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Around the World in Eighty Days
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2017 June TRAVEL: Around the World in Eighty Days by Jules Verne
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Rosemarie, Northern Roaming Scholar
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Jun 15, 2017 01:00PM

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I agree with the comments that Fogg was too inhuman to relate to. Since Verne is French, it is not surprising that the Brit is efficiently dispassionate while the French man is more human and passionate.
At the end of Chapter 31, after rescuing Passepartout from the Sioux, on finding out that the train left, Fogg asks about and discovers the next train arrives that evening. If it was an eastbound train coming from the west, I wondered how a train would now get across the Medicine Bow Rapids.
i was surprised how precise the book was in describing both the trip logistics from California to Chicago and Mormon history.
Mimi, I read the story Voyage in a Balloon and found it bizarre and very odd. Being with a crazy young man who obsesses about balloon disasters is offputting if that is the first thing you read by Verne.

Yes, that story felt weird. I recently read In the Year 2889, which was better, and I've started The Blockade Runners, which reads a lot more like Around the world.
(I'm on a bit of a Verne trip lately). It's almost like some of them were written by someone else (and it's not just due to the translation, I think).



Of course, but he always got a raw deal. He braves death to save Aouda and, in gratitude, she falls in love with Fogg? Yes, there is no justice in the Verne world, even for a Frenchman. Well, I guess he did get drunk and smoked opium and got himself captured by Sioux, so he has that going against him.
I also understand how he accidentally smoked opium. Every time I used a drug, it was accidentally. Honest.
But on the other hand, Passepartout enjoyed seeing the sights and had a lot of exciting adventures as well.

-Money :)

I agree - I enjoyed it too. Verne was much more imaginative & creative than expected. The characters he described were fascinating.
Rafael, though I agree that Aouda may have been attracted by Fogg being wealthy, I think this was only part of the reason. She probably thought he was a hero as he risked his life to rescue her.
I liked the way that Fogg looked after Aouda and made sure she was safe. I think she married him because of his reserved nature. Also, I think she fell in love with him long before he was aware of it.
Trisha wrote: "Rafael, though I agree that Aouda may have been attracted by Fogg being wealthy, I think this was only part of the reason. She probably thought he was a hero as he risked his life to rescue her. "
You are probably right.
You are probably right.


I would never expect it to be so mesmerizing.
Great book, great story, fun, adventurous and a pleasure to read.
Loved it!

Books mentioned in this topic
In the Year 2889 (other topics)The Blockade Runners (other topics)
Around the World in Eighty Days (other topics)
A Voyage in a Balloon (other topics)
Phineas Finn (other topics)
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