Entry tags:

book review, classic, travel writing

Around the World in Eighty Days
22. Around the World in Eighty Days by Jules Verne

From the inside flap:

Was there ever a book with so much sheer fun as this story of the wager of Phileas Fogg at the London Reform club and his mad flight around the globe? Who can forget the plight of Passepartout, the valet extraordinaire, who forgot to turn off the gas jet in his room and for eighty days, or 115,200 minutes, could do nothing about it but worry? Or the implacable Detective Fix, who daily expected the warrant for Mr. Fogg's arrest to catch up with him, only to be disappointed each succeeding day? Who can forget the ride on the elephant or the escape from the Indians or the rescuer of the beautiful maiden or the hundred and one breathless incidents that make up this story?

When it was first published as a magazine serial, it is said that idlers in Paris cafés placed their biggest bets on the outcome of Mr. Fogg's fabulous journey and that foreign correspondents cabled from France the latest news about the Fogg entourage as each new chapter of the story was released The book has long been known as one of the most delightful tales between covers.

Phileas Fogg has to be one of the most unusual adventurers the mind of a writer has ever produced.

Around the World in Eighty Days is one of those fantastic adventure stories that don't seem to be written anymore. I didn't expect to enjoy this book nearly as much as I did, but I can see how Jules Verne earned his reputation as an author, and how he came to be the second most-translated author (after Agatha Christie.) Everyone should read this book, just because it's so much fun.

Perhaps later this year I'll try one of his novels in the original French - I could definitely use the practise.

Books read: 22/50
Pages read: 5,400/15,000