Resultaten voor 'vern'

1. Jules , Verne

Five Weeks in a Balloon

Five Weeks in a Balloon tells the tale of three Englishmen who attempt to cross Africa, from east to west, in a balloon. Dr. Ferguson is the rational scientist leading the trio, accompanied by loyal sidekick Joe and the doctor's sporting friend Kennedy.The three embark on many adventures: They encounter natives and dangerous animals, experience problems with their ballooning technology, and struggle with the winds and the weather. Throughout the novel, the author liberally sprinkles descriptions of flora, fauna, and geography, as seen through nineteenth century eyes.Though this is Verne's first published book, he already demonstrates much of the formula that drive his later works: the well-defined characters led by a rational scientist, the focus on science and technology, and of course the adventure-filled plot.The novel, first published in 1863, was topical for its time, as European interest in African exploration was strong. At the time the book was published, David Livingstone was midst-exploration in south-east Africa, and Burton and Speke had recently returned from exploring the Great Lakes region. The novel itself contains many references to actual expeditions that would have been current or recent for the original readers of the novel.

1. Jules , Verne

The Mysterious Island

The Mysterious Island tells the tale of five Americans who, in an attempt to escape the Civil War, pilot a hot-air balloon and find themselves crashed on a deserted island somewhere in the Pacific. Verne had been greatly influenced by works like Robinson Crusoe and The Swiss Family Robinson, and that influence shines brightly in this novel of engineering ingenuity and adventure. Verne imparts the escapees with such over-the-top cleverness and so many luckily-placed resources that modern readers might find the extent to which they tame the island comical. Despite that, the island contains genuine mysteries for the adventurers to solve.The standard translation of The Mysterious Island was produced in 1875, and is credited to W. H. G. Kingston. Despite its popularity, it's widely criticized for abridging and Bowlderizing important parts of the text. The translation presented here, produced by Stephen W. White in 1876, is considered a much more accurate translation, despite it also abridging some portions.

1. Vernon Bailey

Animal Life of the Carlsbad Cavern

1. Vernon Bailey

Animal Life of the Carlsbad Cavern

1. Jules , Verne

An Antarctic Mystery

An Antarctic Mystery follows Mr. Jeorling, a wealthy American naturalist whose research has led him to the remote Kerguelen Islands, located in the southern Indian Ocean. Jeorling begins his adventure on the Halbrane after being admitted aboard by the reluctant captain Len Guy, who believes the events in The Narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym to be true. In that novel, Pym persuades Len Guy's brother, William Guy, to lead a voyage to the Antarctic. But the expedition ends in failure when William Guy, his crew, and his ship, the Jane, disappear under mysterious circumstances. Captain Len Guy convinces Jeorling to aid in the search for his brother, and the two embark on an expedition south to the Antarctic in search of the previous voyage's survivors.Despite the fact that Jules Verne's work was published over fifty years after Pym, the events in the novel take place only one year after the disappearance of the Jane.

1. Jules , Verne

Michael Strogoff

Jules Verne is perhaps best known for his science fiction stories, and Michael Strogoff breaks that mold. It's a true-to-life tale of the titular character's journey across Siberia to deliver an important message to the brother of the Russian Czar.Like other of Verne's works, Strogoff encounters many colorful characters along the way, and together they create a vivid depiction of the harsh life in Russo-Siberia, as well as the resilient spirit of its inhabitants. The attention to detail and the accuracy of both the physical and geographical depictions of Siberia was noted by contemporaries, though it's also said that Verne took some dramatic license in recreating some of the historical events.Contemporary critics agreed that Michael Strogoff is a thrilling tale of the strength of men, of patriotism, and of the devotion of one human being to another. Modern critics consider it to be one of Verne's best novels.