CLASSIC DIVE BOOKS
20,000 LEAGUES UNDER THE SEA.
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HOMEPAGE |
Please note: The books are listed for interest only, and not offered for sale. | |
"You like the sea, Captain?" "Yes; I love it! The sea is everything. It covers seven tenths of the terrestrial globe. Its breath is pure and healthy. It is an immense desert, where man is never lonely, for he feels life stirring on all sides. The sea is only the embodiment of a supernatural and wonderful existence. It is nothing but love and emotion; it is the 'Living Infinite,' as one of your poets has said. In fact, Professor, Nature manifests herself in it by her three kingdoms--mineral, vegetable, and animal. The sea is the vast reservoir of Nature. The globe began with sea, so to speak; and who knows if it will not end with it? In it is supreme tranquillity. The sea does not belong to despots. Upon its surface men can still exercise unjust laws, fight, tear one another to pieces, and be carried away with terrestrial horrors. But at thirty feet below its level, their reign ceases, their influence is quenched, and their power disappears. Ah! sir, live--live in the bosom of the waters! There only is independence! There I recognise no masters! There I am free!". Although I have listed just a few editions of this remarkable book, it deserves its own webspage, which, no doubt, will be developed further as new, important editions are included. The book has never been out of print, and there have been literally hundreds of editions. Some collectors specialise in this title, for good reason; some editions are superbly illustrated. I welcome any additions of important editionss. Pat Baker - I am in your hands. There are sufficient references to the author in encylopedias and the internet so I will not plagurise anything to include here. Well, just a bit. Jules Verne was a popular French author, the founding father of science fiction with H.G. Wells. Verne's stories, written for adolescents as well as adults, caught the enterprising spirit of the 19th century, its uncritical fascination about scientific progress and inventions. His works were often written in the form of a travel book, which took the readers on a voyage to the moon in From the Earth to the Moon (1865) or to another direction as in A Journey to the Center of the Earth (1864), pr beneath the oceans in 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. Many of Verne's ideas have been hailed as prophetic. In 1854 Charles Baudelaire translated Edgar Allan Poe's works into French. Verne became one of the most devoted admirers of the American author, and wrote his first science fiction tale, 'An voyage in Balloon' (1851), under the influence of Poe. When his career as an author progressed slowly, Verne turned to stockbroking, an occupation which he held until his successful tale Five Weeks in a Balloon (1863). Verne's novels gained soon a huge popularity throughout the world. Without the education of a scientist or experiences as a traveler, Verne spent much of his time in research for his books. In the contrast of fantasy literature, exemplified by Lewis Carroll's Alice in Wonderland (1865), Verne tried to be realistic and practical in details. Of course he had many ideas that were sopon proved impractical but that is not a criticism of his imagination and forethought. In Twenty Thousand Leagues under the Sea, published in 1870, Verne introduced one of the forefathers of modern superheroes, the misanthropic Captain Nemo and his elaborate submarine, Nautilus, named after Robert Fulton's steam-powered submarine. The Mysterious Island was about industrial exploits of men stranded on an island (see: Robinsonade Daniel Defoe). In these works, filmed several times, Verne combined science and invention with fast-paced adventure. Some of Verne's fiction has also become a fact: his submarine Nautilus predated the first successful power submarine by a quarter century, and his spaceship predicted the development a century later. The first all-electric submarine, built in 1886 by two Englishmen, was named Nautilus in honor of Verne's vessel. The first nuclear-powered submarine, launched in 1955, was named Nautilus, too. The film version of 20,000 Leagues under the Sea (1954), produced by Walt Disney and directed by Richard Fleischer, won an Oscar for its special effects, which included Bob Mattey's mechanically operated giant squid. It fought with the actors in a special studio tank. Interior sets were built as closely as possible to Verne's own descriptions of Nautilus. James Mason played Captain Nemo and Kirk Douglas was Ned Land, a lusty salor. A CHILDREN'S BOOK? Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea is not a juvenile book by any means, although young children will be entertained and educated if given parental guidence. Unfortunately, how many parents nowadays read to their young children; indeed how many encourage them to read. Maybe the majority of the next generation will not be able to read a book at all, or at least will not be interested to do so. It has been saids that Verne's
books are wasted on young people. "It's just as monstrous to give them
to children to read," exclaims Raymond
