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Publication
Wesleyan University Press (2005), Hardcover
Description
Verne's first cautionary tale about the dangers of science -- first modern and corrected English translation.
Language
Original language
French
User reviews
LibraryThing member Garrison0550
I don't have many 'least favorite Verne books', but this is one of them. It seemed a bit slow, and the ending is kind of like, "Yeah, well...okay, I guess." But it's still a Verne book and even the slower one or two are worth a read once!
LibraryThing member Stevil2001
Two wealthy guys start two competing utopian cities; war ensues. The one run by a maniacal supervillain intent on building weapons of mass destruction ends up wiping itself out. I appreciate that Verne is trying to do something more interesting here than his usual travelogues, but it's not actually
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very interesting. No characterization, mediocre plot. Show Less
LibraryThing member DanielSTJ
This was a surprisingly entertaining book! The only problem I found with it was that right when I was really starting to get into it, the novel sped up and then the conclusion inevitably arrived. The characters seem real, even in their dimensions of archetypes, and the action is sharp and focused.
3.35 stars!
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I quite liked the tale and feel that, for those who like Verne, they will not be disappointed.3.35 stars!
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LibraryThing member burritapal
I struggled to finish this boring book. Not Verne's best.
In the beginning of the story, Dr sarrasin, a Frenchman, is attending the Hygienic Conference in London, and that's when he receives news that he is the inheritor of a fortune. Whereas the day before, he had been treated as a mere speck on
"but on the present occasion Lord GLandover smiled most graciously upon Dr sarassin as he entered, and even carried his courtesy so far as to invite him by a sign to be seated at his right hand. The other members of the conference all Rose when he appeared on the platform.
Considerably astonished by so flattering a reception, Dr sarrasin took the chair he was offered, concluding that, in further consideration, his invention had been found of much greater importance than his scientific brethren had at first supposed."
Max is a friend of Dr sarassin's family, treated as a son from the time his parents died when he was a boy. He infiltrates stahlstadt, the home of Dr sarassin's enemy, as a spy. He stays with a widow and her boy, little Carl Bauer, who works in the minr day and night. When he doesn't return home one Sunday morning, Max sets off to find out what happened to him. He finds an overseer, and the two of them, with a few other men, searched the mine for the boy.
"Max took his little box from his pocket, struck a match, and stooping, held it towards the ground, upon which it instantly went out.
'I was sure of it,' he remarked.
'The gas, being heavier than the air, lies close to the ground. You must not stay here - I mean those without the galibert apparatus. If you like, sir, we can continue the search alone.'
This being agreed to, Max and the overseer each took between his teeth the mouthpiece of his airbox, placed the clamp on his nostrils, and boldly penetrated into a succession of old galleries.
In a quarter of an hour they came out to renew the air in their reservoir; this done, they started again.
On the third trial their efforts were crowned with success. The faint blueish light of an electric lamp was seen far off in the darkness. They hastened to it.
At the foot of the damp wall, motionless and already cold, lay poor little carl. His blue lips and sunken eyes told what had happened. Evidently he had wished to pick up something from the ground: he had stooped, and been literally drowned in the choke damp.
Every effort to recall him to life was in vain. He must have been already dead four or 5 hours. By the next evening there was another little grave in the cemetery of stahlstadt, and poor Dame Bauer was bereaved of her child as well as of her husband."
Max infiltrates, by his hard work, into the interior of the king of spouse thought himself, Herr Schultz.
'are you the draftsman?'
'yes, sir.'
'I have seen your diagrams. They are very good. But do you understand nothing but Steam engines?'
'I have never been examined in anything else.'
'do you know anything of the science of projectiles?'
'I have studied it in my spare time, and for my own pleasure.'
This reply interested Herr schultz.
He deigned to turn and look at his employee.
'Well, will you undertake to design a cannon with me? We shall see what you can make of it! Ah! You will be scarcely able to take the place of that idiot of a sohne, who got killed this morning whilst handling some dynamite! The fool might have blown us all up!'
It must be acknowledged that this revolting want of feeling was only What might Have been expected from the mouth of Herr schultz."
Herr Schultz reveals to Max what he wants to do with the cannon that Max will design:
"... With one of these shells, which, thrown by my gun from the platform, will cross the Cascade mountains. Where? There exists a city, separated from us by 30 miles at the most, upon whose inhabitants it will come like a thunderclap, for even if they expected it they could not Ward it off or escape its horrific effects. This is now the 5th of september. Well, on the 13th, at a quarter before midnight, frankville will disappear from off American soil! The burning of Sodom will be rivaled. Professor Schultz in his turn, will let loose the fires of heaven! "
Here's the racist part, talking about how frankville was constructed by Chinese people:
"... Placards posted up all over the state of california, an advertisement van permanently attached to the express train, which starts every morning from San Francisco to Traverse the American continent, and a daily article in the 23 newspapers of that town, were sufficient to ensure the recruiting of the laborers. It was not even found necessary to resort to the expedient of publishing on a grand scale by means of gigantic letters sculptured on the peaks of the rocky mountains, that men were wanted. It must be said that the influx of Chinese coolies into Western America had just at this time caused much perturbation in the labor market. Several states had, in the interest of their own population, actually expelled these unfortunate people en masse. The building of frankville came just in time to save them from perishing. Their wages, fixed at a dollar a day, were not to be paid them until the works were finished, and their rations were distributed by the municipal administration. thus all the disorder and shameful speculations, which so often attend any great displacement of population, were avoided. The wages were deposited every week, in the presence of delegates in the great Bank of San francisco, and every Coolie was warned that when he drew it out he was not to return. This precaution was absolutely necessary to get rid of a yellow population, which would otherwise have infallibly lowered the tone and standard of the new city. The founders having, besides, reserve the right of granting or refusing permission to live there, the application of this measure was comparatively easy."
