Sign in with Facebook
Five Weeks in a Balloon (Extraordinary Voyages)
by
Jules Verne
pubOne.info thank you for your continued support and wish to present you this new edition. The End of a much-applauded Speech. - The Presentation of Dr. Samuel Ferguson. - Excelsior. - Full-length Portrait of the Doctor. - A Fatalist convinced. - A Dinner at the Travellers' Club. - Several Toasts for the Occasion.
ebook, 0 pages
Published
December 2nd 2010
by pubOne.info
(first published 1863)
Friend Reviews
To see what your friends thought of this book,
please sign up.
This book is not yet featured on Listopia.
Add this book to your favorite list »
Community Reviews
(showing
1-30
of
3,000)
While idly wandering through a book store for something to read recently, one book in particular caught my attention - A collection of Jules Verne books, featuring his first novel, Five Weeks in a Balloon. Verne being one of my favorite authors, I had no hesitation in purchasing the hefty book, and soon began to plow through it. The book involves three men (which seems to be a constant in Verne’s fictional universes) and their adventures travelling over the continent of Africa in a hot air ballo...more
Verne's first full-length novel, while setting the formula for many of his later books, is definitely not one of his best: the science is sketchy and the plot is basically a series of small misadventures in a row that the three main characters escape with usually not too much difficulty and a just modicum of ingenuity.
The book would still be enjoyable enough, however, if not for the blatant racism that permeates all the pages where they meet another human being: every single black person in Afr...more
The book would still be enjoyable enough, however, if not for the blatant racism that permeates all the pages where they meet another human being: every single black person in Afr...more
This is one of Verne's earlier works, and it shows. It's on much shakier scientific and anthropological grounds than most of his other Voyages Extraordinaires, and while many of his works are now regularly criticised as racist, this is the first one where I felt modern sensibilities could legitimately take offense. His portrayal of Arabs is condescending but sympathetic enough, but his attitude towards black Africans is definitely quite a bit less generous than it could be. Perhaps this reflects...more
Sometimes I hate that Goodreads doesn't have half stars, because this was definitely a 2.5 stars reading.
It was entertaining enough, it had adventures and thrilling moments where I couldn't put the book down, as any other Verne book, but the descriptions of other expeditions bore me to no end. Also, I found this book quite repetitive in its descriptions of African tribes and Arab cities, which I attribute to these places and people being completely unknown by the time Verne wrote this.
I found th...more
It was entertaining enough, it had adventures and thrilling moments where I couldn't put the book down, as any other Verne book, but the descriptions of other expeditions bore me to no end. Also, I found this book quite repetitive in its descriptions of African tribes and Arab cities, which I attribute to these places and people being completely unknown by the time Verne wrote this.
I found th...more
Well, it is entertaining. Maybe would be better if it didn't occasionally have lists of places interrupting the flow of everything. I read this because I liked 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea and Around the World in 80 Days so much as a kid... and it was free on Kindle... But, this one wasn't my favorite. The pervasive racism referring to the Africans and the fact that there were NO WOMEN in this book both detracted for me. I don't REQUIRE women characters but in combination with the racism thing,...more
در 1863 دستنوشتۀ رمان پنج هفته در بالون را ژول ورن به هتزل عرضه کرد .ناشر چنان شیفته شد که بلافاصله قراردادی امضا کرد که بر حسب آن ژول ورن متعهد شد تا بیست سال هر سال دو جلد رمان به او بسپارد و بابت هر جلد ده فرانک دریافت کند. پنج هفته در بالن اولین رمانی بود که از ژول ورن خواندم ،کتابی که پس از انتشار به تمام زبانهای دنیا ترجمه گشت
Una aventura suculenta donde el doctor Fergusson, junto con el cazador Kennedy y Joe su fiel sirviente, se proponen cruzar el continente africano de este a oeste, una osadía que en el siglo XX nadie pudo lograr.
Un libro escrito en la época donde muchos aventureros habían hecho fallidas exploraciones a través de África, por lo que al astuto Julio Verne se le ocurrió que en un globo, sería posible atravesar la geografía del osado continente.
Una novela llena de acción que me dio a conocer un lugar...more
Un libro escrito en la época donde muchos aventureros habían hecho fallidas exploraciones a través de África, por lo que al astuto Julio Verne se le ocurrió que en un globo, sería posible atravesar la geografía del osado continente.
Una novela llena de acción que me dio a conocer un lugar...more
This book was considered to be the first science fiction book that was ever written, by a great and imaginative author: Jules Verne. It was an enjoyable and challenging book to read. It was hidden though, until the very end, why Dr. Samuel Fergusson, Dick Kennedy, and Joe Wilson were such a good and well-balanced team. I found that very awkward because usually, most questions that are asked like that are usually not written in the end of the book; though this had no impact on the book. One of my...more
No me considero un Verniano, aunque si leí unos cuántos libros de Verne hace algunos años. Este año, me decidí en leer todos sus libros en orden de publicación y, como tiene que ser, comencé por este.
