Ayatollah Khamenei

I believe Victor Hugo’s “Les Misérables” is the best novel ever written all through history. I have not read all the novels written throughout history, no doubt, but I have read plenty of novels that relate to the events of different centuries. I have also read some very old novels. For instance I have read the Divine Comedy, Amir Arsalan, One Thousand and One Nights; but when I look at this novel written by Victor Hugo, I realize it is impossible that anyone would be able to write better or has ever written better than this and is not popular in a way that someone like me who has been into novel-reading, has never seen or heard about it. I would say Les Misérables is a miracle in the world of novel writing, in the world of book writing; it is really a miracle…I recommend all young people to read it once; I am not saying this right now as I am talking to you, I have said that several times. Before the revolution, when the young people would come to see me often, I’d told them several times to read Les Misérables at least once. Les Misérables is a book of sociology, a book of history, a book of criticism, a divine book, a book of kindness, love and affection.
~Ayatollah Khamenei