Review
"...this excellent little book...shows [Verne] at his most whimsically sciene-fictional...Highly recommended." -- Science Fiction Studies, 2004
Product Description
Here at last is the first complete edition and the first English translation of a surprising work by a tremendously popular French writer whose novels continue to delight readers and audiences nearly a century after his death.
Jules Verne (1828-1905), the most translated novelist in the world and best known for books such as TWENTY THOUSAND LEAGUES UNDER THE SEA and AROUND THE WORLD IN EIGHTY DAYS was also a prolific playwright. JOURNEY THROUGH THE IMPOSSIBLE, a play of fantasy and science fiction, ran 97 performances in Paris in 1882 and 1883. In three acts, the characters go first in the center of the earth, then under the sea, and finally to the planet "Altor." Characters from TWENTY THOUSAND LEAGUES UNDER THE SEA, FROM THE EARTH TO THE MOON, DOCTOR OX, and JOURNEY TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH appear again in JOURNEY THROUGH THE IMPOSSIBLE, including Captain Nemo, President Barbicane, Michel Ardan, Doctor Ox, and Professor Lidenbrock.
Verne wrote this play in the middle of his life, between his optimistic (science helps humanity and is good) and pessimistic (science is dangerous and bad) works; the play is a vehicle for Verne to ask himself and his readers whether science, technology, and the pursuit of knowledge are good or bad. He used the play to pose questions about life and wisdom that are still important to us today.
The script of the play was lost to Vernian scholars for almost a
century, until the text was discovered in 1978 in the archives of the
Censorship Office of the Third French Republic. This special edition
of JOURNEY THROUGH THE IMPOSSIBLE includes several important features
that will enhance the reader's appreciation for the play. Edward
Baxter's compelling English translation is augmented by a revealing
Introduction written by Jean-Michel Margot, president of the North
American Jules Verne Society, which places the play in historical
context and explains its importance to Verne's corpus. Detailed
references and explanatory notes by Margot expand upon important terms
and concepts in the play and provide additional insights into the
author. Many wonderful illustrations from the original set designs
and a reproduction of a page from a lost scene of the play combine
with spectacular original illustrations by artist Roger Leyonmark
created specifically for this edition of the work. Leyonmark's
artistry will transport readers to the world of Jules Verne on stage.