The Mysterious Island (Modern Library Classics)

Book Description

Based on the true story of Alexander Selkirk, who survived alone for almost five years on an uninhabited island off the coast of Chile, The Mysterious Island is considered by many to be Jules Verne’s masterpiece. “Wide-eyed mid-nineteenth-century humanistic optimism in a breezy, blissfully readable translation by Stump” (Kirkus Reviews), here is the enthralling tale of five men and a dog who land in a balloon on a faraway, fantastic island of bewildering goings-on and their struggle to survive as they uncover the island’s secret.

From the Trade Paperback edition.

Customer Reviews:

excellent book.......2007-05-07

excellent book, but you obviously don't need me to tell you this. just look at how long its been in production.

Saddening metaphor of human nature.......2006-09-17

I really love fantasy and adventure novels, maybe because I am a geek, maybe because I am immature, but I really do. This book however left me with a bitter taste on my lips. I enjoy Verne's fantasy and his easy and fluid writing syle but I cannot stand the general tone of this one novel.. which is about a few guys that , while involved in the american civil war, have the very bad idea of flying in a balloon during a storm and end up stranded in your classic desert island. As soon as they land on this island they start laying waste on it killing whatever animal crosses their path, even if just to make candles and make their house a little more comfy. Not happy with that they even manage to fabric explosives to bomb the island here and there. Before you know, they have changed a luxurious, splendid , wild tropical island in a boring american ranch. A clear example and metaphor of the well known human attitude for consuming , exploiting and polluting nature. Nowhere in the book Verne takes the chance to make his characters reflect on the absurdity of war even if the peaceful life they were leading in the island would make the ideal contrast for it. I won't say anything about Ned, one of the characters, an ex slave freed by his master who seems to be there just to blindly follow his master like a dog. I think it 's self-commenting.
Overall, still a good adventure book, but also an (unwanted) saddening portrait of human nature.

Survivor 19th Century Style! .......2006-04-21

This is my favorite book by Jules Verne and I've always been disappointed that it is so underappreciated.

After escaping a confederate prison camp in a hot air balloon, five men are stranded on a remote island. The characters prove to be innovative and determined souls and set about creating a life for themselves using their knowledge of chemistry and other sciences.

The title of the book stems from a series of mysterious incidents that seem to be the work of a benevolent force helping the survivors.

Their ingenuity makes for fascinating reading and once again validates Jules Verne as one of the most intuitive authors of all time.

The thinking man's fiction read.......2006-03-28

Jules Verne really was well before his time and can rightly take his place as the grandfather of Science Fiction, having said that a lot of this "fiction" has come pretty close to the mark. Five comrades are trust together to survive from the elements on a remote island in the pacific, it really is remote as the island is "...more than eighteen hundred from New Zealand" What I love about this work and at the same time makes it a little sticky is the scientific detail that Verne goes into to explain how our heroes develop their island into a small slice of civilization. Verne does has some rather dated opinions regarding Neb, the servant of Cyrus Harding the novels clear cut Superman and does slightly stretch the truth with Jup's development, but if you can overlook these small misgivings and put them into historical light then its a great way to improve the mind and rekindle the love of reading. Oh I hear you ask who is Jup???? Get yourself a copy and find out you won't regret it!

Remarkable Novel even for Verne.......2005-10-13

This new translation lifts the book to a higher level - there is very little about Verne's writing that can be described as dated or boring. Even that redoutable master of brilliant and modern-reading prose, Wilkie Collins, cannot keep up with Verne at his best. How so much seemingly tedious description is lifted to this level of fluidity - flat out amazing.
Verne's genius for what we today call Science Fiction sometimes obscures his even greater gift, for pure narrative. And with the Mysterious Island in this new translation his talent is on full display. Verne creates with this island an entire new world, a sort of Eden, and within this landscape plays out an entirely breathtaking story. Lingering in the backdrop, Verne's embittered alter ego Nemo balances the one-sided idealism of the castaways. On a scale with the Count of Monte Cristo, and the literary culmination of the enlightenment/scientific shipwrecked theme,(versus the 'humans are animals Lord of the Flies alternative), the Mysterious Island builds steadily to a tremendous finish.
When we read 19th century fiction much of the time phrases and scenes are flat, stale; even the best writers, Dickens, or Trollope, Balzac or Hawthorne, have streches of writing that just doesn't read as anything but dated. But Verne's best books, and this certainly is one of them, are as remarkable for their uncluttered fine prose writing as they are for their famous plots and explorations.
If Verne was no great creator of character, he makes up for it by some of the most eminently readable works ever penned.
A wonderful book for reading during a cold long winter weekend.

