Jules Verne Books

This new up to date translation was fantastic--I was sorry when I was finished-lots of interesting detail as well along the way--it was a lot of fun to read!

Who would have thought that a major contribution to the world of literature would come out of the Naval Institute Press! Normally, they come out with things like "An Illustrated Design History of the United States Destroyer." I'm not casting any aspersions on such a volume, and I may own a copy or two. But Jules Verne, is an a class by himself as one of the great inventive masters of literature. He stands up there with Homer and Chaucer and James M. Cain. And what a superb edition this is, the translation impeccable and the annotations which include technical and historical explanations of the text and are invaluable. I have to confess, it is one of the few times (not including Nabokov) I actually read all the footnotes in a novel (or any book) and found them to be supremely enjoyable. Anyway, treat yourself to this marvel!

The story basically begins with the very intelligent Professor Arronax calculating basic mesuremenets. He's a modern french biologist during this time period. The professor had somewhat of an understudy, an apprentice if you will, named Conseil. Conseil was just about as skilled as the professor as far as classification, and knowing so much information about just about everything. One day, the professor got a letter that invited him to go on a select trip to hunt the killer narwhal. Mysteriously, several ships had been rammed, and had a triangular shaped scar on the spot where the uncanny shipmates had decided that the narwhal hit. So Professor Arronax and Conseil went to examine the accidents.
They get on the ship and meet a Canadian harpooner named Ned Land. He told them that he was the best at what he does, and that he was ready to take out the narwhal. After a while, they come across the infamous narwhal. They find it strange that the narwhal is about three times as long as the ship they're on, and that it glows. The professor's ship is attacked, and they are stranded in the ocean, they climb aboard the narwahal to find out that it is in actuality a submarine. They finally meet a strange man named Captain Nemo, who explains to them that it is his ship and that the professor, Conseil, and Ned Land can stay as long as they go with him on a trip around the world in his submarine, the Nautilus. They begin to go on amazing trips, and don't know what exciting thing is to come up to them next.

Twenty Thousand Leagues under the Sea is a brilliantly crafted piece of art. Not only is it a riveting novel with a brilliant plot it is also an accurate prediction of the future. I have never read a book that is so flawlessly combines the disparate worlds of science and story telling. Verne's writing style grabbed me from the get go, yet he never sacrifices any detail. Verne pulls you into another reality and where you never know what is going to happen next. Even in its most technical moments Verne's masterpiece demands your attention. Most people know the gist of the story. Three men are held captive in an extraordinary submarine vessel, the Nautilus, led by the Captain Nemo, a man who has left the human world to live under the sea. If you read the book you will find that there is much more to this story than you originally believed. Verne is also very accurate in predicting how a submarine would work. His Nautilus uses many of the same devices as the real submarines of the future!

Five Stars!

The other reviewers have noted how the editors...both experts on Verne and the Victorian era science that guided him.. have gone back to the original French manuscripts, collated them to use the best, most reliable, paragraphs and phrases from each, and annotated the book to reflect on Verne's social, political and technical background as if affects the story.

If all this sounds like the book is some kind of dull scholarly treatise, rest assured that the novel as STORY is not harmed, but actually improved by the editors' restorations and fix-ups.

My own path to Nemo and the Nautilus was watching the Disney film version when I was 11, then getting the Classic Comics version, and finally going to the available butchered translation. Even that version captivated me, and sent me to the dictionary to decipher some of the hifalutin 19th century phrases.

Now, as then, I gloss over the endless catalogues of marine biology classification --- Verne as well as Victorian science fans were captivated by the then new interest in categorizing flora and fauna into genus, species, sub-species, varieties, etc. This stuff can be skipped without losing the story.

What interests me is the adventure under the sea, and the way in which these fellows are able to watch the wonders of the deep through the window of a plush 1860s salon. I am also interested in how Verne envisioned the workings of the sub. Interestingly, in 1904, just before his death, he wrote an article for Popular Mechanics in which he updated his thoughts on the future of the submarine, based on the Simon Lake and John Holland boats of that day. He had to explain to readers that he was NOT the inventor of the submarine, as popularly believed.

All in all, the editors have done a wonderful service in bringing the real "20, 000 Leagues" to light. I hope it will attract the interest of many bright and curious young boys and girls of the 21st century when the Sea Wolf and Virginia class subs of the USN have finally equalled the performance of the Nautilus of 1870.

