50: Prophetic Dreams pt.2: Misérables

Grant Thomas
Apr 24, 2024
3 min read

Updated: 4 days ago

Who was Victor Hugo, and why was he so cool? In this podcast episode about Les Misérables and it's creator, Grant shares the fun loving life of the great French writer, Victor Hugo. Part history podcast, part lifestyle guide, Hugo helped define and describe the era he lived through. We learn about the writing of The Hunchback of Notre-Dame and the writers commitment to the less fortunate, both in fiction and reality. Party tricks, politics, and publishing defined the life of a man who dreamed a dream of time to come!

From political exile to literary superstar, Victor Hugo lived a life more dramatic than his own novels. This episode explores the man behind Les Misérables, revealing his radical politics, outrageous personal life, and the revolutionary way he published one of history's most beloved books. Buckle up for a ride through 19th-century France like you've never experienced before! We’ll unpack Hugo’s wild dinner-party “orange trick,” follow the wheelbarrow stampede for the novel’s first print run, and see how his fiery speeches still echo in today’s debates on censorship and social justice. Whether you’re a musical-theatre nerd, a history buff, or just here for the juicy gossip, this is Hugo as you’ve never heard him—unfiltered, unbuttoned, and unbelievably fun.

Chapters/Key takeaways to listen for

[00:00:00] Catch-Up
[00:02:41] Budget Fights & Petty Receipts: Maia’s student gov takedown of an arts budget proposal
[00:10:41] Reality TV Drama: A Love is Blind scandal that ended with a neon prom dress showdown
[00:18:45] Misérables: How Victor Hugo got paid $3.8 million in today’s money—and demanded more
[00:33:11] Saint or Sex Addict?: The very weird ways Hugo was remembered in France…and Vietnam
[01:03:14] Hugo vs. Napoleon 2.0: How Hugo fled the country after calling for armed rebellion
[01:15:37] Publishing Chaos: Book embargoes, press blitzes, and the book deal that reshaped literature
[01:47:27] Morality & Misérables: How Les Mis turns justice, revolution, and sacrifice into a gut-punch

Quotes:

"Progress in literature corresponded to progress in human liberty." - Grant Thomas
"Any war between two European nations is a civil war." - Grant Thomas
“Victor Hugo is a bit of a legend.” - Maia Warner

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