The Mysterious Island (Secrets of Droon, 3)

Average customer rating:

Great for kids!
Mysterious Island is a pretty good book.
Great series of books
Mysterious!

The Mysterious Island (Secrets of Droon, 3)
Tony Abbott
Manufacturer: Scholastic Paperbacks
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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ASIN: 0590108409

Book Description

Their third adventure in Droon finds Eric, Neal, and Julie shipwrecked on a creepy and mysterious island. It's going to take some quick thinking and lots of magical help for the kids to get out of this one!

Customer Reviews:

Great for kids!.......2007-01-12

I read the Secrets of Droon series aloud to my second graders! They love it! When Neal turns into a bug, they are delighted! My teacher friend recommended this series to me and we have a ball reading it. When I'm done reading it, a student gets to have the book for their own.

Mysterious Island is a pretty good book........2004-10-21

Mysterious Island was a pretty good book. We liked the wizardry in it. We thought the title the Icky Bugs was quite funny. One great character was Princess Keeah because she was magical. We liked the magical rainbow stairs because they sounded so pretty. Galen Longbeard was another favorite. Lord Sparr was a great evil villain! We liked Neal. Maw was a cool spider troll. Most of us were surprised when he spun his trap. You must read this book. We think 8-25 year olds would like this book. This book would be enjoyed by people who like Magic Treehouse books. It is sort of like Lord of the Rings.

Great series of books.......2002-12-18

My 8 year old son has been reading this series of books since he was 6 and just loves them. He can't wait for the next book to be published. Highly reccommend for children who love to read about magical places and people.

Mysterious!.......2000-04-09

I don't really like the way that there is a magical staircase in the kids' closet. Princess Keeah is my favorite character. I don't like Lord Sparr.

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Super Reader
marvellous translation
Castaways in the Pacific
Mysteries abound
"All great actions redound to God, for it is from Him that they come!": Faith and Science

The Mysterious Island (Signet Classics)
Jules Verne
Manufacturer: Signet Classics
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0451524918

Book Description

At a time when Verne is making a comeback in the US as a mainstream literary figure, Wesleyan is pleased to publish a new translation of one of his best-known novels, The Mysterious Island. Although several editions under the same title are in print, most reproduce a bowdlerized nineteenth-century translation which changes the names of the characters, omits several important scenes, and ideologically censors Verne's original text.

The Mysterious Island was published in 1874, and it is one of Verne's longest novels. The plot depicts a group of men who have become castaways stranded on an island in the Pacific during the American Civil War. The novel describes their attempts not only to survive but also, with the aid of the scientific and technological know-how, to rebuild their world from the meager resources of the island. At the end, however, it is realized that Captain Nemo, from Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea, has secretly been helping the settlers. A marvelous adventure story, The Mysterious Island is also notable for its modern retelling of the utopian deserted-island myth, with repeated echoes of Robinson Crusoe and the Swiss Family Robinson. This Wesleyan edition features notes, appendices and an introduction by Verne scholar William Butcher, as well as reproductions of the illustrations from the original French edition.

Customer Reviews:

Super Reader.......2007-09-01

A group of civil war prison escapees manage to get wrecked on a strange island, after taking off in a balloon.

Being soldiers, they have a penchant for shooting things, breaking stuff and blowing things up. The characters do change over time and evolve in their outlook, while being limited by the knowledge of the time.

