Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea - The Original Classic Edition (Verne Jules) ; Ingram

This is Jules Vernes classic tale of undersea adventure, based on the 1873 translation by Lewis Mercier. Since thats been the standard English translation for over a hundred years, its probably the one you remember reading way back when, and the edition youll be familiar with.

Re-reading this as an adult, and an adult whos spent twenty-plus years since then reading science fiction, I did have to remind myself more than once how amazing the then-future technologies Verne describes, like electric rifles, undersea diving suits, electric motors, etc., would have been to his contemporary readers; the book was first published in 1869, a mere five years after the Confederate submarine Hunley became the first submarine to sink an enemy warship (and sank itself in the process). At times I found myself mentally substituting outer space for under sea, just to help me analogize the situation. Despite that, the plot and action were as riveting now as they were when I first read it.

Professor Arronax, his valet Conseil, and harpooner Ned Land are coaxed into assisting the United States in a search for a sea monster said to be terrorizing shipping lanes–but the monster is not flesh and blood. The three soon find themselves in the hands of the mysterious Captain Nemo, who has created a machine that glides beneath the surface of the ocean a submarine named Nautilus.

LEAGUES is a fascinating novel to read–fascinating as much for itself as for what it tells us about the world of the 1870s and what was believed to be possible. The vision that Verne had would indeed come to pass there would be submarines, and they would strong enough to brave the polar seas. It is an impressive accomplishment–and a tremendously fun read.

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