Jules Verne Books

It is rare that the title of any book so aptly describes the entirety of the text inside. This book is quite literally the diary of a visitor aboard one of the all-time great mad scientists of literature, as they circumvent the globe - mostly underwater. In that the book can be painfully boring without a deeper understanding of what this book did for the general psyche of the age it as penned in. In 1869 the submarines that did exist were mere toys to the mythical phantom that Nemo had so painstakingly built. Much of the map that Verne described was foreign to every reader of the time, oceans being a matter of military concern primarily, and the joy of trying to prove or disprove the possibility of the fantastic underwater passage by tracking the progress of the Nautilus was part of the allure. The careful, rich detail of a man trapped in an underwater prison (albeit one of luxury) at the behest of the world's leading genius of the day (Nemo) holds the story together even when it seems as if the narrative slogs on mile (league) after mile (league).

This is not an easy story to read. The action is infrequent and the story bears little resemblance to the Disney movie, but even so it is a divine classic. The predictions laid out by this author (who hardly could be considered an adventurer or world traveler) were more than wild speculation or mere fancy. They directly shaped the future - and that is what makes for great science fiction.

I hope you get a chance to enjoy this classic over a few quiet (and preferably wet and soggy) days, with an antique globe or sea charts handy of course.

What can I say, It is a classic. It is full of adventure and mystery, my kids loved it.
Es un clasico lleno de emocion, aventura y misterio para los niños es ideal.

One of the classics of Science Fiction or in this case Scientific Fiction, in its original language. I'm thrilled with this purchase. Perfect choice.

This is one of the great books. Way better in French. Unfortunately almost all English translations are horribly edited, mistranslated (especially the engineering calculations) and bowlderized, frequently leaving out half or more of the text! For instance, the title is not "20,000 Under.." as in "20,000 Deep", but as in "Distance Travelled" - once around the world i.e "20,000 Leagues under the Seas".

Also is seems to be rarely noted that it is the first half of a two-part series. The second volume is "L'Île mystérieuse" (Mysterious Island), and it contains answers to the mysteries left hanging from the first half.

Robert M. Quackenbush knows that as interested as young readers might be in how it took Jules Verne thirty-five years to publish his first book, he knows that his readers will be more interested in the "fantastic voyages" that Verne wrote about. However, it is interesting to read how Verne's wife rescued his manuscript about what it would be like to explore the unknown continent of Africa in a balloon. Urged to rewrite it by a publisher as a fictional adventure story based on new scientific facts, "Five Weeks in a Balloon" not only sold, but earned Verne a twenty-year contract to write two books a year. Up to that point "Who Said There's No Man on the Moon?: A Story of Jules Verne" was the story of a struggling writer. From then on Quackenbush tells of the novels Verne wrote, which includes not only the classics like "Journey to the Center of the Earth," "From the Earth to the Moon," "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea," and "Around the World in Eighty Days," but also Verne's lesser known but equally imaginative stories such as "The Adventures of Captain Hatteras," "The Floating City," and "Dr. Ox."

That is why Quackenbush's biography is as much a bibliography, even though not even half of Verne's sixty works are mentioned. When he labels "Mysterious Island" as Verne's masterpiece you know that his young readers will agree and that they will probably want to check that book out first, which would be a minor mistake simply because there is a significant element that makes it a sequel of sorts to one "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea." That sort of gives away what the link would be, but then Quackenbush is explicit on that point so I am actually being more circumspect here. As always with Quackenbush's juvenile biographies he provides his own illustrations. With each two-page spread one side is a full-page pen drawing with blue shadings while there is always a droll cartoon below the text on the other page. Usually this is a cartoon of a reporter asking Monsieur Verne a question, which allows Quackenbush to get off a one-liner in response (e.g, "Monsieur Verne, which is your favorite of all the books that you have written?" "The next one").

Even if they have not read any of Verne's stories, young readers will understand how he came to be known as the father of modern science fiction and considered the greatest storyteller of them all (Verne is the third most translated author today, behind the odd couple of Shakespeare and Lenin). They will be able to relate to the idea of a child dreaming of traveling to exotic lands and taking such trips in their own imagination. Other books in this series by Quackenbush include "The Beagle and Mr. Flycatcher: A Story of Charles Darwin," "Don't You Dare Shoot That Bear!: A Story of Theodore Roosevelt," and "What Has Wild Tom Done Now!!!?: A Story of Thomas Alva Edison. From all of these juvenile biographies you can expect more of the same.

