Customer Reviews

The Extraordinary Journeys: Around the World in Eighty Days (Oxford World's Classics)

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(0)
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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. This translation by William Butcher appeared in 1995.

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.

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 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!!