When I was a child I loved reading the stories of Julio Verne. 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, Journey to the Centre of the Earth and Around the World in 80 Days were my favorites. This new translation based on the original French texts is amazing, it moves quickly and I discovered things that I had never read in other English versions. You get more of Verne's politics here than in earlier translations including such memeorable phrases as: "The world needs no new continents, it needs new people."

The characters are well developed and you can indentify with all of them and how they view their effective captivity aboard the Nautilus. Captain Nemo is a wonderful character and Verne gives the reader just enough information about him to keep you enthralled but not enough to remove the mystery. The intro relates that Nemo was supposed to be a Polish aristocrat, getting back at the world for the the atrocities the Russians had commited against his family. But when Hetzel his publisher balked at the idea because of the new Franco Russian alliance Verne decided to remove any trace of nationality.

What else can be said? The English is not archaic!! This restored and annotated version, is a VAST improvement over previous English editions. The translation is very well done, and the annotations explain what has been changed and what previous translations accomplished. The wealth of background information also makes this one of the best English translations of this adventure I have ever read.

One of the great problems with Jules Verne is that in the English speaking world he is relagated to the category of "Boys' Own Adventures". On the Continent, however, he is considered a brilliant social commentator, and biting satirist, AND a man who predicted the future. This is a volume that helps set matters to the right.

If you know of "20,000 Leagues" already, you will find little different at first. The plot is still the plot. Nemo is still Nemo, Prof. Aronnax is still pompous and fascinated by the Nautilus and Ned Land....

Ned Land is a flaming socialist.

This is one of the major shifts between the original French and the "cleaned up" English editions. Most of the science of the day was pulled out as a "dull read" and all the Socialism, anti-English remarks, and other commentaries of a "questionable nature" were excised. We Americans have unfortunately been until only very recently only able to find these poor early translations, or translations based on these poor translations. There is much more to Verne than submarines and diving suits. He is a man with a vision of his times, both scientific and political, and his books underline this strongly.

English readers, demand your Verne well-translated! Do not allow yourself to be fobbed off with bowlderized versions! To be able to read as he wrote himself (well, in English, for those of us who don't read French...) is a greater pleasure than merely an amusing old science-fiction story from the 19th century. Reading this book, as Verne /meant/ it to be read, if a pleasure, but also a struggle to understand ourselves and our relationship to the oceans themselves.

The other reviewers have noted how the editors...both experts on Verne and the Victorian era science that guided him.. have gone back to the original French manuscripts, collated them to use the best, most reliable, paragraphs and phrases from each, and annotated the book to reflect on Verne's social, political and technical background as if affects the story.

If all this sounds like the book is some kind of dull scholarly treatise, rest assured that the novel as STORY is not harmed, but actually improved by the editors' restorations and fix-ups.

My own path to Nemo and the Nautilus was watching the Disney film version when I was 11, then getting the Classic Comics version, and finally going to the available butchered translation. Even that version captivated me, and sent me to the dictionary to decipher some of the hifalutin 19th century phrases.

Now, as then, I gloss over the endless catalogues of marine biology classification --- Verne as well as Victorian science fans were captivated by the then new interest in categorizing flora and fauna into genus, species, sub-species, varieties, etc. This stuff can be skipped without losing the story.

What interests me is the adventure under the sea, and the way in which these fellows are able to watch the wonders of the deep through the window of a plush 1860s salon. I am also interested in how Verne envisioned the workings of the sub. Interestingly, in 1904, just before his death, he wrote an article for Popular Mechanics in which he updated his thoughts on the future of the submarine, based on the Simon Lake and John Holland boats of that day. He had to explain to readers that he was NOT the inventor of the submarine, as popularly believed.

All in all, the editors have done a wonderful service in bringing the real "20, 000 Leagues" to light. I hope it will attract the interest of many bright and curious young boys and girls of the 21st century when the Sea Wolf and Virginia class subs of the USN have finally equalled the performance of the Nautilus of 1870.

