Jules Verne
Published: 2017-11-30
Total Pages: 344
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The first Verne novel in which he perfected the "ingredients" of his later work, skilfully mixing a plot full of adventure and twists that hold the reader's interest with passages of technical, geographic, and historic description. The book gives readers a glimpse of the exploration of Africa, which was still not completely known to Europeans of the time, with explorers travelling all over the continent in search of its secrets. Public interest in fanciful tales of African exploration was at its height, and the book was an instant hit; it made Verne financially independent and got him a contract with Jules Hetzel's publishing house, which put out several dozen more works of his for over forty years afterwards. Jules Gabriel Verne was a French author who helped pioneer the science-fiction genre. He is best known for novels such as A Journey to the Centre of the Earth and Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea. Verne is often referred to as the "Father of science fiction" as he wrote about space, air, and underwater travel before navigable aircraft and practical submarines were invented, and before any means of space travel had been devised. In 1857 he met Pierre-Jules Hetzel, one of the most important French publishers of the 19th century. Hetzel's advice improved Verne's writings, which until then had been rejected by other publishers. Hetzel read a draft of Verne's story about the balloon exploration of Africa, which had previously been rejected on the grounds that it was "too scientific." With Hetzel's help, he rewrote the story and in 1863 it was published in book form as Five Weeks in a Balloon (Cinq semaines en ballon). Acting on Hetzel's advice, Verne added comical accents to his novels, changed sad endings into happy ones, and toned down various political messages. From that point on, and for nearly a quarter of a century, scarcely a year passed in which Hetzel did not publish one or more of his stories. In 1888, he entered politics and was elected town councillor of Amiens where he championed several improvements and served for 15 years. In 1905, while ill with diabetes, Verne died at his home.