This is a very cheap book (19.95), with five of Jules Verns's most beloved works! I am very happy with this convenient omnibus. Please do consider buying.

Had the opportunity to ask the author ,French Count Gonzaque St Bris , to autograph the book for me after his lecture in Lafayette, Louisiana. He pointed out some of the highlights of the book when talking about the Marquis de Lafayette. He mentions that Leonardo Da Vinci (whose home the Count lives in currently in France) designed and built a home for King Francois that had a telephone/intercom system, doors that opened automatically and an indoor water system in the late 1400s. He compares the inventiveness of Jules Verne to Leonardo Da Vinci on many levels. The book is an easy read and very interesting.

I've been a fan of Dracula since I was 6 years old. The original Stoker novel, the many film adaptations (some wonderful and memorable, some commendable attempts, and some that are outright horrendous), and the innumerable comic books/graphic novels, novels, documentaries, television shows, etc. have given me tremendous pleasure and fun. I've even played Dr. Seward in a terrific new stage production of the original story. In addition, I've studied the actual historical figure of Vlad Tepes, or The Impaler, the fifteenth century Wallachian ruler from whom Stoker drew so much of his inspiration and background material for the novel. So I'd like to think I know whereof I speak here.

This is a marvelous audio production. The acting is spot-on. No weak/fake British accents here! The primarily young cast give terrific performances as the heroes and heroines of the classic tale. Heathcote Williams is a wonderful Dracula, his deep, snarling voice dripping with menace and the tiniest bit of arrogant humor. Brian Cox, already a well-established veteran actor, does a lively and heartfelt job as Van Helsing. All in all, the cast perfectly personifies the original characters.

But it's not all dramatic readings of the novel; there are some sound effects (a few more wouldn't have hurt, nor would they have been intrusive, since the performances are the main attraction and draw the listener in nicely), and even an atmospheric background score which helps to set the mood (Naxos has provided the source materials for the music as well in its thorough liner notes).

And finally, this particular abridgement/adaptation is well done. It's edited tightly enough that the story keeps moving inexorably forward, and features some wonderfully horrific scenes in the book rarely if ever depicted on film. The only glaring omission is Mina's description of the scene wherein Dracula attacks her - one of the most harrowing and erotic of the novel. It's disappointing it is not included in this dramatization, but it does little to detract from the rest of the production.

Anyone who is a true Dracula fan and wishes to listen to a quality audio version of the original story would enjoy this well done production.

my oh my, some of the books that pass for classics! i have read compulsively for around 26 years, but this sort of book could make me give up the activity. i so deeply regret the loss of the six evenings that i wasted slogging through the pages of this ridiculous thing. the characters are annoying flat caricatures, and the plot/action is simply silly beyond belief. if this book can be considered a classic, then anything is possible. maybe in a hundred years Brittany Spears will be considered on par with Bach and Beethoven in the history of "classic" music? could happen, i guess.

Though it had been made in to multiple movies and changed into other forms of media, Dracula's characters and the evident Victorianism makes it one the greatest horror novels ever written. It does move slowly at times and the ending is anticlimactic but the good outweighs the bad in Bram Stoker's classic novel.

There are many "good-guys" in Dracula but there is never a true apparent protagonist and this does anything but detract from the story. Jonathon Harker does seem like the intended protagonist but Mina, Van Helsing, and Dr. Seward could all be put on the same level as well. In fact it is Van Helsing who makes the plans to try and destroy Dracula. The way the book was written (diary and journal entries) the reader is drawn closely to the group of heroes who pledge there lives to one another to fight an evil they all wish to destroy.

Also the elements of Victorianism are seen through out the masterpiece. Stoker is able to maintain the characteristics of the era while still writing a horror novel. Mina is able to rise above what women were expected to be able to do and "play with the big boys." She plays a vital role in the fight against Dracula proving that even with men and all their wisdom, sometimes it takes a women's mind to come up with ideas and conclusions that the men had not thought of.

