Editorial Reviews -
Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea
From Barnes & Noble
A pioneer of the now immensely popular genre of fiction we call science fiction, Jules Verne wrote startling adventure stories that not only vividly captured the imagination of the 19th-century reading public, but are still read avidly today. Filled with wondrous voyages, marvelous semi-scientific equipment, and warnings not to tamper too much with the natural order, his novels are not only universally popular, but have proved to be uncannily prophetic. Here are four of Vernes most enthralling stories: 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea, The Mysterious Island, Journey To The Center Of The Earth, and Around The World In 80 Days. Each one explores different themes, but all share one in common: mans exploration of the dark unknown.
George Galuschak - KLIATT
A mysterious creature is roaming the oceans, wreaking havoc on ships. Professor Aronnax, a professor of natural history, joins the crew of the American frigate American Lincoln. Its mission: destroy the sea-beast. Unfortunately the professor, his servant and the ships harpooner are washed overboard during an encounter with the beastie. They take refuge on its back, which turns out to be a submarine, and become the reluctant guests of Captain Nemo, the master of the Nautilus. Thus begins a journey across the Seven Seas, in the course of which they reach the South Pole, rediscover the sunken continent of Atlantis and engage in a number of sea battles. In the end the Professor and his companions escape; the Nautilussinks into the Maelstrom, its final fate unknown. This is a fine adaptation of 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. Whighams b/w art is action-oriented and very busy; it does a good job of enlivening Vernes novel, which at time resembles an underwater travel video. The visualization of Captain Nemo, the books most intriguing character, is particularly good; he is both noble and tormented. Contains comic book violence (most notably a battle with a giant squid); recommended for all readers. KLIATT Codes: JSA?Recommended for junior and senior high school students, advanced students, and adults. 2006, Penguin, Puffin, 176p. illus., Ages 12 to adult.
Meet the Writer -
Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea
Fact File
Name:
Jules Verne
Date of Birth:
February 8, 1828
Place of Birth:
Nantes, France
Date of Death:
March 24, 1905
Place of Death:
Amiens, France
Education:
Nantes lyc ?e and law studies in Paris
Biography
The creator of the roman scientifique, the popular literary genre known today as science fiction, Jules Gabriel Verne was born in the port town of Nantes, France, in 1828. His father, Pierre, was a prominent lawyer, and his mother, Sophie, was from a successful ship-building family. Despite his fathers wish that he pursue law, young Jules was fascinated by the sea and all things foreign and adventurous. Legend holds that at age eleven he ran away from school to work aboard a ship bound for the West Indies but was caught by his father shortly after leaving port. Jules developed an abiding love of science and language from a young age. He studied geology, Latin, and Greek in secondary school, and frequently visited factories, where he observed the workings of industrial machines. These visits likely inspired his desire for scientific plausibility in his writing and perhaps informed his depictions of the submarine Nautilus and the other seemingly fantastical inventions he described.
After completing secondary school, Jules studied law in Paris, as his father had before him. However, during the two years he spent earning his degree, he develo