For years, while Verne has been dismissed in the English-speaking world as a children's author, Europeans-readers and critics alike have taken him much more seriously. Verne was an astute psychologist, who created his characters out of flesh and blood. Moreover, it now appears his social thinking was as advanced as his scientific ideas. In an imperialistic age, Verne was concerned not only with the treatment of primitive peoples, but with the burgeoning power of what today we call the military-industrial complex. Nemo himself lives out the principles of philosophical anarchism. Verne also foresaw the smoldering of French separatism in Canada, the rebirth of China, and the rise of the American Goliath - all this in addition to his scientific prophecies, ranging from the use of electric "stun guns" to the ecological problems that would be caused by hunting the whale and other sea creatures to extinction. Quite an incredible man, really. [For a superb essay on the question of "the two Verne's", and a "Physiobiographical Sketch of Jules Verne" see the Foreward by Walter James Miller in The Annotated Jules Verne: Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea, published by Thomas Y. Crowell Co, New York, 1976; from which much of my comment above has been taken.] ON TRANSLATION. The original was written in French, of course. Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Seas has only been translated into English about half a dozen times since it was originally published as Vingt milles lieues sous les Mers. The first time was in 1871 by Lewis Mercier. Five years later, another one appeared, translated by Henry Frith. Not for nearly a century was Twenty Thousand Leagues translated anew, this time by Anthony Bonner in 1962. It was followed by Walter James Miller in 1965 and one by Mendor Brunetti in 1969. Mercier's translation has become the "standard" English version because for ninety years it was the main English translation, and thus, was the first edition to enter the public domain. Today, there are scores of editions of the Mercier translation available, as opposed to those of Brunetti, Bonner or Walter Miller, as Mercier's is copyright-free. In the past century, there have been literally hundreds of reprints of the "standard" translation. It has become so ubiquitous, in fact, that many people believe that Verne wrote in English! This misconception is bolstered by the fact that many publishers leave off the name of the old translator. Mercier, a Protestant minister and theological writer, had little background for translating a book full of scientific, technical, and nautical details. Very often, things were translated incorrectly. For example, at one point Mercier has Nemo explain that iron is lighter than water! Unfortunately, Verne was blamed for these errors. Additionally, Mercier cut the text wherever he did not understand Verne's science, or did not agree with Verne's politics or religion. Ultimately, Mercier cut more than twenty percent of the text! Hundreds of paragraphs of action, narration, and important character de velopment are gone from Mercier's edition. In one case, an entire chapter is missing. It is little wonder, then, that for generations, readers of Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Seas have often found themselves confused about what was going on! Bonner's translation was a great improvement; his language and style are close to Verne's own. Unfortunately, there are still some things missing, and many of Mercier's old mistakes are re-made. Brunetti's is extremely accurate so far as content is concerned, but he has heavily rewritten Verne; the style is very much Brunetti's own. Miller's is good, but it is compressed; narration and dialogue are often paragraphed. Miller also edited the Annotated Jules Verne: Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea in which he explains in detail the problems with the "standard" translation, and undertakes to reprint it with the reinstated passages. However, many of Mercier's translating errors are left unexplained, and many of the missing parts are still missing. By comparing the standard
translation from which almost all current editions of this book are derived
against Verne's original French text, Walter James Miller (see The Annotated
Jules Verne, 1976), claims a number of discoveries that put this novel
- and Verne himself - in a totally new light.
Walter Miller writes that Jules Verne was a far better, more sophisticated writer than a reader of the standard translation could ever guess. Besides making one scientific blooper after another, the original translator, a British parson (Lewis Mercier), omitted many superb scenes, cut out important passages of background information and characterization, mangled the author's best jokes, and soft-pedaled Verne's political and philosophical views, with which the parson seemingly disagreed. [Notes from the 1988 edition translated by Ron Miller - see The Unicorn Publishing House edition, what Miller regards as "probably the most complete, accurate version of Twenty Thousand Leagues available in the English language"; and also from the fly of Walter James Miller's The Annotated Jules Verne: Twnety Thousand Leagues Under the Sea, 1976..] Note the alternative spellings of the title - 'SEa' or Seas', '20,000', or Twenty-Thousand'. The following listing is in chronological sequence of publication, then other editions by the publisher listed. See reader comments at end of webpage. Good references:
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FIRST, and NINETEENTH CENTURY EDITIONS |
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TWENTY THOUSAND LEAGUES UNDER THE SEA,
(VINGT MILLE LIEUES SOUS LES MERS) VEINTE MIL LEGUAS DE VIAJE SUBMARINO Verne, Jules; Guimera, Don Vicente (translator). Riou Hildibrand (illustrator). Tomás Rey y Compañia, Madrid, 1869. Full Leather. Hardcover, brown leather spine with 4 compartments, gold titles and decoration. Marble endpapers. 4to., 9 3/4" x 6.5" ; 287 pages. followed by a 2-page index (numbered page 37/38). 4to. A sales blurb on this expensive edition states that it is: The earliest edition of Twenty Thousand Leagues in book form known. The date, 1869, is not a misprint. The first complete edition in book form of Jules Verne's Twenty Thousand Leagues under the Sea, preceding the full first edition in French (1869-1870) and in English (1873). The American editions apparently not only have abridged text, but also have cropped illustrations. Establecimiento tipogràfico de Tomás Rey y Compañia, Editores. Única traduccion española, por Don Vicente Guimerá. Frontispiece (original full-size engraving from the French, signed in the plate by Hildibrand and Riou). There is an interesting typo on the spine: it reads "Cien [100] Mil Leguas De Viaje Submarino". One copy of this book is in the Spanish National Library, translated by Guimera in the same year, 1869, published by F. Rey y compª. A truly rare first edition 4to. with a complete set of full-size engravings. Very good in a very fine custom leather, marble, and gilded presentation box. Asking price for the copy reviewed was US$20,000. |