Though it is a bit gruesome, slow, and anticlimactic at times, Bram Stoker's Dracula is a masterpiece for the ages.

Bram Stoker's "Dracula" was first published in 1897, and as one reads this work, it is overwhelmingly apparent that it was written during a time when morals and virtues were held in a much higher regard than they are today.

The book is comprised primarily of various journal entries from six main characters. Two of these main characters are remarkable women, possessed of lofty talent and high moral character. It is when both of these women encounter Count Dracula himself and fall under his poisonous and deathly spell that the remaining main characters in the book--all courageous and gifted and accomplished men--spring to the aid of these women.

I, for one, loved the old fashioned language, the rigid formality and courtesy, and the unyielding respect that the main characters demonstrated in their interactions with one another. Chivalry was certainly not dead in 1897, if one were to use this book as evidence. The graciousness and loyalty that the men in this book showed the women is inspiring, and the moral refinement and sensibilities of the women characters caused me to yearn for an older time, away from the immorality and crudeness apparent in today's society.

I had to smile at one point when reading the book when the two main women characters found themselves out late at night after a frightening experience. They were both in their full-length bedclothes, which apparently covered every part of their bodies but their bare feet. One of the women, not wanting to appear immodest dabbed mud on their bare feet so as not to offend anyone who might see those exposed parts.

This book is filled with suspense and plausibly thrilling episodes. It stands as a wonderful classic of good-natured fright, which proves that tension and drama and expectation may be created in a work of fiction without all of the offending elements of bloody violence, gore, vulgarity, sex, and devilishness thrown into the mix. Its ending is noble, with at least one of the main characters revealing remarkable compassion when she sees the look on Count Dracula's face during the final decisive scene in the book. This book was a pleasant surprise, as I wasn't suspecting a work of such high literary value from a "horror" novel. Thus, I highly recommend it.

While not typically driven to review, I was puzzled by the other reviews for this book. There is an overwhelming amount of, not just good but, great reviews for this book and an average rating of 4-1/2 stars. Actually, the only reason I looked at the reviews for this book at all is that I found it to be the most disappointing book I've ever read. Like a few of the other 1 star reviewers, I actually liked the first few chapters. Stoker develops a nice gothic atmosphere until the story moves west. To each their own but when I read the reviews that claim this to be the best gothic story ever written, riveting, exciting, and any other description that wouldn't apply to watching paint dry or grass grow I wonder if we read the same book at all.

If you are looking for a English translation of JTTCOTE that is faithful to Verne's French one, this one (and a couple others) has been recommended to me by members of the North American Jules Verne Society ([...]). Verne has been poorly translated since the novels were first published and he has received unfair reviews based on those poor translations. I think we owe it to this brilliant man to at least read his books the way he intended them!

Go get the music CD "Journey To The Center Of The Earth" by Rick Wakeman right after you read this great little book by Jules Verne. You won't be sorry.

This book starts off strong with the Verne's classic style and wit. The initial pages are entertaining, fast-paced and set the premise for a potentially wonderful novel. However, the story quickly slows down as preparations for the trip take entirely too long. In the version I read, the actual journey doesn't begin until page 90. Then, once the journey begins, it is rather uneventful. Verne also puts in too much geological information for the average reader to appreciate. It becomes quite tedious reading about the content of various mineral deposits, composition of the substrata of the earth, etc. While some such material is interesting, Verne goes over the top. This novel fails to display the extent of Verne's talents. For a better taste of his writings, I would recommend "Around the World in 80 Days" or, if you can digest a much longer work, "The Mysterious Island."

Journey To the Center of the Earth was always one of my favorite movies and after all these years, I finally read the book. The book is not like the movie at all. Honestly, I liked the movie better however that is not to say I was in any way disappointed with the book. It moved along quickly and drew me in such that I couldn't put it down and so read it in one sitting. A geologist, his eager young nephew and an Icelandic guide make their way to the earth's core following the footsteps of a previous mysterious explorer into the dark subterranean world of weird plants, animals, rocks and unforeseen dangers. There was no woman with them as in the movie but a female companion might have spiced it up a bit. The Icelander didn't have a pet duck along as in the movie but he was an indispensible partner in the venture. All in all, it was adventurous and fun and worth my time. I enjoyed it very much. Sure glad I finally read the book!
Betsy

It had been many years since I had read a Jules Verne novel, and to be honest, I couldn't recall his skill as a writer at all. When I dug this book off of my bookshelf I admit, I was simply bored and looking for something mindless to read while the children fought over gluing cotton balls to construction paper.