So I guess at the time that this book was published, not only did Germans hate French people and vice versa, but French people hated Chinese people, and so did americans. What a mess.
In the beginning of the story, Dr sarrasin, a Frenchman, is attending the Hygienic Conference in London, and that's when he receives news that he is the inheritor of a fortune. Whereas the day before, he had been treated as a mere speck on
Show More
the floor, the second day, when they had all learned that he was suddenly rich, their hypocritical natures showed themselves: "but on the present occasion Lord GLandover smiled most graciously upon Dr sarassin as he entered, and even carried his courtesy so far as to invite him by a sign to be seated at his right hand. The other members of the conference all Rose when he appeared on the platform.
Considerably astonished by so flattering a reception, Dr sarrasin took the chair he was offered, concluding that, in further consideration, his invention had been found of much greater importance than his scientific brethren had at first supposed."
Max is a friend of Dr sarassin's family, treated as a son from the time his parents died when he was a boy. He infiltrates stahlstadt, the home of Dr sarassin's enemy, as a spy. He stays with a widow and her boy, little Carl Bauer, who works in the minr day and night. When he doesn't return home one Sunday morning, Max sets off to find out what happened to him. He finds an overseer, and the two of them, with a few other men, searched the mine for the boy.
"Max took his little box from his pocket, struck a match, and stooping, held it towards the ground, upon which it instantly went out.
'I was sure of it,' he remarked.
'The gas, being heavier than the air, lies close to the ground. You must not stay here - I mean those without the galibert apparatus. If you like, sir, we can continue the search alone.'
This being agreed to, Max and the overseer each took between his teeth the mouthpiece of his airbox, placed the clamp on his nostrils, and boldly penetrated into a succession of old galleries.
In a quarter of an hour they came out to renew the air in their reservoir; this done, they started again.
On the third trial their efforts were crowned with success. The faint blueish light of an electric lamp was seen far off in the darkness. They hastened to it.
At the foot of the damp wall, motionless and already cold, lay poor little carl. His blue lips and sunken eyes told what had happened. Evidently he had wished to pick up something from the ground: he had stooped, and been literally drowned in the choke damp.
Every effort to recall him to life was in vain. He must have been already dead four or 5 hours. By the next evening there was another little grave in the cemetery of stahlstadt, and poor Dame Bauer was bereaved of her child as well as of her husband."
Max infiltrates, by his hard work, into the interior of the king of spouse thought himself, Herr Schultz.
'are you the draftsman?'
'yes, sir.'
'I have seen your diagrams. They are very good. But do you understand nothing but Steam engines?'
'I have never been examined in anything else.'
'do you know anything of the science of projectiles?'
'I have studied it in my spare time, and for my own pleasure.'
This reply interested Herr schultz.
He deigned to turn and look at his employee.
'Well, will you undertake to design a cannon with me? We shall see what you can make of it! Ah! You will be scarcely able to take the place of that idiot of a sohne, who got killed this morning whilst handling some dynamite! The fool might have blown us all up!'
It must be acknowledged that this revolting want of feeling was only What might Have been expected from the mouth of Herr schultz."
Herr Schultz reveals to Max what he wants to do with the cannon that Max will design:
"... With one of these shells, which, thrown by my gun from the platform, will cross the Cascade mountains. Where? There exists a city, separated from us by 30 miles at the most, upon whose inhabitants it will come like a thunderclap, for even if they expected it they could not Ward it off or escape its horrific effects. This is now the 5th of september. Well, on the 13th, at a quarter before midnight, frankville will disappear from off American soil! The burning of Sodom will be rivaled. Professor Schultz in his turn, will let loose the fires of heaven! "
Here's the racist part, talking about how frankville was constructed by Chinese people:
"... Placards posted up all over the state of california, an advertisement van permanently attached to the express train, which starts every morning from San Francisco to Traverse the American continent, and a daily article in the 23 newspapers of that town, were sufficient to ensure the recruiting of the laborers. It was not even found necessary to resort to the expedient of publishing on a grand scale by means of gigantic letters sculptured on the peaks of the rocky mountains, that men were wanted. It must be said that the influx of Chinese coolies into Western America had just at this time caused much perturbation in the labor market. Several states had, in the interest of their own population, actually expelled these unfortunate people en masse. The building of frankville came just in time to save them from perishing. Their wages, fixed at a dollar a day, were not to be paid them until the works were finished, and their rations were distributed by the municipal administration. thus all the disorder and shameful speculations, which so often attend any great displacement of population, were avoided. The wages were deposited every week, in the presence of delegates in the great Bank of San francisco, and every Coolie was warned that when he drew it out he was not to return. This precaution was absolutely necessary to get rid of a yellow population, which would otherwise have infallibly lowered the tone and standard of the new city. The founders having, besides, reserve the right of granting or refusing permission to live there, the application of this measure was comparatively easy."
So I guess at the time that this book was published, not only did Germans hate French people and vice versa, but French people hated Chinese people, and so did americans. What a mess.
Show Less