A note to new readers... |
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If you have seen the new movie adaptation of JOURNEY TO THE
CENTER OF THE EARTH (3-D) starring Brendan Fraser, the North American Jules Verne
Society naturally recommends you try reading the book.
If you are over 10 years old, we believe you are ready for the book as Jules Verne wrote it. He intended his writing to be read by all ages. JOURNEY TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH has been one of the most popular books ever written for over the last 140 years, since it was first published in 1864. And there have been many adaptations of this tale made for the movies and television, one of our members, Brian Taves has written a comphrehensive article on the various versions. |
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Beware of a bogus translation! Jules Verne’s novel Journey to the Center of the Earth, written and published in French in 1864 (a somewhat expanded, definitive edition appeared in 1867), was first translated into English in 1871 and published in London. The identity of the translator is not known, but the quality of the work was poor in every way. It changed the names and nationalities of Verne’s characters (Lidenbrock became Hardwigg, Axel became Harry, etc.), it “dumbed down” the story by chopping out most of the science, and it added melodramatic episodes to the plot that did not exist in the original. Compare, for example, the opening sentence of Verne’s original text with this translation to see how the latter differs dramatically from what Verne actually wrote: (original) On 24 May 1863, which was a Sunday, my uncle, Professor Lidenbrock, came rushing back towards his little house, No. 19 Knigstrasse, one of the oldest streets in the old quarter of Hamburg. (1871 “Hardwigg” translation) Looking back to all that has occurred to me since that eventful day, I am scarcely able to believe in the reality of my adventures. They were truly so wonderful that even now I am bewildered when I think of them. It is unfortunate that this inferior translation, because it happened to be the first one published in English, went on to become the “standard” English version of Verne’s novel and is still reprinted today by undiscerning British and American paperback publishers such as Signet and Tor. Much more accurate English translations of Verne’s Journey to the Center of the Earth include the following (all available in modern paperback editions): an 1876 version originally published by Routledge and reprinted by Bantam in 2006 (with an excellent introduction by Kim Stanley Robinson), an 1877 translation by Frederick Amadeus Malleson reprinted in 2005 in the “Barnes and Noble Classics” series, a fine 1965 translation by Robert Baldick published by Penguin Books and frequently reprinted since then, and a top-notch 1992 critical edition translated and edited by William Butcher in the Oxford “World’s Classics” series. -- Professor Arthur B. Evans of DePauw University, author of numerous articles on Verne and the award-winning Jules Verne Rediscovered (Greenwood, 1988). |
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Jules Verne (1828-1905) has been one of the world’s best-selling authors,
translated in over a hundred languages. He has been beloved now for over a century
for his imagination and story-telling skill.
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One thing about Verne you need to know. As a Frenchman who wrote in his native language,
many of his stories were badly translated into English back in his own day. These
versions continue to be reprinted. Further, many of these books are abridged. If
you read one, you are not getting the full story (often 1/4 will be left out!).
This is explained by New York University Professor Walter James Miller, a Verne
translator and scholar honored by our Society.
The Rehabilitation of Jules Verne in America: From Boy’s Author to Adult’s Author — 1960-2003.
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Below are some recommended books, and translations, of Verne.
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JOURNEY TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH
(Beware editions of the book where the characters are named Hardwigg and Harry; this translation doesn’t even use the names Verne gave his heroes!) Read reviews of various editions here. - Translation by William Butcher; Oxford University Press Read a review of this edition here. Get it at Amazon.com or Barnes & Noble. - Translated by Robert Baldick; Penguin Get it at Amazon.com or Barnes & Noble. - Translated by Anonymous; Bantam; intro by Kim Stanley Robinson Get it at Amazon.com or Barnes & Noble.
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There are many other Verne books you would probably enjoy. Among these are:
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20,000 LEAGUES UNDER THE SEA
- Translation by Walter James Miller and Frederick Paul Walter; Naval Institute Press. This edition also contains some of the beautiful original engravings that illustrated Verne’s novels on their first publication. Get it at Amazon.com or Barnes & Noble. - Translation by William Butcher; Oxford University Press Get it at Amazon.com or Barnes & Noble. - Translated by Mendor Brunetti; Signet Classics Get it at Amazon.com or Barnes & Noble. - Translated by Anthony Bonner; Bantam Get it at Amazon.com or Barnes & Noble.
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AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DAYS is one of his better-translated books. However, avoid
shortened “children’s” editions. There is one good new translation
of AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DAYS: - Translation by William Butcher; Oxford University
Press. Especially useful for scholars.
Get it at Amazon.com or Barnes & Noble. |
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THE BEGUM’S MILLIONS
- Translation by Stanford Luce; critical material by Peter Schulman; Wesleyan University Press Get it at Amazon.com or Barnes & Noble
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MICHAEL STROGOFF (A Courier of the Czar)
- Translator unknown; N.C. Wyeth illustrator; Scribner’s Illustrated Classic Get it at Amazon.com or Barnes & Noble.
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THE MYSTERIOUS ISLAND
- Translated by Sidney Kravitz; Wesleyan University Press Get it at Amazon.com or Barnes & Noble. - Translated by Jordan Stump; Random House Get it at Amazon.com or Barnes & Noble.
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| In addition, many Verne stories never before translated into English have recently appeared for the first time. | |
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The science fiction play, JOURNEY THROUGH THE IMPOSSIBLE, was published with the
assistance of the North American Jules Verne Society.
Get it at Amazon.com or Barnes & Noble. Read this review at Amazon.com and these reviews at our own site. |
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There are also several Verne novels recently translated into English for the very
first time.
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THE GOLDEN VOLCANO: The First English Translation of Verne’s Original Manuscript
- Translation and critical material by Edward Baxter; preface by Olivier Dumas; Bison Books (University of Nebraska Press) Get it at Amazon.com or Barnes & Noble
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THE INVASION OF THE SEA
- Translation by Edward Baxter; critical material by Art Evans; Wesleyan University Press Get it at Amazon.com or Barnes & Noble Read this review at Amazon.com. |
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THE KIP BROTHERS
- Translation by Stanford Luce; critical material by Jean-Michel Margot; Wesleyan University Press Get it at Amazon.com or Barnes & Noble
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LIGHTHOUSE AT THE END OF THE WORLD: The First English Translation of Verne’s
Original Manuscript
- Translation and critical material by Edward Baxter; preface by Olivier Dumas; Bison Books (University of Nebraska Press) Get it at Amazon.com or Barnes & Noble
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MAGELLANIA
- Translation by Benjamin Irvy; Welcome Rain Get it at Amazon.com or Barnes & Noble Read this review at Amazon.com. |
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THE METEOR HUNT: The First English Translation of Verne’s Original Manuscript
- Translation and critical material by Walter James Miller and Frederick Paul Walter; Bison Books (University of Nebraska Press) Get it at Amazon.com or Barnes & Noble Read this review at Amazon.com. |
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THE MIGHTY ORINOCO
- Translation by Stanford Luce; critical material by Walter James Miller; Wesleyan University Press Get it at Amazon.com or Barnes & Noble Read this review at Amazon.com. |
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There are many other entertaining Verne books currently in print that you might
also enjoy.
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Search for them and more at Amazon.com or Barnes & Noble. |
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You can find out more about Verne by visiting the various links on our website.
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© 2010 North American Jules Verne Society, Inc. — a 501(c)(3) Corporation