Teniendo en mente los otros que había leído, he de decir que queda bastante claro que es su primer libro. Si bien es un buen libro, no sobresale por encima de la media como si lo hacen otras obras suyas. Tiene un comienzo muy lento y prolongado, casi el primer tercio del libro, lo que me hizo sopesa...more
Teniendo en mente los otros que había leído, he de decir que queda bastante claro que es su primer libro. Si bien es un buen libro, no sobresale por encima de la media como si lo hacen otras obras suyas. Tiene un comienzo muy lento y prolongado, casi el primer tercio del libro, lo que me hizo sopesa...more
Mar 16, 2011
Beatrix
rated it
3 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
novela-de-aventuras,
novela-clásica
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.
Not only do I LOVE this novel, I love the fact that it compelled me to buy the antique (circa 1900) Rand McNally map of colonial Africa that currently hangs, properly protected and preserved for posterity, in my Manhattan living room. DO NOT READ THIS BOOK WITHOUT A CHRONOLOGICALLY-APPROPRIATE MAP BY YOUR SIDE!!! You'll miss out on so much if you don't follow the balloon cartographically. Here's to Jules' first novel! The aspects of his writing that tend to upset me are spices of Antisemitism an...more
A late review, because actually I've started reading this book after I've finished reading "Around the World in 80 Days" (two in one). Similar plot, one guy tries to prove that he's capable of doing something that others can only imagine (and cannot). That is why the more I read Verne's books, the more I feel that he's trying to stress human spirit and optimism. I you have the capability, funding and strength to achieve your dreams, go for it and who cares about what others may think. That's the...more
INteresting perspective of a journey across the African continent. I can see why this is one of his lesser-known novels as there are several references to aggressive and ignorant natives, and one of the main characters takes delight in being a big-game hunter. (I flinched as the group nonchalantly killed an elephant and ate just the pads of the feet) However, I am left with the urge to take a hot air balloon ride. I think my preference would be over Napa, rather than for a 5-week trip/
Ando há dois dias com este livro, a mastigá-lo. Só li 60 páginas. Desisto. Não consigo visualizar as cenas, os diálogos parecem-me forçados, tem informações que não entendo e os detalhes técnicos fizeram-me perder, dá-me um sono tremendo cada vez que lhe pego... Simplesmente, não fui talhada para este livro. Sei que muita gente gosta e que vai chacinar, mas eu não consigo ler mais. Cheguei ao meu limite. Espero, contudo, poder ler 'A Volta ao Mundo em 80 dias'. Não para já.
A bordo del pallone Vittoria attraverso il continente nero, da Zanzibar alle cascate di Guina in Senegal.
Romanzo d'avventura, certo, ma quasi resoconto di un viaggio che sembra esser stato compiuto davvero, tanto fedeli appaiono le descrizioni dei luoghi attraversati. Taglio scientifico e accurati riferimenti geografici, il tutto impreziosito dalla cronistoria delle spedizioni occidentali realmente effettuate in Africa sino al 1862.
Romanzo d'avventura, certo, ma quasi resoconto di un viaggio che sembra esser stato compiuto davvero, tanto fedeli appaiono le descrizioni dei luoghi attraversati. Taglio scientifico e accurati riferimenti geografici, il tutto impreziosito dalla cronistoria delle spedizioni occidentali realmente effettuate in Africa sino al 1862.
The best thing about this early Verne is watching his characteristic later style develop. It's a very turgid read for about two-thirds of the way, and the heroes do not come to life for a long while. The flashback histories of previous explorations are just boring.....but I eventually got caught up in how he would manage the foregone conclusion.
Warning, though: only read it if you can swallow 19th century attitudes to natives and hunting, it's the worst (or best, as in most effective) book I've...more
Warning, though: only read it if you can swallow 19th century attitudes to natives and hunting, it's the worst (or best, as in most effective) book I've...more
Slightly less good than Verne's other works. The introduction said this was the prototype, or rather his first novel featuring his signature "cerebral adventurer", and you can sort of notice that he's not quite there yet. It's undeniably good though. It reads as if you're in the balloon with them, which is a great vantage point, but the geographical detail is something you do have to be able to deal with otherwise this'll read as a great bore. The b-romances between the three were lovely as well...more
This is my second time reading a book by Jules Verne, and I'm glad it wasn't my first. It was a decent story, marred primarily by a very racist view of the African people (and to a lesser extent, of Arabs) and a few very implausible stretches of reality. This was written ten years before the first work of his I read, Around the World in Eighty Days. That book was much better written and I enjoyed it immensely. All said, this still wasn't bad considering it was Verne's first book, even if at time...more
Não tenho bem a certeza, mas creio ter sido este o primeiro livro de Júlio Verne, mas tenho a certeza que é um dos que menos gostei, sem qualquer dúvida.
