Around the World in Eighty Days

3.8

(96)

Jules Verne

Phileas Fogg is a rich English gentleman living in solitude. Despite his wealth, Fogg lives a modest life with habits carried out with mathematical precision. Very little can be said about his social life other than that he is a member of the Reform Club. Having dismissed his former valet, James Forster, for bringing him shaving water at 84 °F (29 °c) instead of 86 °f (30 °c), Fogg hires a Frenchman by the name of Jean Passepartout as a replacement. At the Reform Club, Fogg gets involved in an argument over an article in The Daily Telegraph stating that with the opening of a new railway section in India, it is now possible to travel around the world in 80 days. He accepts a wager for £20,000 (equal to about £1.6 million today) from his fellow club members, which he will receive if he makes it around the world in 80 days. Accompanied by Passepartout, he leaves London by train at 8:45 pm on Wednesday, October 2, 1872, and is due back at the Reform Club at the same time 80 days later, Saturday, December 21, 1872.--Provided by Amazon.com.

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Author

Jules Verne

Pages

315

Publisher

Osgood

Published Date

1873

Ratings

Google: 4.5

Community ReviewsSee all

"It had it’s funny parts but I would rather watch the movie. "

A C

Amanda C

"A bit heavy on the empirialist ideals, but very fun in the perfectly restrained yet madcap adventure."

Savannah Riches

"In contrast to Verne's 2,000 Leagues under the Sea, i thoroughly enjoyed this book. I knew the main plot because of movies, but had never read the book. I am uncertain if this was an unabridged version due to finding it in the teen section at the library, but regardless, I'm glad I picked it up. The book conveys geographical and cultural facts and ideas without making the book drab and tedious. The descriptions of Passepartout and his zest and zeal in contrast to the always cool rationale of Phileas Fogg are delightful, somehow endearing me to both of them more as the book goes on. The other characters also develop nicely as they try to keep up and are continually confounded by Mr. Fogg and his peculiar way of living his life. Though predictable and painfully consistent, he somehow keeps his companions guessing. I'd say more but at the risk of spoilers, I simply say, I recommend. :)"