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Worlds Known and Unknown
JULES VERNE’S SERIES of science fiction and adventure tales, the “Extraordinary Journeys,” were subtitled “Worlds Known and Unknown,” so that is an appropriate title for this volume of the Palik Series, edited by the North American Jules Verne Society and devoted to the author’s stories not previously translated for the English-speaking world. Worlds Known and Unknown is an anthology featuring a variety of astonishing shorter works, with background and illustrations chosen from the original engravings that accompanied the first French publication and other historical sources. Beginning with his own adventures, Verne recounts several harrowing balloon ascensions, followed by a ghostly tale, and two satires of evolution—a man leading an army of apes, and a P.T. Barnum-type huckster unearthing a prehistoric human giant in New York! Here also is Verne’s stage recreation of a romance between Mona Lisa and Leonardo da Vinci, and a series of fantastic stories by Jules Verne’s son and collaborator, Michel Verne.
322 pages, Paperback
Published December 5, 2018
About the author
Jules Verne
7,095 books12.3k followersNovels of French writer Jules Gabriel Verne, considered the founder of modern science fiction, include
Journey to the Center of the Earth
(1864) and
Around the World in Eighty Days
(1873).
This author who pioneered the genre. People best know him for Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea (1870).
Verne wrote about space, air, and underwater travel before people invented navigable aircraft and practical submarines and devised any means of spacecraft. He ranks behind Dame Agatha Mary Clarissa Christie as the second most translated author of all time. People made his prominent films. People often refer to Verne alongside Herbert George Wells as the "father of science fiction."
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jules_V...
This author who pioneered the genre. People best know him for Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea (1870).
Verne wrote about space, air, and underwater travel before people invented navigable aircraft and practical submarines and devised any means of spacecraft. He ranks behind Dame Agatha Mary Clarissa Christie as the second most translated author of all time. People made his prominent films. People often refer to Verne alongside Herbert George Wells as the "father of science fiction."
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jules_V...
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Displaying 1 of 1 review
April 1, 2019
I became interested in Jules Verne because I love fantastic fiction. The Palik Series showed me even more what a versatile and talented writer he was. It’s needless to say that I enjoyed this last entry in the series. It’s a great sampling of Jules’ (and son Michael’s) ability to create a sense of wonder. The text alternates between fiction and non-fiction pieces not only by the two Vernes but also via the accompanying words by 21st Century Verne enthusiasts.
My favorite (somewhat lengthy) quote from Recollections of My Childhood and My Youth by Jules displays both his fascination with scientific progress and his wit:
Indeed I witnessed the arrival of phosphorous matches, detachable collars, cuffs, letter paper, postage stamps, loose-fitting trousers, the overcoat, opera hats, button-up boots, the metric system, the steamers on the Loire, said to be “non-explosive” because they blow up slightly less of that than the others, omnibuses, the railways, the tramways, gas, electricity, the telegraph, the telephone, the gramophone! … And now I witness the astonishing discoveries with which America marches ahead, mobile hotels, sandwich-making machines, moving pavements, newspapers made of “puff pastry”, printed with chocolate ink which are read first and eaten afterwards!
The straddling of the fiction / non-fiction border is in full force in “A Voyage in a Balloon” (which touches on a theme that Jules developed at greater length elsewhere as well as in other short stories in the volume). While an entertaining tall tale, the story also managed to also survey the then short history of balloon voyages up until that time. No one could ever accuse the author of not doing his homework!
It seems to me that I had read “Fritt-Flacc” elsewhere but the new translations from two manuscripts helped me all the more to appreciate this poignant morality yarn.
I’d always enjoyed Verne’s adventures of the Baltimore Gun Club and his ability to spoof American way of life. Although the B.G.C. was not present in “The Humbug”, it was a pleasure to get another taste of delicious satire.
Jules’ playwriting ability is on full display in “Mona Lisa”. I found it a zany “what if” speculation. It’s more historical fiction than anything; however, I suppose one might consider it alternate history. “Mona Lisa” is hard to label. However, it is easy and light to read which is made even more so by Kieran M. O’Driscoll’s expert commentary.
The fiction / non-fiction contributions by Michael Verne at moments made me think that he possessed a fountain of ideas not seen again until the arrival of famed Science Fiction editor John W. Campbell. They generally alternated between hilarious (e.g. untitled story “III”) and informative.
In another precursor of things to come, “A Futuristic Express Train” makes all of the Transatlantic Tunnel films of the 1930s spring to mind.
These then are just some random observations on the finale of a wonderful series. Definitely recommended. Kudos to all concerned.
My favorite (somewhat lengthy) quote from Recollections of My Childhood and My Youth by Jules displays both his fascination with scientific progress and his wit:
Indeed I witnessed the arrival of phosphorous matches, detachable collars, cuffs, letter paper, postage stamps, loose-fitting trousers, the overcoat, opera hats, button-up boots, the metric system, the steamers on the Loire, said to be “non-explosive” because they blow up slightly less of that than the others, omnibuses, the railways, the tramways, gas, electricity, the telegraph, the telephone, the gramophone! … And now I witness the astonishing discoveries with which America marches ahead, mobile hotels, sandwich-making machines, moving pavements, newspapers made of “puff pastry”, printed with chocolate ink which are read first and eaten afterwards!
The straddling of the fiction / non-fiction border is in full force in “A Voyage in a Balloon” (which touches on a theme that Jules developed at greater length elsewhere as well as in other short stories in the volume). While an entertaining tall tale, the story also managed to also survey the then short history of balloon voyages up until that time. No one could ever accuse the author of not doing his homework!
It seems to me that I had read “Fritt-Flacc” elsewhere but the new translations from two manuscripts helped me all the more to appreciate this poignant morality yarn.
I’d always enjoyed Verne’s adventures of the Baltimore Gun Club and his ability to spoof American way of life. Although the B.G.C. was not present in “The Humbug”, it was a pleasure to get another taste of delicious satire.
Jules’ playwriting ability is on full display in “Mona Lisa”. I found it a zany “what if” speculation. It’s more historical fiction than anything; however, I suppose one might consider it alternate history. “Mona Lisa” is hard to label. However, it is easy and light to read which is made even more so by Kieran M. O’Driscoll’s expert commentary.
The fiction / non-fiction contributions by Michael Verne at moments made me think that he possessed a fountain of ideas not seen again until the arrival of famed Science Fiction editor John W. Campbell. They generally alternated between hilarious (e.g. untitled story “III”) and informative.
In another precursor of things to come, “A Futuristic Express Train” makes all of the Transatlantic Tunnel films of the 1930s spring to mind.
These then are just some random observations on the finale of a wonderful series. Definitely recommended. Kudos to all concerned.
Displaying 1 of 1 review