My (10 year old) daughter got interested in '20,000 leagues' after reading the "Wishbone" version (go ahead and laugh). I went searching for the real thing to read with her, and came across this edition. With all of the missing content recovered, plus the annotations to fill in all sorts of additional information, the result is fascinating for adult readers. If you read the usual (butchered) version as a kid, you really owe yourself this one. All of the critiques of Verne over the years that tried to belittle his knowledge of science turn out to have been based on translations that whacked out what Verne really said -- they thought it was too dry and boring. Reading what he really said, plus the extensive footnotes that describe the state of knowledge at the time, make Verne's brilliance all the more astonishing. Just consider that he wrote about the Nautilus at a time when the Hunley was the state of the art!

Verne's prophetic masterpiece still thrills readers over 100 years after its publication. In this adventure, French naturalist Pierre Aronnax is taken aboard the Nautilus, a secret high-technology submarine capable of high speeds. Aronnax meets the enigmatic Captain Nemo, a renegade against society with a strong desire for revenge against the enemy that drove him under the sea. This novel is one of the first examples of modern science fiction. The world of science fiction owes Jules Verne a great debt.

This edition is particularly valuable. Most people aren't aware that the standard English translation is filled with lots of translation errors which botch the science of Verne's masterpiece. Also, the standard version cuts about 25% of the original French novel. This translation fixes the errors, and returns 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea's scientific accuracy (for that time). Also, the cut parts have been restored, so we can now enjoy reading a complete version of Verne's novel.

If you love classic books, and you're interested in reading about one of the greatest characters in science fiction, you have to read this. Also fans of science fiction should read this to understand where their genre came from. If you've read the old standard translation, you have to read this edition to see it the way it was meant to be.

C'est le premier livre qui j'ai lu pour savourer et apprendre la langue française. Il a le vocabulaire simple pour que comprendre aux débutants. L'histoire est bien dit par Jules Vernes ET le livre fut à l'origine écrit en français ! Si vous aimez les classiques de littérature, lisez-le particulièrement en français, n'est-ce pas ?

This is a wonderful book. In my opinion, one of Verne's top 2 or 3. I absolutely loved 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea. Then, I read this book... Again, in my opion, Around The World In 80 Days is much, much better. This book has to recieve a 5 star rating. I've scarcly, if ever, read better. 20,000 Leagues was my first Verne book. This was my second. Now, I have read almost every Verne book I have been able to get my hands on. This book keeps you flipping pages late into the night. If you want to read a real classic filled with adventure, humor, and drama. Then I should definetly recommend this book, which, I am doing right now ...read Around The World In 80 Days by Jules Verne, and I promise you, you won't be able to put it down.

This book was one of my favorite books of all. This book kept me on the edge of my seat till the verry end. Philias Foog maks a wager that he can travel around the world in eighty days. His peers take the wager thinking that there is no chance he can do it. He takes all the transportation you can think of. HE gets back and he thinks that he did not do it but he really did. He did not take in account that they were traveling east. That means you lose a couple of minitues a day. he finnaly realizes that and he goes into the club just as it turns 9:00.He did it!!

This is Verne's classic story of the trip of Phileas Fogg (who is obsessed with time), Passeportout, Aouda, and Detective Fix around the world on a wager. The book is filled with beautiful time and space imagery throughout (I would bet that one could write an entire thesis on all the time and space references in the novel). Thirty-three years after its publication, the world first learns of the space/time continuum (although I'm certain Verne was not anticipating Einstein). Fogg bets his fellow club members that he can circumnavigate the globe in a mere eighty days. He leaves immediately with his valet Passeportout and is pursued by Detective Fix, who thinks he is a bank robber. Through many adventures, including the rescue of Aouda from immolation, they all return to London. Interestingly, a few years later, after a number of improvements had been made in railways and roads, a U.S. journalist named Nellie Bly (the pseudonym of Elizabeth Cochrane) decided to attempt to break Fogg's "record." Leaving New York on November 14, 1889, she was able to circumnavigate the globe in 72 days, 6 hours, 11 minutes, and 14 seconds. But, she didn't rescue a Hindu princess! It should be noted, however, that one has to be very careful concerning the translations of this novel. There are some terrible ones being sold. This translation by William Butcher appeared in 1995.

