COVINGTON, Louisiana (AP) — A woman found a rare, 17-volume first-edition print of Victor Hugo’s "Les Miserables’’ with what appear to be a love note and a personal note from the French author inside the books, a bookseller here says.
Jerry Laiche, the owner of the Philosopher’s Stone bookstore in Covington, said the books were found in a trash pile in Thibodaux, a town southwest of New Orleans.
The woman who found the books, Margaret Mary Cranwell, said she came across them last summer as she was riding her bicycle in Thibodaux. She said she spotted a pile of musty, moldy old books sitting out with the trash.
After picking up a book of music that she knew a friend would like, she went home for breakfast and said her morning prayers.
"And then I had this strong feeling that Jesus was asking me to go get the rest of those books,’’ she said. "I thought, ‘I don’t know why I’m getting these old, dusty books; Jesus, I guess you have your reasons, but I have no clue.’"
Laiche said he has done extensive research to back up the authenticity of the books and Hugo’s signature affixed to the 17-volume book.
He sent digital photos and descriptions to Swann’s auction house in New York as well as Christie’s auction house. He also had the personal notes translated by experts locally and at Penn State University.
Christie Von der Linn of Swann’s said she was waiting to receive the books from Laiche to give the final stamp of approval. They would then be auctioned in May.
Cranwell is a member of the Daughters of St. Joseph, a private association of four women who are starting a new convent in Thibodaux. She said the money the books fetch at an auction could help toward building a new convent.
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