Around the World in Eighty Days

The French author Jules Verne wrote the novel Around the World in 80 Days. First, it was published in parts by Le Temps newspaper from November 7 to December 22, 1872. Then, on January 30, 1873, it was released as a complete adventure novel. It is considered one of Verne’s most acclaimed works.

The story follows the adventures of Phileas Fogg and his assistant Jean Passepartout. It is regarded as one of the most fascinating tales ever told. Moreover, the book is a true gem of literature.

Recommended for: Readers of all ages and backgrounds who enjoy classic adventure stories, literary fiction, and tales of daring journeys and explorations.

You will:

Embark on an exhilarating around-the-world adventure with Phileas Fogg and his loyal servant Passepartout.
Witness the resourcefulness and determination of Fogg as he races against the clock to circumnavigate the globe in an unprecedented 80 days.
Experience the thrill of traveling by train, steamship, elephant, and other modes of 19th century transport.
Uncover the mystery surrounding a bank robbery and the dogged pursuit of the detective, Mr. Fix.
Explore the diverse cultures, landscapes, and customs encountered along the way.
Appreciate the masterful storytelling of Jules Verne, one of the pioneers of the science fiction and adventure genres.
Gain insights into the technological, social, and geopolitical realities of the Victorian era.
Be inspired by the themes of determination, resourcefulness, and the power of wagers and bets to spur extraordinary feats.
Marvel at the enduring appeal and timelessness of this classic tale, which has been adapted numerous times for stage, screen, and other media.

Plot

Phileas Fogg is a British gentleman, wealthy and lonely man. Despite having a lot of money, Fogg prefers to lead a modest lifestyle. Additionally, Fogg has peculiar punctuality and daily habits with mathematical precision. There is not much to say about your social life, other than that he is a member of the Reform Club. After having fired his former assistant, James Forster, for bringing him water to shave at 84 ° F (29 ° C) instead of 86 ° F (30°C). Fogg hires the Frenchman Jean Passepartout as a replacement.

Fogg gets involved in a discussion about the possibility to travel around the world in 80 days that arises at the Reform Club. As a result, he is betting £ 20,000 with other members of the Reform Club in London to travel around the world within this period. That same evening, he leaves with his hired French servant Jean Passepartout. They go by train from via Paris to Brindisi, where they board the steamboat to Bombay through the Suez Canal. In a bag, he has 20,000 pounds, the other half of his fortune.

A robbery occurs at about the same time in the Bank of England. Detective Mister Fix thinks that Fogg is the thief. Due to the description of the thief transmitted by telegraph, it is like Fogg’s appearance. And based on the circumstances that make Mr. Fogg move from one place to another. Thus, Fogg will have to deal not only with the delays in the means of transport but with the persistent persecution of Detective Fix. Besides, Fix gets involved in the whole adventure as he hopes to get an arrest warrant from the British Crown to catch the thief.

Itinerary Places

The following list indicates the places of the itinerary and the means of transport that they used:

London to Paris, from there to Turin and from there to Brindisi by train and boat.
Brindisi to Suez and Bombay on a steamboat (Mongolia).
Bombay to Kholby by train.
Kholby to Allahabad on an elephant.
Allahabad to Calcutta (passing through Benares) by train.
Calcutta to Hong Kong by boat.
Hong Kong to Shanghai on a schooner.
Shanghai to Yokohama by ship.
Yokohama to San Francisco in a packet.
San Francisco to Kearney by train.
Kearney to Omaha on a sled.
Omaha to Chicago and New York by train.
New York to Cobh (former Queenstown) by a merchant ship.
Cobh to Dublin by train.
Dublin to Liverpool in a small boat.
Liverpool to London by train.

Finally, at the end of the trip, Fogg’s fortune of 20,000 pounds has been used up, and only an insignificant amount of around 1,000 pounds have been left. He owes the other half of his £ 20,000 worth to his betting partners in the Reform Club. Fogg is facing ruin.

Then he learns that it is not Sunday evening, but only Saturday night. By crossing the dateline to the east, he won a whole day. Fogg hurries to the Reform Club and enters the club room three seconds before the end of the game and wins the bet. Thus, Fogg has made a small financial gain through the bet. He divides the profit of 1,000 pounds between Passepartout and Mister Fix.

Adaptations

Besides, the novel has had many adaptations such as theater, radio, film, and television.

Licensing

Jules Verne. Around the World in Eighty Days. Publisher: James R. Osgood and Company (Boston), 1873. Translated from the French by George Makepeace Towle. Originally published in 1872. This work was published before January 1, 1929, and is in the public domain worldwide because the author and translator died at least 100 years ago. Text from Wikisource: https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Around_the_World_in_Eighty_Days_(Towle)
This digital edition is provided by Ebooks-net in 2024 under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (CC BY-SA 4.0) license. The full text of the license is available at https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/.