In this article, the author details an undergraduate senior seminar titled "History and Literature," for which the main project was a close reading of a big book: Victor Hugo's Les Misérables (1862). Despite reservations about the style of the material, the "great books" approach to teaching, and the challenge of compelling students to undertake the project of reading a big book, the seminar occurred in spring semester 2017. This article provides background and context on Victor Hugo and "Les Misérables," and the author discusses the outcomes of the seminar.