Customer Reviews

Around the World in Eighty Days

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

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. Perhaps that's the reason for the few poor comments by earlier reviewers. There is an excellent translation by William Butcher that appeared in 1995.

Everyone knows the story - which just shows what a great story it is, and how much of an opportunity Jules Verne let slip. He wasn't a good writer. His prose doesn't sparkle (okay - maybe it does in French), the suspense is never really suspenseful, and one gets little of the flavour of the parts of the world that Fogg passes through. I was told before reading this book that he tends to have national caricatures rather than characters: even so, I was unprepared for the reality. All that can be said in his defense is that he isn't afraid to make his French characters as cartoony as the rest. I enjoyed this book, but only while reading it.

You will too. It clips along at a good steady pace, much as its main character does during his trip, and it has adventure and romance. What more could anyone ask for? Read it!

I have read this book many times over but the brilliance of it never seems to diminish. Jules Verne's nack for getting the finer points across is evident yet again. A highly enjoyable read.

This story is about an English Gentleman that bet his life savings that he could travle around the world in Eighty Days. He spent alot of time looking at the clock so he's never to early or late just on time. This English Gentleman's name was Phileas Fogg. Phileas Fogg had no wife, children, relatives or close friends. Phileas Fogg was a rich man that was alown with one servent in his lage house. Phileas Fogg's nickname is Fogg. Fogg's going to replace the servent with a different person his name was John Passpartout. The difference between Fogg and Passpartout was Fogg is quiet, and Passpartout was talkative. John's nickname is Passpartout. Every day Fogg woke up at exactly 8:00 and left for a Reform Club at 11:30 a.m.Fogg play's games at the Reform Club in a way they are his friends. One of them bet him to go around the world in 80 days so he did . I thick this was a good book I would give it about 3 stars because if you read the book it's mostly about time,and mouny,and it's not one of the best things I've ever read. Otherwise it was an interesting book.