I admit that it took my mind a while to re-acclimate to the writing style of the time, not that it was difficult to read, it was just far too easy to skim. So, bringing my mind to a screeching halt, I sat down and began to truly read this wonderful novel. Let me begin with saying that the science in the novel is extremely outdated but at the time of it's writing, was plausible. If you can get your mind past the huge hurtle of your current scientific knowledge, you can appreciate this book for what it is: a brilliant science fiction/adventure novel. The conventions of the time include misunderstandings of the makeup of the earth, and the propensity to marry one's own cousins.

The book is written in the form of a diary at times, and a retelling at times, of events that had passed previously. The voice of the book is the character Harry, nephew and assistant to Professor Von Hardwigg. The novel begins with the professor's discovery of a secret parchment which when decoded gives the location that a previous explorer used to enter the bowels of the earth. The immediately set out to follow in the footsteps of this great explorer of centuries before. Joining them is Hans, the apparent superman of Iceland. He never complains, rarely talks, and saves the lives of those around him on a regular basis. I cannot help but to believe that this is Verne's ideal man, his "Adonis" if you will. The Professor, though he loves Harry, is a closet ADHD case hidden behind a brilliant and stubborn mind. There is great adoration for his nephew, on those occasions when he stops moving or talking long enough to notice him. Harry, who is telling the story, is easily written off as a coward; however he is so much more than that if you take into account the beliefs of the time. He is following his uncle on a dangerous journey into the unknown to a place he does not even believe exists. (Harry's beliefs are far closer to the reality that we understand, however in this novel they are all completely incorrect)

Upon entering the depths of the earth many hardships and terrors await the three, ranging from dehydration, starvation, dinosaurs, many falls, getting separated, raging storms on underground seas and volcanic eruptions. I won't go into great detail suffice to say that the movie, though highly entertaining, does no justice to this story. Spray painted iguanas with horns are far from what is described in this book. If you have spare time on you hands, this is an excellent read and I would highly recommend it to anyone. There is a reason that this is considered "Literature."

4 of 5 stars.

A group of civil war prison escapees manage to get wrecked on a strange island, after taking off in a balloon.

Being soldiers, they have a penchant for shooting things, breaking stuff and blowing things up. The characters do change over time and evolve in their outlook, while being limited by the knowledge of the time.

It all builds to an exciting climax as the group discovers they are being aided by the elusive Captain Nemo.

After reading The Mysterious Island, I wonder how much Jules Verne's current reputation is based on 1950s and '60s movies loosely--very loosely--adapted from his novels. In this book, there are no giant crabs or bees, or aliens, or even women. There are five men and a dog seeking to escape besieged Richmond during the Civil War who are carried off in a balloon by hurricane winds to an uncharted island in the Pacific, where they find and make what they need to survive.

The "colonists," as they style themselves to avoid the negative connotations of "castaways," are an improbable assortment, each man having knowledge or skills that complement those of the others. Cyrus Harding, the engineer, is not only a bottomless well of information about mechanics, chemistry, navigation, and other practical topics, but is also a natural leader. Gideon Spillett, the reporter, is an expert hunter. Pencroft, the sailor, knows shipbuilding and is a willing worker, while his teenage ward, Herbert, is a knowledgeable naturalist and able hunter. Harding's servant, Neb, plays the role of cook and domestic, while Harding's dog, Top, provides keen senses and instinct. When Verne wrote, "It would have been difficult to unite five men, better fitted to struggle against fate, more certain to triumph over it," it cannot have been without some sense of irony, since he is the one who brought them together in his imagination.