Where Joe R. Lansdale's Zeppelins West was a wild and glorious romp, its sequel, Flaming London, is a much more controlled and philosophical novel. That being said, it's got more scatological material (poop jokes, hole jokes, colon references, lots of flatulence, tons of doo, etc.,) than any other work in literature than, perhaps Ben Jonson's "On the Famous Voyage" (Poem CXXXIII from Epigrams). Though less highfalutin, Lansdale's a lot more fun than Jonson. So there. The only surviving characters from Zeppelins West are Ned the Seal (whose diary relates approximately half the story), Sitting Bull, and Cat. The new characters added to this tale of Martians and vicious pirates invading earth through time rips (somehow this mixture actually works, believe it or not) are tremendous: Samuel Clemens (aka Mark Twain, drunk and down and out and not selling a thing in the Casbah [Tangiers]); H. G. Wells (an idealistic divorcee who's lost in his own world that ultimately is the only hope for them all); Rikwalk (a giant Martian / Extraterrestrial ape hero that's as pitiable and powerful as King Kong); the unforgettable Steam Man of the Prairie (ten thousand tons of Martian-stomping steel); and Jules Verne (who, in the end, may or may not have saved the day; we just don't know). The book's winning virtue is Ned's humor, self-deprecation, and good-willed sarcasm. Lansdale's prose wins its reader over with its down-to-earth take on all things heroic (Rikwalk's desire to help humanity in spite of his nihilistic loneliness) and things all too human (Mark Twain's explanation to John Feather that good cursing makes all language universal). All in all, this is an excellent off-kilter but (at the same time) finely polished adventure. As to art work, Tim Truman's painted cover is magnificent, his interior illustrations are pretty good (though his Martian machines were awesome, I wasn't taken with his pterodactyls). As to editions: Even if you're a die-hard Lansdale fan, the only thing the limited edition boxed set (ranging from $55 - $200) gets you is a four-page sketchbook section and a yellow faux snakeskin slipcase. There is, however, one rather cool picture of an octopus-inspired Martian with a Giger-type head that's got teeth that would make a shark tearful with jealousy. This is replaced on the cover with a picture of Twain?! I don't understand it, but it's true. I don't know if this one picture makes it worth the extra price. All the other sketches are of variations of the Martian machines and not all that good, to be frank. All in all, if you're new to Lansdale, this is an excellent place to start as long as you realize this is Lansdale, the raw version. If you're a reader of Southern fiction (especially modern Southern Gothic), rip-roaring humor, or the other side of genre fiction, you'll like it. If you're a Lansdale fan, you simply can't afford to miss it. I read it non-stop from start to finish in spite of myself and loved every single minute of it. I mean, how can you go wrong with a book whose first chapter is entitled "Huck Bites It and Mark Twain Moves Out"?! Lansdale's London is as flammable and flamboyant as it gets.

A flipper War of the Worlds.


Where the coolest guy is a seal. Yes, literally.

Here he teams up with Mark Twain and Jules Verne, among others.

The problem? A Martian invasion. What else would be good in such a Victorian adventure? (of course, given it is Mr. Lansdale, rather a bit more irreverent tha your usual tales of the era)

Yep, giant talking apes, and mechanical men.

Raybeams, bashing, and throw in a time machine later on for a continuing possibility.

All very silly, but pretty likely to make you chuckle, too.


3.5 out of 5

JRL continues his Philip Jose Farmer like bizarro scifi excursion into the strange with supreme success. Twisted literary humor and good old fashioned appeal, buy this book from one of the most prolific authors ever. Highly recommended.

When you want full-bore weirdness, Joe Lansdale is the go-to guy. Flaming London is the sequel to Zeppelins West (and also to Joe's novella "The Steam Man of the Prairie"). If you haven't read Zeppelins West, you should probably do that before you read any further here because I'm going to tell you that Ned the Seal was about the only survior of the earlier book, although a couple of others put in a brief appearance. In this one Ned teams up with Mark Twain and Jules Verne as they try to save an alternate Victorian earth from the Martian invasion described by H. G. Wells in The War of the Worlds.

Flaming London is a very short novel, but there's a lot going on. It has Martians with tentacles and two anuses, a giant ape, the Steam Man, trips by balloon (and several other gadgets), pirates, the Flying Dutchman, and, well, a lot of other stuff. If you're looking for tight plotting, look somewhere else. What you've got here is action, scatalogical (and other) humor that provides plenty of laughs, and some commentary on the human condition courtesy of a literate seal. You also have one of the most blatant set-ups for a sequel since the heyday of Edgar Rice Burroughs.

Mark Twain may the one of the major characters, but it's Ned the Seal who gets all the best lines. Tim Truman's artwork is a fine complement to the text. You know you need this book, so what are you waiting for? Go get it.

