Jules Gabriel Verne

BORN: February 8th, 1828, Nantes, FR

DIED: March 24th, 1905 , Amiens, FR (age 77)

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This website is a brief photographic journey to Jules Verne's birthplace (Nantes- Musee Jules Verne) and hometown (Amiens- La Maison de Jules Verne) where there are two separate Museums dedicated only to the writer himself.  The house in Amiens is the actual house he retired in 1882 at the age of 54 after moving from Paris.  

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NOTABLE WORKS:  Published from 1850 to 1905

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* Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea ~ 1869

* Journey to the Center of the Earth ~ 1864

* From the Earth to the Moon ~ 1865

* Around the World in Eighty Days ~ 1872

* The Mysterious Island ~ 1874

* An Antarctic Mystery ~ 1897

* Master of the World ~ 1904

 

Paris, where most of his works had been published, had just been through a war and the newly elected Louis-Napoleon Bonaparte III was tasked to rebuild the City, and was committed to hosting the Worlds Fair's and Expositions there (alternating every year with London).  The Exposition Universelle 1867 ushered in great inventions of the time such as "electricity" which heavily inspired his work in "Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea".   The City was becoming known as the "most decadent city in the world".  Paris was also the "birthplace of modern art" with famous artists such as Degas, Delacriox, Renoir, and Picasso creating the worlds most treasured art pieces from that time.   Authors such as Victor Hugo who wrote The Hutchback of Notre-Dame 1831 and Les Miserables 1862 had a great influence on Jules Verne, as well as his collaborative work with playwright Alexandre Dumas fils (son of Alexandre Dumas best known for "Count of Monte Cristo 1844"  and "Three Musketeers 1844".  This was an exciting time to be in that environment.  The sharing of new inventions, the gathering of explorers and innovators.. "Science was in its infancy and was not yet included in French education," noted Michael Crichton in his Introduction to the author's books.. "so there was a great demand among readers for popular articles to educate them on scientific subjects.  Verne was one of those who helped supply this demand." 

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In that Parisian culture Jules was guided by Pierre-Jules Hetzel a French publisher directly in touch with his magazine readers. which included the lucrative Russian market.  Hetzel's collaboration in Jules' "Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea" story changed Captain Nemo's enemy from the "Russians" to the "slave trade" in general which paved the way for the success of the book.

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*Jules-Verne 1976

• Adventure Travel, Exploration, Adventure Story