Synopsis
Examines the life and work of the nineteenth-century French writer whose fantastic novels took his readers to all of the places he had dreamed about as a young boy
Reviews
Grade 5-8 Up-- This fictionalized account of the life of the father of science fiction begins with young Jules running away from home for a life of adventure on the high seas. He is quickly apprehended by his father and returned to the loving arms of his mother, who tearfully begs him to run only in his imagination in the future. From this point, the author attempts to involve readers in Verne's life, concentrating on his youthful days in Paris, where he spent much of the time sick, poor, and hungry. After the publication of his first few books, the remainder of his life is glossed over. Important events are sometimes given a big buildup, only to be dropped without further explanation. For example, much is made over the fact that Verne's wife was desperately ill. In the next paragraph she is suddenly well again, without any discussion of her illness, or why this was such an important episode in Verne's life. The text suffers from uneven writing. The illustrations, including reproductions from Verne's publications, are suitable but unappealing. --Patricia A. Dollisch, DeKalb County Public Library, Decatur, GA
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.
At 22, Verne was so poor that his dinner often consisted of prunes; by the time he was 50, he was rich and widely lauded. In between, he struggled with a father bent on making him into a provincial lawyer and with publishers' rejections--twenty thousand leagues under a sea of indifference--until his romantic storytelling and passion for facts gained him a worldwide audience. Today, after Shakespeare and the Bible, Verne's writings are the most widely translated of all time, credited with inspiring generations of astronauts, scientists, and explorers. Why? Read the books--because you won't learn here. Despite a life with its share of drama--an early attempt to run away to sea, a crippling gunshot wound by a presumably demented nephew--Verne never comes to life, while his popularity remains a mystery. Part of the problem lies with Teeters's uninspired narrative, peppered with invented--or at least undocumented- -emotions attributed to its subject. And part may be the difficulty of conveying to readers jaded by moonwalks and satellites the vision of a man who not only foresaw them but made them into human dramas. Since there's little in print about Verne, this volume fills a need; but a compelling story of his life remains to be told. B&w photos, engravings, etc.--very dark; bibliography (a dozen books, undifferentiated between sources and books for young readers); notes; index. (Nonfiction. 11+) -- Copyright ©1993, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.
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