It all builds to an exciting climax as the group discovers they are being aided by the elusive Captain Nemo.

marvellous translation.......2006-11-18

In one of those odd coincidences, there hasn't been an english translation of this book in about 100 years, but two came out in 2000/1. One is actually available online: it was done as a labor of love by a retired
engineer. I didn't like his prose style, and found that he actively
mistranslated a crucial section to make it politically correct (Nemo's dying words were crucial and not nice ones). So I bought the english-professor's (Jordan) version. I enjoyed it.

Effectively, it was a "Swiss Family Robinson" type story, though it was rather more butt-kicking than that book. It was amusing to note how progressive Verne was in some ways, and how oddly backwards he was in others. For example, Neb (the former slave negro) was treated as a dignified man rather than a shucking and jiving type. However, Verne couldn't help but make jokes comparing him to the "half man" orangutang who became part of the family as well. Worth a looksie if you are a Verne fan. You have to understand what Verne is; he is a man of his time -you will be getting anarchic french Victorian-era technology-optimistic science fiction. If you're interested in that, this is a great introduction to it. If you're not, you'd probably be better off reading something else.

On a trip to Paris, my poking around the Verne themed metro station (a metro made up to look like a victorian submarine) inspired me to check out some Verne.

Castaways in the Pacific.......2006-10-06

The book opens with two prisoners of the Cofederate army along with three other men escaping in a hot air balloon. Contrary to their plans, a storm arises that blows them all the way to an uncharted volcanic island in the southern Pacific. Cyrus Harding is the natural leader of the group, and apparently very well informed in matters of science, proceeds to guide the men into establishing a colony, and providing for their every need. They use the resources found on the island, as well as their education. The book is in the genre of "The Swiss Family Robinson", except that as one of the men said, "they quite took the wind out of the sails of the Robinsons, for whom everything was done by a miracle." The first half of the book details how they were able to provide for their needs, and build a home on the island. The reading can become tedious unless the science of the way they performed each action is considered very interesting. I enjoyed it for a while, but not being too scientific myself, near the end of the second half of the book, I just wanted to get through it. It is very detailed, and if I was interested in it all, it truly would have been captivating.

The second half of the book explains certain mysterious occurrences that two of the party had been observing from the beginning. The story moves along more quickly, and the mystery draws the reader to turn the pages faster. They meet Captain Nemo from "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea" in his final hours, and are finally rescued after the island has been blown into oblivion by the volcano.

I enjoyed all the information in the book, but it can a little dry at times. The men develop close relationships as they work together to survive, and they all seem to have unlimited faith in Cyrus Harding to know what to do in every situation. They appear to believe in God, but He is not a part of their lives; one could guess that Jules Verne was an evolutionary deist. We are not told that the men are evolutionists, but their words definitely reveal them to be humanists. So I would recommend the book to those looking for interesting educational entertainment, but nothing deeper.

Mysteries abound.......2006-09-26

After reading The Mysterious Island, I wonder how much Jules Verne's current reputation is based on 1950s and '60s movies loosely--very loosely--adapted from his novels. In this book, there are no giant crabs or bees, or aliens, or even women. There are five men and a dog seeking to escape besieged Richmond during the Civil War who are carried off in a balloon by hurricane winds to an uncharted island in the Pacific, where they find and make what they need to survive.

The "colonists," as they style themselves to avoid the negative connotations of "castaways," are an improbable assortment, each man having knowledge or skills that complement those of the others. Cyrus Harding, the engineer, is not only a bottomless well of information about mechanics, chemistry, navigation, and other practical topics, but is also a natural leader. Gideon Spillett, the reporter, is an expert hunter. Pencroft, the sailor, knows shipbuilding and is a willing worker, while his teenage ward, Herbert, is a knowledgeable naturalist and able hunter. Harding's servant, Neb, plays the role of cook and domestic, while Harding's dog, Top, provides keen senses and instinct. When Verne wrote, "It would have been difficult to unite five men, better fitted to struggle against fate, more certain to triumph over it," it cannot have been without some sense of irony, since he is the one who brought them together in his imagination.

