At a time when Verne is making a comeback in the US as a mainstream literary figure, Wesleyan is pleased to publish a new translation of one of his best-known novels, The Mysterious Island. Although several editions under the same title are in print, most reproduce a bowdlerized nineteenth-century translation which changes the names of the characters, omits several important scenes, and ideologically censors Verne's original text. The Mysterious Island was published in 1874, and it is one of Verne's longest novels. The plot depicts a group of men who have become castaways stranded on an island in the Pacific during the American Civil War. The novel describes their attempts not only to survive but also, with the aid of the scientific and technological know-how, to rebuild their world from the meager resources of the island. At the end, however, it is realized that Captain Nemo, from Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea, has secretly been helping the settlers. A marvelous adventure story, The Mysterious Island is also notable for its modern retelling of the utopian deserted-island myth, with repeated echoes of Robinson Crusoe and the Swiss Family Robinson. This Wesleyan edition features notes, appendices and an introduction by Verne scholar William Butcher, as well as reproductions of the illustrations from the original French edition.

This is an almost never republished translation of the classic Verne story. It appeared serialized in a Philadelphia newspaper in 1876 and seems to be one of the only American translations of the manuscript, The others have been either British or French.A group of escapees from a Civil War prison take off in a hot air balloon but soon find themselves in the middle of a great storm. The balloon is thrashed about and they barely make it to a strangely-shaped island. There, along with an assortment of strange creatures and dangers they find Captain Nemo and his Nautilus. Neither one actually perished in the action at the end of 20,000 Leagues Under The Seas!This is a wonderful story and it is with little doubt that he must have envisioned the day when it might be presented in visual form to the world. Verne did, after all, foresee the advent of man's ability to transmit voice as well as pictures--and no doubt video--through the air.

The anthology 'Treasure Island + The Mysterious Island' brings together seminal works by Jules Verne and Robert Louis Stevenson, illuminating the pioneering spirits of adventure and discovery that defined the literary zeitgeist of the 19th century. With a keen emphasis on exploring the unknown, both narratives employ diverse literary styles that range from the gripping tale of buccaneers and buried gold to the scientific wonders of innovation and survival on an uninhabited island. This collection showcases the richness of speculative and adventure fiction, highlighting the period's fascination with exploration and the human spirit's resilience. The contributing authors, Jules Verne and Robert Louis Stevenson, stand as colossi in the literature of adventure and science fiction. Verne's foresight into technological advancements and Stevenson's detailed psychological landscapes have cemented their works in the annals of literary history. Their contributions transcend mere storytelling, aligning with cultural and historical movements that celebrated human ingenuity and the persistent quest for knowledge. They collectively enrich this theme, offering readers a comprehensive view of mankind's relentless pursuit of the unknown. 'Treasure Island + The Mysterious Island' is an invitation to immerse oneself in the quintessence of 19th-century adventure and speculative fiction. The anthology promises not only a thrilling journey through imaginative landscapes and uncharted territories but also a profound exploration of the elements that define human curiosity and resilience. This collection is a must-read for those who cherish the intricate interplay of adventure, science, and the enduring allure of the undiscovered, providing an unparalleled opportunity to engage with the works of two masters of literature within a single, enriching volume.

Reproduction of the original. The publishing house Megali specialises in reproducing historical works in large print to make reading easier for people with impaired vision.

В знаменитом на весь мир произведении Жюля Верна «Таинственный остров» рассказывается о группе людей, сбежавших из плена на воздушном шаре и оказавшихся на необитаемом острове. Героям предстоит преодолеть немало трудностей, чтобы подчинить себе дикую природу острова и раскрыть его тайны.Текст адаптирован для продолжающих изучение английского языка (Уровень 3) и сопровождается комментариями и словарем.В формате PDF A4 сохранен издательский макет книги.

