20.000 Leagues under the Sea

20.000 LEAGUES UNDER THE SEA

Author:

First edition:

Vingt mille lieues sous les mers, Hetzel, 1869 (for the first volume) and 1870.

Main illustrators:

Fabbi Neuville Szittya Weissmuller

In short:

This is the story of Captain Nemo and his electric submarine, Nautilus. He pretended to run away form society and humankind, and live in the dephts of the ocean. He embarks professor Aronnax, his manservant Conseil and the harpooner Ned Land. The three men set out on an underwater tour of the world and live through some fantastic experiences, like the ramming of a battleship, a submarine chase, and a combat with giant squids. They also visit the ruins of Atlantis and reach the South Pole.

Selection of edition:

Vingt mille lieues sous les mers, Paris, Hetzel,1869-70, illustrated by Alphonse de Neuville, 111 illustrations.
Ventimilo leghe sotto i mari, illustrated by F. Fabbi, Florence, Bemporad, 1921.
Vingt mille lieues sous les mers, illustrated by Thierry Jallet, Bias, 1987.
Vingt mille lieues sous le mers, illustrated by Gabor Szittya, Nathan, 1994.
Vingt mille lieues sous les mers, illustrated by Luc Weissmuller, Hachette, 1994.
Vingt mille lieues sous les mers, illustrated by Neuville et Riou, Gallimard, 1994.
Vingt mille lieues sous les mers, illustrated by Patrice Douenat, Nathan, 1995.

More about it:

20.000 Leagues Under the Sea is the first book of a trilogy which was completed by The Children of Captain Grant and Mysterious Island, where we find again Captain Nemo. The book was one of Verne's most successful works, because more than 50.000 copies were sold during just lifetime.