Twenty Thousand Leagues Under The Seas

By (author) Verne, Jules; Edited by Butcher William
Short description/annotation
Verne''s classic tale of Captain Nemo and the submarine the Nautilus has left a profound mark on the twentieth century. Its themes are universal, its style humorous and grandiose, its construction masterly.
Description
''I am going to sink it.'' ''You are not!'' ''I am,'' he coldly replied. ''Do not take it on yourself to judge me, monsieur.'' French naturalist Dr Aronnax embarks on an expedition to hunt down a sea monster, but discovers instead the Nautilus, a self-contained world built by its enigmatic captain. Together Nemo and Aronnax explore the underwater realms of the globe, undergo a transcendental experience amongst the ruins of Atlantis, and plant a black flag at the South Pole. Nemo''s mission is finally revealed to be a violent one-and his methods coldly efficient. Verne''s classic novel has left a profound mark on subsequent centuries. Its themes are universal, its style alternately humorous and grandiose, its construction masterly. This new and unabridged translation brilliantly conveys the range of this seminal work. The volume also contains unpublished information about the novel''s inception.
Table of contents
AcknowledgementsList of AbbreviationsIntroductionNote on the Text and TranslationSelect BibliographyChronologyTWENTY THOUSAND LEAGUES UNDER THE SEASAppendix: Sources of ideas on submarine navigationExplanatory notes
Review quote
This truly is the edition that serious SF readers will want. Indeed, given its rigour is at the academic level (such is the quantity and detail of ancillary information provided), it is surprising that this book is priced at the level of an average fiction paperback: it is extremely good value.
Review quote
Review from previous edition ''stands head and shoulders above the other English translations of Verne I have seen.''
Biographical note
William Butcher is a Verne scholar and English Professor at the Hong Kong Institute of Education. He has written extensively on French literature and on natural language processing, and is the author of Verne''s Journey to the Centre of the Self: Space and Time in the Voyages Extraordinaires (Palgrave Macmillan, 1990).
Publisher''s notice
William Butcher is a Verne scholar and English Professor at the Hong Kong Institute of Education. He has written extensively on French literature and on natural language processing, and is the author of Verne''s Journey to the Centre of the Self: Space and Time in the Voyages Extraordinaires (Palgrave Macmillan, 1990).
Feature
This unabridged translation brilliantly conveys the novel''s tones and range.It appears with a distinguished Introduction and Notes, reporting the very first study of the manuscripts, together with revelations about the artistic and scientific references.New to This Edition:A stylistic revision of the translation, rephrasing in the light of repetitions, assonances, and minor inconsistencies.
Review quote: previous edition
Review from previous edition: ''...stands head and shoulders above the other English translations of Verne I have seen.'' - Nineteenth-Century French Studies
Version history
This unabridged translation brilliantly conveys the novel''s tones and range.It appears with a distinguished Introduction and Notes, reporting the very first study of the manuscripts, together with revelations about the artistic and scientific references.New to This Edition:A stylistic revision of the translation, rephrasing in the light of repetitions, assonances, and minor inconsistencies.