What a charming author! His ability to write has astounded me; and I know other people who are enchanted by Mr. Verne's books. My personal favorite is Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea. I would highly reccomend these books for people aged 11 and up.

What a charming author! His ability to write has astounded me; and I know other people who are enchanted by Mr. Verne's books. My personal favorite is Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea. I would highly reccomend these books for people aged 11 and up.

A collection of the greatest works of this great master.

This book is about a naturalist who is invited to hunt for an ocean monster, but ends up in the monster, only it is actually an electrically run submarine. The captain of the submarine did not want any one to find out about it, so now the naturalist is a captive with his component and an agressive harpooner. He gets to explore the ocean, but craves land. Can he ever get back on land?

I found this book to be very interesting, provocative and well written. If you are interested in Jules Verne, Kabala or the Masons, you will want to read this book.

As well as providing an insight into Verne's mind as it changed throughout his life, it provides some useful source information for those of us who are fascinated by the multiple complexity of the Rennes-le-Chateau enigma.

"I've a whale of a tale to tell you, lads," sings Kirk Douglas in the Walt Disney film adaptation of Jules Verne's Twenty Thousand Leagues under the Sea. Most of us, reading Verne's novels for the first time, adored them and thought these whales of tales were simply fabulous adventure stories. Now French researcher/journalist Michel Lamy has come along to tell us that the late 19th century French author carefully structured his novels according to the stages of Masonic and Rosicrucian initiation and action-quest ritual---that, and much more, all of an occult nature. In Michael Strogoff, for example, the hero fights a bear, is tortured, is blinded, then recovers his sight; Mr. Lamy shows us that these acts are strangely consistent with vows made by higher-ranked Freemasons.

In general, Mr. Lamy's thesis is persuasive; but this reader would have liked to learn more about what kind of a queer duck Jules Verne was that he took the trouble of structuring his novels in this way in the first place. Verne doesn't really seem to be proselytizing; it's more like it's all something of a gigantic lark for him. But there surely is no simple answer, and Mr. Lamy introduces a somber note at the beginning of his book, stating that toward the end of his life Verne was "haunted by some incomprehensible mystery that he refused to share with anyone and which sometimes appeared to be suffocating him."

All in all, this beautifully translated book is quite a treat for all lovers of great literature, and especially for those fascinated by the rarer and more occult forms of expression that literature in all of its endless variations can take.

_The Secret Message of Jules Verne: Decoding His Masonic, Rosicrucian, and Occult Writings_ is the first English translation by Destiny Books of the French book _Jules Verne, Initie et initiateur_ by French writer on the occult and esoterism Michel Lamy. This book which attempts to uncover a hidden occult agenda behind the writings of the famous French father of science-fiction Jules Verne is certain to appeal to those who are fans of such books as the novel _Foucault's Pendulum_ of Umberto Eco or the occult writings of Joscelyn Godwin. The French edition of this book has been mentioned in many sources of the occult literature and thus this English edition provides an important work for English readers and students of the occult and the esoteric. Jules Verne (1828 - 1905) was a French author who played an important role in the development of the science-fiction novel. However, according to author Michel Lamy, Verne had another side to him and his stories were frequently meant to be works of initiation. Lamy contends that Verne was a student of the occult as were many of the French literary during his time and that he played an important part in the French occult scene at the turn of the century. This book provides a fascinating account of the freemasonic and Rosicrucian aspects of Verne's work as well as discussing such obscure topics as the Rennes-le-chateau mystery, vampirism, the Bavarian Illuminati, and esoteric Nazism, favored by occultists. This book is certainly a fascinating look into the deeper and hidden aspects of a favorite novelist whose works remain a source of interest, fascination, and entertainment to this day.