The Mysterious Island (French: L'Île mystérieuse) is a novel by Jules Verne, published in 1874. The original edition, published by Hetzel, contains a number of illustrations by Jules Férat. The novel is a crossover sequel to Verne's famous Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea and In Search of the Castaways, though its themes are vastly different from those books. An early draft of the novel, initially rejected by Verne's publisher and wholly reconceived before publication, was titled Shipwrecked Family: Marooned With Uncle Robinson, seen as indicating the influence on the novel of Robinson Crusoe and The Swiss Family Robinson. Verne developed a similar theme in his later novel, Godfrey Morgan (French: L'École des Robinsons, 1882). Plot summary The plot focuses on the adventures of five Americans on an uncharted island in the South Pacific. During the American Civil War, five northern prisoners of war decide to escape, during the siege of Richmond, Virginia, by hijacking a balloon. The escapees are Cyrus Smith, a railroad engineer in the Union army (named Cyrus Harding in Kingston's version); his ex-slave and loyal follower Neb (short for Nebuchadnezzar); Bonadventure Pencroff, a sailor (who is addressed only by his surname. In Kingston's translation, he is named Pencroft); his protégé and adopted son Harbert Brown (called Herbert in some translations); and the journalist Gedéon Spilett (Gideon Spilett in English versions). The company is completed by Cyrus' dog "Top". After flying in a great storm for several days, the group crash-lands on a cliff-bound, volcanic, unknown island, described as being located at 34°57′S 150°30′W, about 2,500 kilometres (1,600 mi) east of New Zealand. They name it "Lincoln Island" in honor of their president, Abraham Lincoln. With the knowledge of the brilliant engineer Smith, the five are able to sustain themselves on the island, producing fire, pottery, bricks, nitroglycerin, iron, a simple electric telegraph, a home on a stony cliffside called "Granite House", and even a seaworthy ship, which they name the "Bonadventure" (in honor of Pencroff, the driving force behind its construction). They also manage to figure out their geographical location. Map of "Lincoln Island" During their stay on the island, the group endures bad weather, and domesticates an orangutan, Jupiter, abbreviated to Jup (or Joop, in Jordan Stump's translation). There is a mystery on the island in the form of an unseen deus ex machina, responsible for Cyrus' survival after falling from the balloon, the mysterious rescue of Top from a dugong, the appearance of a box of equipment (guns and ammunition, tools, etc.), and other seemingly inexplicable occurrences. The group finds a message in a bottle directing them to rescue a castaway on nearby Tabor Island, who is none other than Tom Ayrton (from In Search of the Castaways). On the return voyage to Lincoln Island, they lose their way in a tempest but are guided back to their course by a mysterious fire beacon. Ayrton's former companions arrive by chance on Lincoln Island, and try to make it into their lair. After some fighting with the protagonists, the pirate ship is mysteriously destroyed by an explosion. Six of the pirates survive and kidnap Ayrton. When the colonists go to look for him, the pirates shoot Harbert, seriously injuring him. Harbert survives, but suffers from his injury, narrowly cheating death. The colonists at first assume Ayrton to have been killed, but later they find evidence that he was not instantly killed, making it possible for him to be alive. When the colonists rashly attempt to return to Granite House before Harbert fully recovers, Harbert contracts malaria and is saved by a box of quinine sulphate, which mysteriously appears on the table in Granite House. After Harbert recovers, they attempt to rescue Ayrton and destroy the pirates. They discover Ayrton at the sheepfold, and the pirates dead, without any visible wounds. The secret of the island is revealed when it is discovered to be Captain Nemo's hideout, and home port of the Nautilus. Having escaped the Maelstrom at the end of Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea, the Nautilus sailed the oceans of the world until all its crew except Nemo had died. Now an old man with a beard, Nemo returned the Nautilus to its secret port within Lincoln Island. Nemo had been the mysterious benefactor of the settlers, providing them with the box of equipment, sending the message revealing Ayrton, planting the mine that destroyed the pirate ship, and killing the pirates with an "electric gun". On his death bed Captain Nemo reveals his true identity as the lost Indian Prince Dakkar, son of a Raja of the then independent territory of Bundelkund and a nephew of the Indian hero Tippu-Sahib. After taking part in the failed Indian Rebellion of 1857, Prince Dakkar escaped to a deserted island with twenty of his compatriots and commenced the building of the Nautilus and adopted the new name of "Captain Nemo". Nemo also tells his life story to Cyrus Smith and his friends. Before he dies, he gives them a box of diamonds and pearls as a keepsake. Afterwards, he dies, crying "God and my country!" ("Independence!", in Verne's original manuscript). The Nautilus is scuttled and serves as Captain Nemo's tomb. Afterward, the island's central volcano erupts, destroying the island. Jup the orangutan falls into a crack in the ground and dies. The colonists, forewarned of the eruption by Nemo, find themselves safe but stranded on the last remaining piece of the island above sea level. They are rescued by the ship Duncan, which had come to rescue Ayrton but were redirected by a message Nemo had previously left on Tabor Island. After they return to United States, they form a new colony in Iowa with Nemo's gift, and live happily ever after. reference : Wikipedia