Today, February 8, is the 196th birthday of Jules Verne. Happy birthday.
Verne, of course, gave us such works of fantasy and science fiction as Journey to the Center of the Earth, Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Seas, and Around the World in Eighty Days.
I don't know if Chesterton wrote much about Verne. In the essay "The Domesticity of Detectives", he did mention Verne when discussing French writers.
"Jules Verne and H. G. Wells, for instance, both wrote fairy-tales of science; Mr. Wells has much the larger mind and interest in life; but he often lacks one power which Jules Verne possesses supremely—the power of going to the point. Verne is very French in his rigid relevancy; Wells is very English in his rich irrelevance."
Perhaps Chesterton did write more about Verne. Perhaps some more knowledgeable person could offer some wisdom?
As for me, I have read some Verne - Journey to the Center of the Earth, From Earth to the Moon, and a children's version of Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea - but I have read far more of Wells's science fiction, and I prefer what I have read of his works.
Still, it might be worth giving Verne some attention - after I finish some of the books currently in my "To Read" pile.
At least I should start with a full version of Twenty Thousand Leagues.
3 comments:
I read all of Verne as a child. He set the course of my life. Also read some of Wells which I enjoyed.
Did you have a favorite? Or maybe a couple of favorites?
Wow, I loved "20,000 Leagues..." and "Journey to the Center of the Earth". "Around the World in 80 Days" was wonderful. I could not put them down, but I loved science from 3rd grade. I was around 10-12 so maybe the age factor was part of the fascination they held for me. I've read his entire cannon, even some obscure stuff.
Post a Comment