While a mysterious influence, whose acts are ambiguous at first but become more tangible over time, rescues the settlers or provides them with just what they need just when they need it, the real mystery of the island is the island itself. Perhaps Verne misunderstood or misused common names; he calls Jup's troop both "orangutans" (apes) and "baboons" (monkeys). He might have been pandering to a Victorian taste for the exotic. The island that the settlers call "Lincoln" for their wartime president is an impossibility of nature. Creatures from nearly every continent and ecosystem roam among an equally unlikely mixture of geological formations and collection of plants. Onagers from the Asian steppes and Middle Eastern deserts, koalas (described as "large" and speedy) from Australia, jaguars from Central and South America, orangutans from the Borneo rain forest, and musmons from isles of the Mediterranean are among Nature's bounty found on this small temperate island. Here, tropical apes, cats, and parrots survive below-freezing winters as easily as the musmons and goats.

The mineral riches are equally diverse, but even as he wonders about this paradise, Harding tells his comrades, "Nature gives us these things. It is our business to make a right use of them," signaling the beginning of man's never-ending quest to conquer and destroy nature. Even the water must be tamed; the settlers must "borrow its power, actually lost without profit to any one."

Under Harding's leadership, and with the occasional help of the island's secret benefactor, the colonists build an incredible infrastructure that provides them with shelter, water, food, clothing, power, tools, and weapons. Harding is not the leader because he is rich, good looking, charismatic, well spoken, or the other things that appeal to civilized man; he is the leader because he knows what to do and how to do it, and has faith in his ability to do it--and because he has intelligent followers in whom he can instill that same faith. The lack of discord among the colonists is as unlikely as the flora and fauna, but it may be Verne's commentary on leadership when it is most needed. When an important decision must be made, Harding refuses to make it without obtaining the opinions of all concerned, including his own servant. Taken away from civilization and its layers of social, moral, and other complexities, and forced into a situation where able leadership and willing cooperation mean not only survival but comfort and satisfaction, these men rise to the occasion. It is no coincidence that the impetus for the arrival on Lincoln Island is the Civil War, one of America's bloodiest, most savage times.

In the afterword, author Isaac Asimov tried to determine the appeal of "robinsonades" like Robinson Crusoe, Swiss Family Robinson, and The Mysterious Island. He came to the conclusion that such tales answer the question, "What do I do if civilization fails me?"--a question that could apply to castaways on an uncharted island or survivors of a civil war or a nuclear or chemical/biochemical holocaust. Perhaps, though, the question is more basic than that. It might be, "Do I need civilization at all?"

While the North and South were counting and burying their dead and trying to heal the nation--a process that in some ways has not been completed--Harding and his group were using both their minds and their hands to shape a near-paradise (interestingly, one in which tobacco is missed sorely, but not women).

The Mysterious Island starts off slowly; too much ink is dedicated to Pencroft's desire to kill eat every creature they encounter, and the characters can seem psychologically shallow and limited to a mature reader. At some point, however, I found myself so interested in Lincoln Island that I, like the colonists, was reluctant to leave it. I was even disappointed by the ultimate fate and home of the settlers, as it did not seem the right place for them to be. While not a literary masterpiece, The Mysterious Island does not need giant crabs, bees, or even women to be a good story of its kind.

"All great actions redound to God, for it is from Him that they come!": Faith and Science.......2006-08-10

Jules Verne's _The Mysterious Island_ (1874 - 1875) is a massive work in terms of its scope and development. Verne spends over six hundred pages describing the lives of five castaways on a deserted island over a three year period. The men--Cyrus Smith, Gideon Spilett, Nebuchadnezzar (Neb), Pencroff, and Harbert Brown--have escaped captivity from Richmond, Virginia, during the Civil War. Taking to flight on an unguarded Confederate hot air balloon (an "aerostat") during a storm, the five men find themselves blown wildly off course-- providentially, though, to a hitherto undiscovered island in the middle of the wastes of the Pacific Ocean.