While a mysterious influence, whose acts are ambiguous at first but become more tangible over time, rescues the settlers or provides them with just what they need just when they need it, the real mystery of the island is the island itself. Perhaps Verne misunderstood or misused common names; he calls Jup's troop both "orangutans" (apes) and "baboons" (monkeys). He might have been pandering to a Victorian taste for the exotic. The island that the settlers call "Lincoln" for their wartime president is an impossibility of nature. Creatures from nearly every continent and ecosystem roam among an equally unlikely mixture of geological formations and collection of plants. Onagers from the Asian steppes and Middle Eastern deserts, koalas (described as "large" and speedy) from Australia, jaguars from Central and South America, orangutans from the Borneo rain forest, and musmons from isles of the Mediterranean are among Nature's bounty found on this small temperate island. Here, tropical apes, cats, and parrots survive below-freezing winters as easily as the musmons and goats.

The mineral riches are equally diverse, but even as he wonders about this paradise, Harding tells his comrades, "Nature gives us these things. It is our business to make a right use of them," signaling the beginning of man's never-ending quest to conquer and destroy nature. Even the water must be tamed; the settlers must "borrow its power, actually lost without profit to any one."

Under Harding's leadership, and with the occasional help of the island's secret benefactor, the colonists build an incredible infrastructure that provides them with shelter, water, food, clothing, power, tools, and weapons. Harding is not the leader because he is rich, good looking, charismatic, well spoken, or the other things that appeal to civilized man; he is the leader because he knows what to do and how to do it, and has faith in his ability to do it--and because he has intelligent followers in whom he can instill that same faith. The lack of discord among the colonists is as unlikely as the flora and fauna, but it may be Verne's commentary on leadership when it is most needed. When an important decision must be made, Harding refuses to make it without obtaining the opinions of all concerned, including his own servant. Taken away from civilization and its layers of social, moral, and other complexities, and forced into a situation where able leadership and willing cooperation mean not only survival but comfort and satisfaction, these men rise to the occasion. It is no coincidence that the impetus for the arrival on Lincoln Island is the Civil War, one of America's bloodiest, most savage times.

In the afterword, author Isaac Asimov tried to determine the appeal of "robinsonades" like Robinson Crusoe, Swiss Family Robinson, and The Mysterious Island. He came to the conclusion that such tales answer the question, "What do I do if civilization fails me?"--a question that could apply to castaways on an uncharted island or survivors of a civil war or a nuclear or chemical/biochemical holocaust. Perhaps, though, the question is more basic than that. It might be, "Do I need civilization at all?"

While the North and South were counting and burying their dead and trying to heal the nation--a process that in some ways has not been completed--Harding and his group were using both their minds and their hands to shape a near-paradise (interestingly, one in which tobacco is missed sorely, but not women).

The Mysterious Island starts off slowly; too much ink is dedicated to Pencroft's desire to kill eat every creature they encounter, and the characters can seem psychologically shallow and limited to a mature reader. At some point, however, I found myself so interested in Lincoln Island that I, like the colonists, was reluctant to leave it. I was even disappointed by the ultimate fate and home of the settlers, as it did not seem the right place for them to be. While not a literary masterpiece, The Mysterious Island does not need giant crabs, bees, or even women to be a good story of its kind.

Jules Verne's _The Mysterious Island_ (1874 - 1875) is a massive work in terms of its scope and development. Verne spends over six hundred pages describing the lives of five castaways on a deserted island over a three year period. The men--Cyrus Smith, Gideon Spilett, Nebuchadnezzar (Neb), Pencroff, and Harbert Brown--have escaped captivity from Richmond, Virginia, during the Civil War. Taking to flight on an unguarded Confederate hot air balloon (an "aerostat") during a storm, the five men find themselves blown wildly off course-- providentially, though, to a hitherto undiscovered island in the middle of the wastes of the Pacific Ocean.

Unlike Daniel Defoe's protagonist Robinson Crusoe, who is able to scavenge supplies from the shipwreck, the five men must start their lives anew with nothing but the clothes on their backs. Cyrus Smith, an engineer, is a mechanical genuis, and slowly through his guidance, the colonists begin to establish themselves, inventing (or re-inventing) all that they need to survive. Through the improvements of the colonists, Verne is able to trace the scientific advancements of mankind through roughly five millenia, from the prehistoric period (3000 BC) up to the nineteenth-century. This is a brilliant aspect of the book. We see the colonists move from the production of pottery in a kiln, to metallurgy, the machine age, energy production, and the creation of weaponry and explosives. Verne's knowledge of science is copious, and the novel educates the reader about human progress.

