrait of poverty, social injustice, mercy, and redemption. Welch reminds us that Jean Valjean’s life provides the truest example of why real love is found in the grittiest places, and that hearts are made whole beneath the crush of mercy. Most important, though, Welch keeps returning to the intersections of faith and reality throughout Hugo’s writing—those places where mercy becomes an inroad to the heart, and where love is only truly received when it is given without condition.

Discover again why life’s purpose is found not in attending to personal needs and desires, but in responding to the hearts of others.

My Thoughts on the Book

First off, I have been a fan of Les Miserables – the book and the musical – since I was a preteen. Second, I am a sucker for light, bite sized pieces of feel good reflections on topics that interest me. (This is becoming increasingly more so as I find myself becoming the mother of a very hyperactive toddler!) So it would actually require quite the literary flop for me to be disappointed with this book.

As expected, this book was a fun, light read. Each “Little Lesson” or mini chapter consumes less than 2-3 pages, with half of those pages containing recaps of the main story in Les Miserables, and the other half containing Scripture and reflections.

I found it enjoyable and easy to peruse, although the author, like all “established best sellers” takes a little too much joy in referencing his personal life. When personal life stories which only vaguely apply to the topic are used as liberally as Scripture, it sort of rubs me the wrong way. So whenever the author would take a “for instance, my wife and I…” type interlude, I’d find myself kind of mentally checking out.

But aside from the occasional self-centered ramble, this book was exactly what you would expect. I read through the whole book between household chores over a three day time span. I never once quite sat down to read it as I would a novel, but used it as a fun pick me up and interlude between loads of laundry and dirty dishes.

While I wouldn’t urge you to go out and buy this book now, now, NOW, I would recommend it as a fun and light read if you are a Les Miserable junky!

Are you a Les Miserables fan? Would you be interested in checking this book out? Share below!