Unlike Daniel Defoe's protagonist Robinson Crusoe, who is able to scavenge supplies from the shipwreck, the five men must start their lives anew with nothing but the clothes on their backs. Cyrus Smith, an engineer, is a mechanical genuis, and slowly through his guidance, the colonists begin to establish themselves, inventing (or re-inventing) all that they need to survive. Through the improvements of the colonists, Verne is able to trace the scientific advancements of mankind through roughly five millenia, from the prehistoric period (3000 BC) up to the nineteenth-century. This is a brilliant aspect of the book. We see the colonists move from the production of pottery in a kiln, to metallurgy, the machine age, energy production, and the creation of weaponry and explosives. Verne's knowledge of science is copious, and the novel educates the reader about human progress.

Another interesting component is Verne's use of suspense. He works through the conventions of the castaway genre made famous in _Robinson Crusoe_--for example, the men's discovery that the land is an island not a continent; the question of whether there are other island inhabitants and, if so, whether they are friend or foe; the visit by outsiders; the buidling of a new ship, etc. Verne also adds many new elements. One problem with the book is a major timeline error, which the narrator himself admits in a footnote. The chronology issue will be apparent to readers who have read other Verne novels and who, as a result, anticipate the ending. Why Verne allowed such an error, after meticulously developing his novel with scientific accuracy, is itself mysterious since the ending could have been handled differently.

Two other points of note are Verne's depiction of Neb, a former slave who remains devoted to his previous master, Cyrus Smith, and Verne's predictions about future scientific advancement. On the former point, one wonders what Verne's views were about race relations in America after the Civil War. This friendship, for a contemporary reader, raises many questions. An example of Verne's knack for anticipating the advancement of science is his discussion of alternative energy, namely the hydrogen economy (yes, you read that correctly!). Cyrus Smith comments, "Yes, my friend, I believe that water will one day be used as fuel, that the hydrogen and oxygen of which it is constituted will be used, simultaneously or in isolation, to furnish an inexhaustible source of heat and light, more powerful than coal can ever be" (327).

Jordan Stump's translation can be a bit ponderous because of its faithfulness to the nineteenth-century French, which is also, it must be said, a strength. Although sometimes plodding, this is definitely a worthwhile book. Stump's translation reveals Verne's fascination with science and Verne's ability to make science absolutely fascinating in a novel.

The Man With the Bird on His Head: The Amazing Fulfillment of a Mysterious Island Prophecy (International Adventure Series)

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Wonderful Book!
An amazing journey across the globe and through faith.

The Man With the Bird on His Head: The Amazing Fulfillment of a Mysterious Island Prophecy (International Adventure Series)
John Rush , and Abbe Anderson
Manufacturer: YWAM Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1576580059

Customer Reviews:

Wonderful Book!.......2000-10-07

John Rush gives us a present day triumph of faith. The book is masterfully written in a personal down to earth style. The author takes you from the California gold country, to the most remote location on earth to a little island in vanuatu which is home to an an amazing tribe of people. He tells the true story of a young man's struggle to come to grips with the reality of God, and the blessings that come from obedience to God.

An amazing journey across the globe and through faith........1999-10-22

Mr. Rush presents us with a thrilling account of faith and a journey to an isolated island. The book is a masterpiece, detailing an early life as an atheist to a switch to a missionary to the islands around Vanuatu. Everything from being made a temporary pastor to avoiding drive-by shootings. This book proves that God is active in the world today, and deeply cares for those unreached people in the world. A true-life account of a missionary, and a wonderful example of God's work in our world.