Another interesting component is Verne's use of suspense. He works through the conventions of the castaway genre made famous in _Robinson Crusoe_--for example, the men's discovery that the land is an island not a continent; the question of whether there are other island inhabitants and, if so, whether they are friend or foe; the visit by outsiders; the buidling of a new ship, etc. Verne also adds many new elements. One problem with the book is a major timeline error, which the narrator himself admits in a footnote. The chronology issue will be apparent to readers who have read other Verne novels and who, as a result, anticipate the ending. Why Verne allowed such an error, after meticulously developing his novel with scientific accuracy, is itself mysterious since the ending could have been handled differently.

Two other points of note are Verne's depiction of Neb, a former slave who remains devoted to his previous master, Cyrus Smith, and Verne's predictions about future scientific advancement. On the former point, one wonders what Verne's views were about race relations in America after the Civil War. This friendship, for a contemporary reader, raises many questions. An example of Verne's knack for anticipating the advancement of science is his discussion of alternative energy, namely the hydrogen economy (yes, you read that correctly!). Cyrus Smith comments, "Yes, my friend, I believe that water will one day be used as fuel, that the hydrogen and oxygen of which it is constituted will be used, simultaneously or in isolation, to furnish an inexhaustible source of heat and light, more powerful than coal can ever be" (327).

Jordan Stump's translation can be a bit ponderous because of its faithfulness to the nineteenth-century French, which is also, it must be said, a strength. Although sometimes plodding, this is definitely a worthwhile book. Stump's translation reveals Verne's fascination with science and Verne's ability to make science absolutely fascinating in a novel.

In one of those odd coincidences, there hasn't been an english translation of this book in about 100 years, but two came out in 2000/1. One is actually available online: it was done as a labor of love by a retired
engineer. I didn't like his prose style, and found that he actively
mistranslated a crucial section to make it politically correct (Nemo's dying words were crucial and not nice ones). So I bought the english-professor's (Jordan) version. I enjoyed it.

Effectively, it was a "Swiss Family Robinson" type story, though it was rather more butt-kicking than that book. It was amusing to note how progressive Verne was in some ways, and how oddly backwards he was in others. For example, Neb (the former slave negro) was treated as a dignified man rather than a shucking and jiving type. However, Verne couldn't help but make jokes comparing him to the "half man" orangutang who became part of the family as well. Worth a looksie if you are a Verne fan. You have to understand what Verne is; he is a man of his time -you will be getting anarchic french Victorian-era technology-optimistic science fiction. If you're interested in that, this is a great introduction to it. If you're not, you'd probably be better off reading something else.

On a trip to Paris, my poking around the Verne themed metro station (a metro made up to look like a victorian submarine) inspired me to check out some Verne.

The book opens with two prisoners of the Cofederate army along with three other men escaping in a hot air balloon. Contrary to their plans, a storm arises that blows them all the way to an uncharted volcanic island in the southern Pacific. Cyrus Harding is the natural leader of the group, and apparently very well informed in matters of science, proceeds to guide the men into establishing a colony, and providing for their every need. They use the resources found on the island, as well as their education. The book is in the genre of "The Swiss Family Robinson", except that as one of the men said, "they quite took the wind out of the sails of the Robinsons, for whom everything was done by a miracle." The first half of the book details how they were able to provide for their needs, and build a home on the island. The reading can become tedious unless the science of the way they performed each action is considered very interesting. I enjoyed it for a while, but not being too scientific myself, near the end of the second half of the book, I just wanted to get through it. It is very detailed, and if I was interested in it all, it truly would have been captivating.

The second half of the book explains certain mysterious occurrences that two of the party had been observing from the beginning. The story moves along more quickly, and the mystery draws the reader to turn the pages faster. They meet Captain Nemo from "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea" in his final hours, and are finally rescued after the island has been blown into oblivion by the volcano.

I enjoyed all the information in the book, but it can a little dry at times. The men develop close relationships as they work together to survive, and they all seem to have unlimited faith in Cyrus Harding to know what to do in every situation. They appear to believe in God, but He is not a part of their lives; one could guess that Jules Verne was an evolutionary deist. We are not told that the men are evolutionists, but their words definitely reveal them to be humanists. So I would recommend the book to those looking for interesting educational entertainment, but nothing deeper.