Acaba por ser meramente uma viagem de balão pelo mundo, com contratempos triviais e com pintalgadelas de racismo aqui e acolá.
Um livro entretido, mas não muito mexido, nem muito entusiasmante.
Acaba por ser meramente uma viagem de balão pelo mundo, com contratempos triviais e com pintalgadelas de racismo aqui e acolá.
Um livro entretido, mas não muito mexido, nem muito entusiasmante.
Jules Verne's first effort at a science fictional noval is a lot more settled and realistic than his later works but none the poorer for it. This book reads one part fictional adventure story, one part history and geography of north Africa in the 19th century, but, anyone that has been delighted by this author before will again be enthralled here.
ژول ورن نقش برجسته اي در دوران نوجوان من داشته! هرچند بيش از ده سال از دوران ژول ورن خواني ام م گذرد ولي همچنان به ياد دارم زمانهايي را كه با كتاب هاي او شب را به صبح مي رساندم....
Some guys construct a balloon and endeavour to float across Africa in it. It's an adventure story with a lot of the typical Jules Verne character types and ideas. It's solid and entertaining. Shouldn't be your first Verne book, but once you've read all the usual ones, you can resort to this and enjoy it.
Trois explorateurs anglais traversent l'Afrique de Zanzibar au Sénégal à bord d'un ballon.
Le lecteur d'aujourd'hui, pour qui les montgolfières, le voyage aérien et la géographie de l'Afrique ne sont plus d'excitants sujets de spéculation, ne trouvera plus qu'un roman d'aventure sympathique mais un peu fade : les personnages et les situations sont moins mémorables que, par exemple, ceux du Tour du monde en quatre-vingts jours.
Le lecteur d'aujourd'hui, pour qui les montgolfières, le voyage aérien et la géographie de l'Afrique ne sont plus d'excitants sujets de spéculation, ne trouvera plus qu'un roman d'aventure sympathique mais un peu fade : les personnages et les situations sont moins mémorables que, par exemple, ceux du Tour du monde en quatre-vingts jours.
I'm practicing my French with the help of this Jules Verne novel and a French-to-English dictionary. Both are on my Kindle, and they are connected to each other to make it easy to learn new vocabulary. I began reading on Dec. 20, 2009.
1 like · like · see review
view all 4 comments
De los primeros libros que leí de Verne, grandes aventuras, y lo detallado de su narración hacen que tengas que usar más tu imaginación para recrear los paisajes majestuosos que en el libro describe, un clásico imperdible
J'ai aimé ce livre parce qu'il y a des personnes sur un ballon pour cinq semaines. Aussi, parce que j'ai jamais vu un voyage sur ballon pour cinq semaines et j'ai pensé il y aura pas de nouriture après une ou deux semaines.
I'm fully aware that this is a novel from the 1800s, and that it's my modern point of view that is causing me anguish, but all the racism in this book really made me angry. The story was ok, and engaging enough, but it just wasn't enough to save it for me.
Un libro genial, es increíble como describe a detalle todos los lugares por los que pasan cuando se pierden y lo intrépido del doctor y sus amigos. Lo recomiendo mucho para los niños de primaria.
I found this to be an engrossing book. You must consider the era it was written, as it has some bigoted views of the natives of Africa. I did skip over some of the more detailed scientific data. Jules Verne is quite a gifted storyteller!
Story set in period just before the colonization of Africa. Africa was still largely unexplored. Areas were impossible to reach. This sets an expedition across the African continent by balloon.
There are no discussion topics on this book yet.
Be the first to start one »
Jules Gabriel Verne was a French author who pioneered the genre of science-fiction. He is best known for his novels "Journey to the Center of the Earth" (1864), "Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea" (1870), and "Around the World in Eighty Days" (1873).
Verne wrote about space, air, and underwater travel before navigable aircraft and practical submarines were invented, and before any means of spa...more
More about Jules Verne...
Verne wrote about space, air, and underwater travel before navigable aircraft and practical submarines were invented, and before any means of spa...more
Share This Book
1 trivia question
More quizzes & trivia...
“As for difficulties," replied Ferguson, in a serious tone, "they were made to be overcome.”
—
9 people liked it
“Besides," said Kennedy, "the time when industry gets a grip of everything and uses it to its own advantage may not be particularly amusing. If men go on inventing machinery they'll end up by being swallowed by their own machines. I've always thought that the last day will be brought about by some colossal boiler heated to three thousand atmospheres blowing up the world."
"And I bet the Yankees will have had a hand in it," said Joe.”
—
3 people liked it
More quotes…
"And I bet the Yankees will have had a hand in it," said Joe.”