A Mysterious History (Mysteries of Sparrow Island #4)

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A Mysterious History (Mysteries of Sparrow Island #4)

Manufacturer: Guideposts Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
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ASIN: B000EGQ3CE

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The Mysterious Island

Manufacturer: Dodd, Mead & Co.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000H3UWEY

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Pfister's new approach to choices in children's books
Milo and the Mysterious Island

Milo and the Mysterious Island
Marcus Pfister , and Marianne Martens
Manufacturer: North-South
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0735813523

Book Description

This exciting sequel to Marcus Pfister's best-selling Milo and the Magical Stones picks up where the happy resolution to that alternate-ending book left off. Winter is over and Milo sets out to explore. But Milo knows every nook and cranny of his small island and he is restless and bored. How wonderful it would be, he thinks, to see what lies over the horizon. He shares his dream with the other cliff mice, and together they build a giant raft and set out on a voyage of discovery. Their voyage takes them to a lush tropical island inhabited by friendly striped mice. What kind of explorers will the cliff mice be? Will their discovery lead to good or evil? It's up to the reader to decide. Halfway through the story, the book splits into two sections, each offering a different ending. ?From Marcus Pfister, creator of The Rainbow Fish, comes a thought-provoking story that, with the book's unique format, actively involves children in the decision-making process.?

Customer Reviews:

Pfister's new approach to choices in children's books.......2001-11-19

Glancing through Milo and the Mysterious Island was intriguing. Written and illustrated by Marcus Pfister, the book takes a new approach to children's literature: you get to decide what ending the book should have. You can opt for a happy or sad ending, depending on which you prefer. Milo and his friends embark on a journey, taking their magic stones, to find the mysterious island with striped mice. Things take a twist in each ending as the mice struggle with an unfamiliar culture and don't always make the right decision.

What first caught my eye about this book were the illustrations. Not only are they bright and colorful, but the magic stones actually seem to glow on the page. The reason for this is that the stones are done in a sort-of gold holographic material that jumps off the page. However, as I read, the book certainly had meaning as well.

Although the book has small words and is easy to read, the book packs a punch with its thought-provoking story. As the book progresses and you are given a decision as to which ending to read, a child is taught a valuable lesson. The book demonstrates on a child's level what happens when we jump to conclusions about other cultures. It demonstrates how unfair and mean we can sometimes be. On the other hand, the book also pushes the child into making a much more difficult decision: accepting and learning from other cultures.

This book is a terrific addition to children's literature. Not only are the illustrations visually enticing but the story itself holds value beyond its easily understandable words.

Milo and the Mysterious Island.......2000-10-06

I love this book! I have read this book to my two toddlers, and plan to read it to my fourth grade students. I enjoyed the two different endings that are available. I always have to read both. This book is wonderful to help children talk about differences among people. In life we have two choices, we can embrace differences and learn from them or we can be fearful of differences. This book provides many opportunities for discussions with children on a very important topic, differences. Differences come in the form of disablities, languages, culture, and appearances. This story is fun to read with younger children and great for discussions with older children and even adults. This is a must read!

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The Mysterious Island

Manufacturer: Scribners
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000HYVMHY

Mysterious Islands: Forgotten Tales of the Great Lakes

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Forgotten Lore of the Inland Seas
picked it up, couldn't put it down

Mysterious Islands: Forgotten Tales of the Great Lakes
Andrea Gutsche , and Cindy Bisaillon
Manufacturer: Lynx Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Book Description

Mysterious Islands is an adventurous historical journey to islands found within the vast basin of the five Great Lakes. Why Islands? Islands stand removed and alone-it is this isolation that has made them central to some fo the most amazing, bizarre, and heroic events in Great Lakes history. The waves of time have left fascinating remnants of the past on their shores-sites and stories that are waiting to be explored.

Customer Reviews:

Forgotten Lore of the Inland Seas.......2006-08-06

Here we have one of those books that will fascinate a reader seeking an interesting story to pass the time. Its one of those excellent regional history books that you can pick up and open at random and find something that will enthrall your curiosity for hours. Providing several stories of generally obscure and forgotten events and people in the history of the Great Lakes, I must say I have been looking for something like this for quite some time. The stories contained within cover maritime, military, economic, and civic aspects of the region's history, mostly in the 19th century. In general, its one of those books that tells us that the story of your part of the country is far more dramatic than most people know. If you are from the Great Lakes region, U.S. or Canadian side, I would say you should read this. I have not seen this book in any bookstores outside the Great Lakes states, but I would recommend it to anyone interested in the inland seas.

picked it up, couldn't put it down.......2000-05-31

There are those of us from the Great Lakes region who become infected with these sweetwater seas--and I am one of them. The Great Lakes offer so much in the area of recreation in swimming, fishing, boating and just watching. They also offer much in stories and tales of people, places and events on or by the water.