In the Introduction to this book, Lamy begins by setting the stage for his esoteric understanding of author Jules Verne, noting the influence of the Rennes-le-chateau mystery on Verne. Lamy next turns to Part 1, "Jules Verne, Initiate and Initiator: An Opus in Service of Freemasonry", where he explains the freemasonic background of Verne. Lamy contends that Verne made use of a secret language, emphasizing the so-called mysterious "language of the birds" of the troubadours, and the secret slang argot used in Verne's novels. Lamy also explains the role of cryptography in Verne's novels, the role of the ouroboros, and the secret message of the circle in Verne's work. Lamy maintains that "the treasure is in the circle", noting the role of the island symbolism and maintaining that this reveals a hidden message behind Verne's work. Following this, Lamy turns to Jules Verne as a freemason. Lamy notes the freemasonic influence on Jules Verne, emphasizing the role of masonic and initiatory symbolism in _The Journey to the Center of the Earth_ and comparing Verne's novel _The Underground City_ to Mozart's masonic _The Magic Flute_. Part 2 of this book is entitled "Jules Verne and the Royal Treasure of Rennes-le-Chateau" and discusses the role of the bizarre Rennes-le-chateau mystery on nineteenth century French occultists and Jules Verne. Lamy begins by discussing the treasure of Father Berenger Saunier and the church of St. Mary Magdelene at Rennes-le-chateau. Lamy explains the bizarre happenings at Rennes-le-chateau and the strange situation concerning Father Saunier and his relationship to the occult as well as the role of the Merovingian kings, the painter Poussin ("ET IN ARCADIA EGO"), and the alleged treasure at Rennes-le-chateau and links to the treasure of Solomon (complete with infiltration by the Israeli secret service in an attempt to uncover this treasure). Lamy then explains how this mystery relates to Verne's novel _Clovis Dardentur_, relating this to the treasure, the Holy Grail, and such heretical groups as the medieval Cathars. Lamy next explains how Jules Verne relates to the mysterious Father Boudet, author of the bizarre _The True Celtic Language and the Cromlech of Rennes-les-Bains_. Lamy relates the writings of Verne to Boudet, the Hapsburgs and the Austrians, and the Rose Cross. Part 3 of this book is entitled "Jules Verne and the Secrets of the Rosicrucians", which explains the relationship of Verne to the mysterious sect of Rosicrucians. Lamy first mentions Verne's relationship to the Rosicrucians, emphasizing the role of the writings of Anatole France, the characters of Robur and Phileas Fogg, the quest for the Holy Grail of Otto Rahn, and other indications of Rosicrucian influence on the writings of Verne. Lamy next turns to Jules Verne and the secrets of Arsene Lupin, emphasizing the role of the countess of Cagliostro, Rennes-le-chateau, and the Merovingians. Following this, Lamy turns to the influence of the Golden Dawn on Jules Verne. Although Verne was likely himself not a member of the Golden Dawn, Lamy maintains that this secret society may have had some influence on Verne. In particular, Lamy traces the influence of Bram Stoker (famous author of the vampire novels featuring Dracula as well as a member of the Golden Dawn) on Verne, emphasizing the role of Verne's own vampire stories in _The Castle in the Carpathians_. Lamy maintains that vampires constitute a secret society based on a blood cult and comes to note the role of vampirism in the stories of Verne. Following this, Lamy turns to a discussion of Jules Verne and the hollow earth. Lamy notes the influence of such authors as Bulwer-Lytton (influenced by Rosicrucianism) and Edgar Allen Poe (who wrote of the hollow earth himself) on Jules Verne, emphasizing the role of Verne's story _The Journey to the Center of the Earth_. Lamy also maintains that Rennes-le-chateau serves as an entrance to the hollow earth. Part 4 of this book is entitled "Once Was a King of Thule", which discusses the esoteric political context of Verne's work. Lamy begins by discussing the role of the Bavarian Illuminati in the categorization of Verne's political beliefs. Lamy notes the contradictory aspect of much of Verne's political beliefs and ultimately concludes that Verne was aristocratic in outlook but also radical and anarchist. He notes the role of his stories and characters in maintaining such an anarchistic outlook though tinged with aristocratic viewpoints. Lamy also discusses "The Chalice in the Fog", noting the role of the Angelic Society, a literary society also called "the Fog", in promoting Verne's anarchistic views. Lamy notes the role of such authors as George Sand and Alexander Dumas as well as such works as the _Hypnerotomachia Poliphilia_ and the writings of H. P. Lovecraft (and his _Necronomicon_) and their relationship to Verne. Following this, Lamy turns to a discussion of "Night and Fog", where he discusses the role of Rudolf von Sebottendorf and his "Thule Society" as well as the influences of esoterism on Nazism and Communism and their relationship to Jules Verne. Lamy also mentions such traditionalist esoteric writers as Rene Guenon and Julius Evola in relation to Verne. Part 5 of this book is entitled "From Sable to the Golden N". Lamy begins by discussing the secrets of Captain Nemo (a name meaning "no one"), revealing the aristocratic anarchism of this character. Lamy finds an image of Verne's political outlook in the figure of Nemo. Lamy ends this book with a discussion of Jules Verne facing God. Here, the author notes the devastating role of the attempted murder of Jules Verne by his deranged nephew Gaston on Verne. Lamy also notes Verne's ensuing melancholy and his eventual turning away from esoterism and towards Catholicism towards the end of his life, where he finally embraced God again. In a brief Epilogue, Lamy once again explains the signifance of Verne's work and its esoteric aspects.

