Book 269 - Jules Verne - Around the World in 80 Days

Another trip to my youth and again another that was recently dramatised for the BBC. I can’t help but say that although I thoroughly enjoyed their journey, it doesn’t half take liberties with text. Two whole opening episodes that take up a few short sentences in the book as Phileas Fogg traverses from the Reform Club through France and Italy to Africa.

Fogg is a much more outgoing but extremely fastidious character and the book makes it clear that he is more than able to carry through on the task of circumnavigating the globe to be back before Christmas…although in the book’s case the 80 days are up on 21st Dec and not Christmas Eve as portrayed in the TV series.

Fogg is a bit of a Victorian daredevil and his valet, Passepartout, helps bring this out even more…as they escape a case of mistaken identity in Africa to the rescue of a potential human sacrifice in India on to a wonderful race through America to reach the east coast and catch a ship to Europe.

Through all of this he is pursued by Police Detective Fix who reckons he is an international thief who has stolen £55 000…it is ridiculous…it is due to paper thin evidence…but it works…

What follows is the best of Victorian farce as Fogg races to get back to the Reform Club before the 80 days are up.

It is charming and challenging…of its time and all about timing.

Brilliant…another wonderful read ( )

Phileas Fogg bet his entire fortune that he could cross the Nineteenth Century Earth - with no plans, no special arrangements, and no air travel - in exactly eighty days. Any delay, any breakdown, any missed connection, and Fogg would lose - everything.

Surely, a must be read book. But I thought I would never finish reading it... ( )

Jules Verne's Around The World In Eighty Days is a travelogue in the form of an adventure story. Fascinating to see a 19th century French writer's perspective on England and the English, India, Japan, China, America. Our heros, Phileas Fogg and his servant Passepartout, engage in all sorts of adventures, and not just missed timetables: there's a ritual sacrifice to be thwarted, Comanche-abducted people to be rescued, and so on. This edition is translated and has wonderful explanatory footnotes by Michael Glencross, and there's an excellent introduction by Brian Aldiss. Around The World is a fun adveture, enthusiastically and buoyantly written. A fantastic reading experience. ( )

Book 12
Round the world in 80 days.
Jules Verne.
This book was chosen as Peter bought me a new dress for our anniversary (still to be worn) and the pattern on it is round the world in 80 days. That brought up the subject of the book and although I knew of Phileas Fogg I wouldn't have known why. I really enjoyed this adventure and am going to watch the film... My hairdresser told me to watch the Jackie Chan version which Peter says got bad reviews so might start with the David Niven one. Does anyone know of any others?
786 days left.
8/10 ( )