I was accompanying my son on a grade school field trip and came across this book in a gift store. I picked it up and found that I could not put it down...so I bought it and read it straight thru.

This book is filled with the people and events that occured on many of the islands that exist in this lake system. Stories of people and places that are rarely found in our history books, or at most hinted at.

This book is a must have for anyone who collects tales of the Great Lakes.

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Variation on a timeless theme. . . .

A Very Poor Translation

Best Jules Verne Novel

The Mysterious Island
Jules Verne
Manufacturer: Signet Classics
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Paris in the Twentieth Century: Jules Verne, The Lost Novel

ASIN: 0451529413
Release Date: 2004-07-06

Book Description

With little more than courage and ingenuity, five Union prisoners escaped the siege of Richmond-by hot-air balloon. They have no idea if they'll ever see civilization again-especially when they're swept off by a raging storm to the shores of an uncharted island.

Customer Reviews:

Variation on a timeless theme. . . . .......2007-02-10

Just finished reading this book and a grand tale it is! Verne is a master
craftsman! He justly deserves the title (together with H.G. Wells) of
"Father of Science Fiction." But whereas Wells developed science fiction
as a means of conveying definitive utopian visions, for Verne the genre
facilitates the exploration of classic dilemmas confronting humankind.

Think of "Mysterious Island" as "Robinson Crusoe" meets "Twenty Thousand
Leagues Under the Sea" and you'll get an idea of where Verne is headed
with this story. There is certainly the emphasis on technology, science
and learning with which all sci-fi fans are familiar. What makes the
book worth reading, however, is the variation it represents on classic
themes found throughout literature. "Mysterious Island" is essentially
the age-old story of man versus nature and man versus his fellow man and
what consequences these confrontations have upon the human condition in
general. The interaction of these opposing forces constitutes the
enduring appeal of "Mysterious Island" and make it much more than just a
science fiction story.

Considering Verne's reputation and how well he writes I am surprised his
works are not more often taught in school. Perhaps the moniker "Father
of Science Fiction" hangs too heavily with him. Maybe it would just be
too easy to write a report on his ideas. Whatever the case, many people
are acquainted with his works only through their movie versions, and that
is a lost opportunity! Verne's works seem worthy of consideration
equally great as those of Mark Twain, Nathaniel Hawthorne, Daniel Defoe,
or Jonathan Swift. It is a joy to read Verne's works to see how he
develops many of life's classic oppositions in his tales.

"Mysterious Island" does not represent Jules Verne's best work. Even the
Verne fan may find it somewhat dull or overwritten when compared with
better known works such as "Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea" or
"Around the World in Eighty Days." The latter two works do greater
justice to Verne's style and grace, especially his powers of characterization. But Verne's ability to create the classic oppositions
of the human condition and present them to the reader makes "Mysterious
Island"--along with his whole body of work--worthy of reading among the
best in world literature.

A Very Poor Translation.......2006-11-26

This is the 1875 translation, by WHG Kingston, which cuts sections of text, changes the names of the characters and is generally not faithful. Choose instead Sidney Kravitz's version for Wesleyan University Press to really understand what Verne intended to say.

Best Jules Verne Novel.......2006-08-27

I love the work of Jules Verne, and this is by far his best work. The island is really a symbol for the world, and how we could make use with it and still live in harmony with it. This translation (Signet Classic version) was very readable, and I believe that it was not edited in any way, but I can't find that anywhere on the book itself. I only mention this, because some Jules Verne novels are shamelessly cut apart, and censor the reading before the reader even has a chance to judge. The introduction and afterword are negligible. The characters are great, and even though they may be a little unbelievable by today's standards, the whole point of the novel is about what GREAT men can do even with nothing to start with. A MUST read after 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (be especially careful which version of that book you get)

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