This book offers a fascinating account of the esoteric side to the writer Jules Verne, as well as an interesting history of the various occult movements of the Nineteenth Century. It is certain to interest those who are fascinated by such topics and thus offers an important contribution to the occult literature. As such it comes highly recommended.

Michael Lamy's THE SECRET MESSAGE OF JULES VERNE: DECODING HIS MASONIC, ROSICRUCIAN AND OCCULT WRITINGS reveals the science fiction writer's active participation in the occult community of his times in France - and how esoteric secrets can be found in his writings, from Rosicrucian secrets of immortality to Masonic initiation rites. An exact discussion and analysis of Verne's language choices reveals his wordplay, anagrams and even numerical combinations in a guide perfect for any interested in Verne's connections with the occult, and recommended for any library strong in Verne literary analysis as well as new age collections.

The adventure story of 15 boys of different country origins took the heart of Japanese young people and lots of dramas, movies, comics based upon this story had been created in Japan and the love for this adventure would never seem to fade. What made this obscure Verne story into one of the most well known Verne classic in Japan is the title of the translation from English version "Adrift In The Pacific"

Coined as "Jugo Shonen Hyouryuuki(The adventure of fifteen boys adrift at sea)" this story was made distinctive, which made its original title from French original "Two Years Vacation" left forgotten.

The story line is very simple, 15 boys accidentally adrift in the huge boat find an uninhabited island and create their miniature world community thereupon with fights though with lesser degree than adults and final dramatic discovery of Patagonian coast which eventually rescue themselves. It is no doubt no less exciting than famous Verne classics such as "Around The World In Eighty Days" "Journey To The Center Of The World" and "20,000 leagues Under The Sea".

Highly recommended if you like Tom Sawyer styled adventure stories.

I know best the title of this book as "A Long Vacation". In English,
other variants are "Boy Castaways", "Two Year Holiday", "Two
Year's Vacation", "A Two Years' Vacation", "Adrift in the Pacific", etc.
The "Adrift" part is misleading, since most of the book the boys are
actually on land. I have also heard of this book being published in
two volumes: #1 Adrift in the Pacific, and #2 Two Year's Holiday.
In any case the story is about a group of boys on a ship that has
drifted away from her dock and they are blown across the globe to an island
off South America. Unlike Mysterious Island, there is no Civil War,
no adults, no scientist like Cyrus Harding, etc. so there are many
more differences than similarities. As usual Verne anticipates
the future with things like para-sailing. A very good, exciting story.
Compare it to Golding's "Lord of the Flies".

This is my second time reading this book in my lifetime...the first time was years ago on a trip. I unfortunately lost it after having one of my bags stolen on said trip. In a way I am glad it happened because on a chance visit to the library years later I would have never picked up this edition.
All I can say is INCREDIBLE.One of the best books I've read (or should I say, re-read) in a long time.

Oh my gosh, this book is so cool! And so very important in understanding Verne's place in literary and scientific history. This large format book is an annotated version of the most widely circulated English translation of t he Verne classic. And because of the annotations, we learn how HORRIBLY Verne's work was translated from the original French. A great example comes near the beginning of the book when the delightfully detailed annotation in the margin points out that the common edition translation talks of the narrator returning from the "disagreeable territory of Nebraska." We learn from the annotation that this is a huge distortion of the narrator's personality and experience. Verne's original writing spoke of the "badlands of Nebraska" and actually had a favorable attitude toward the region. We learn from the annotations that there were dozens of such awful, misleading mistranslations throughout the common edition that so many people have read, with the author often criticized for errors the he should not be held accountable for. Some of the mistranslations are comical in retrospect. For example we learn in this edition that the common edition includes the phrase "at the expense of my loins" when, in fact, a more accurate translation would be "hurting my back."

Verne's book is so filled with cutting edge science of his day and the annotations enlighten us so much about them. Thus this annotated version makes Verne's story an even more interesting and multi-dimentional reading experience.

I was amazed at how well Verne kept my attention throughout the book. The plot unravels so well, it could almost pass as a modern mystery!

I highly recommend this to anyone looking for a great adventure classic by the master himself, J. Verne.

This is a book that I read when I was young boy, and I always thought that it was a fantastic story for children to read. It stimulates their thinking and certainly creates all kinds of imaginations. I totally recomend this books for those children that like some adventure in their readings. Unfortunately, the thrill of this book is threatened with the easy access we now have to the WWW. It is no longer necessary to go around the world in 80 days, but it could easily be done in 80 seconds! ...and still arrive early to win the bet.

Tamer

I just read Around the World in 80 Days by Jules Verne. Besides a great book and a fun read, I found there to be a number of principles in there that are useful for managing and executing any project or undertaking. Without giving away too much of the book if you haven't yet read it, here it goes:

1) Singleness of purpose: Phileas Fogg had one goal in mind. It was not to tour the world and learn about new cultures. It was to win the bet with the Reform Club that he could circumnavigate the globe in 80 days or less. Granted he may have missed out on some chances to learn a new language or receive insight into the way others live, but that was not his goal and he knew it.

2) Availability of resources: It's true that money can't buy you love but it can buy a heckuva lot of other things! Having the cash that he did bailed him and Passapourt out of many a jam throughout their adventure. You should always count the cost before taking on any venture in terms of financial and human resources.

3) Keep a cool head: If Phileas Fogg was nothing else it was unflappable, composed, self-possessed, and cool-as-a-cucumber. No matter what the obstacle, he never lost his composure. Bringing a project in on time and within budget means dealing with all of the issues that come up with coolness, logic, and good decision-making.

4) Openess to risk: Phileas Fogg was willing ot risk his entire venture to save the woman Auoda from death. He was not reckless, however! He was able to work himself into a position to take this risk by getting ahead of schedule where he could afford to try and save the woman. Success in this venture leads to one of the greatest benefits of the entire voyage although he does not know it at the time.

5) Expect the unexpected: Early in the tale when confronted with all the uncertainties involved in his proposed endeavor, Phileas states simply that "The unforeseen does not exist." What he means is that every roadblock can be anticipated with enough foresight. Likewise, we can use careful planning to mitigate many of the possible pitfalls for any given project we undertake.

A great exercise would be to have your young reader (11 or older) read the book and see if they can pull any of these principles out and use it as a discussion starter. Enjoy Jules' fun classic of adventure!!

Anyone having seen the movie of the 1950's starring David Niven will be quite familiar with this novel from Jules Verne. None-the-less, the story is a pleasure to read whether one knows the outcome or not.

Jules Verne had wanted to be a writer from childhood but to please his parents (his father was a lawyer) studied to become a lawyer. Trying to combine the requirements of the law and the desires of his heart, he worked for awhile as a lawyer while writing, but eventually switched over to full time writing.

He began to write books of adventure and daring, which led to a string of books some have called 'extraordinary voyages', which include Voyage Around the World, Five Weeks In A Balloon, Journey To The Center Of The Earth, and 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea. One of the later novels in this long series was the present novel, written from a serious viewpoint but also with touch of comedy, an element previously unknown in the writings of Jules Verne. He confessed to picking up the idea of the story while in a cafe, that it was now possible (1872) to travel around the world in 80 days. With the writing of this novel, Jules Verne, wrote the most popular novel of any of his many books; and to this day, the book remains a classic. One of the unusual features of the story is the manner in which Verne uses, as did Edgar Allen Poe earlier, the international date line to have a major influence on the outcome of the story.

One of the more surprising facts of Jules Verne's life is that he did not travel, even living in Paris amounted to too much noise and busy activity, so he moved north of the city 80 miles or so to his wife's hometown of Amiens, there to live out the remainder of his life in peace and quiet. The closest he got to any travel was the railroad that daily ran past his house. Yes, the author of so many travel and adventure stories never, ever, went traveling himself. So if you read that this most popular novel of his is an armchair adventure book, you can believe it. For its author never ventured forth, with only a couple exceptions, from his armchair either!

Semper Fi.