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VINGT MILLE LIEUES SOUS LES MERS
(Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea). In Two Volumes. Jules Verne. Hetzel, Paris, 1869, 1870, 1870. From a sales blurb: Quarter Leather. Book Condition: Good+. Dust Jacket Condition: N/A. Third and Sixth Printings. 12mo, 304. 356pp + Ads in Volume 1. Very early and thus scarce printings in the original two volume format in French of this classic Jules Verne work. Matching bindings but different printing states. The list of other works of Verne opposite the title page of the first volume shows "Autour de la Lune" (Around the Moon) as being in preparation. That work (Autour de la Lune) was published in 1870 and thus is appears the first volume of this set (shown as the third edition on the title page but actually the third printing) was published in 1869. The second volume in this set shows "Autour de la Lune" as the latest work of Verne's published. In 1871 another Verne work was published (Une Ville Flottante) but it is not shown on the list of works published in the second volume of this set (which is shown as the sixth edition --actually the sixth printing) on the title page. Thus Volume 2 of this set appears to have been published in 1870. These dates of 1869 for first volume and 1870 for the second volume correspond with the original dates of publication by Hetzel in France of volumes one and two of Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea. These two volumes are not first edition printings obviously, but they are clearly very early printings and thus scarce and desirable in themselves. They are bound in dark green pebbled cloth with dark green leather spines. Title and volume numbers in gilt on the spines. Four raised bands on the spines. These volumes were made part of the library at the Institut Communal de Demoiselles in 1872 based on the elaborate stamping in gilt on the cover of each volume. These books were obviously made part of the holdings of the Institute in 1872 and the young ladies would have had access to them. On the back cover of each volume is a lovely crest incorporating a castles motif, also in gilt. Volume one has ads at the back following the table. The second volume ends with the table and does not have ads. ... Is the above book the first French edition. It is in a single volume, leather bound spine and around an inch or so from the spine into the covers.The book is in two parts, a total of 434 pages. Part 1 has 24 chapters, part 2 hasa further 23 chapters. It is illustrated throughout with countless block prints Note that at the time of publication, mid 19th century, it was still common practice to provide a book unbound. The opurchaser would then have the book bound according to his needs - and cost. Even if the book was published 'in two volumes' it could result in the volumes being bound into one physical book. [ps-comment, pt ownership] |
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TWENTY THOUSAND LEAGUES UNDER THE SEA
Jules Verne. Sampson Low, Marston, Low, and Searle, 1873. First British Edition. Translated to English from the original French. Hard Cover. No dustjacket, as issued. The First British Edition of Verne's famous tale about Captain Nemo and his submarine, the Nautilus. Although dated 1873, this edition was issued the same month as the American James R. Osgood edition in November 1872. In later printings of this edition the second "s" in "Seas" was dropped from the title. The story was first published in France in two parts between 1869 and 1870. [A copy of this edition is going for a dollar a league!] Another description of an edition for sale (see blue image left): London: Sampson Low, Marston, Low, & Searle, 1873. 8 pp ads dated "1872-1873". With One Hundred and Twelve Illustrations. First English Edition, and first edition in the English language, of Verne's classic tale of Captain Nemo and the submarine Nautilus. The English translation, by Lewis Mercier, was unfortunately quite inaccurate: he omitted nearly a fifth of the French text (especially Verne's frequent criticism of British imperial practices), and made numerous technical errors which English readers attributed to Verne. Sampson Low published this first edition in English in November 1872 (though dated 1873). Soon after, Osgood of Boston published its edition from these Sampson Low plates, quickly and mysteriously followed by the very similar edition of George Smith of Boston. Sampson Low went on to issue reprints of their 1872 edition, identified with the edition number on the title page, in this same pictorial binding showing the Nautilus scanning the ocean floor and all kinds of sea life with a gilt beam of light; on the spine is a bug-eyed giant squid. This copy is in royal blue cloth; the only other copy we have seen described (in Myers's bibliography) was green - with the same 1872-1873 ads. The seller also notes (of interest to collectors): It is worth pointing out that over the course of twenty-eight years this is one of only two U.K. copies of this title that we have ever offered - though we have offered more than half a dozen 1873 Osgood copies and a multitude of 1873 Smith copies. A first UK edition in original cloth in fine condition (something we have never even heard of) would probably bring about $50,000. Further editions: Over the next few years Sampson Low continued to issue reprints of their 1872 edition, still in the same binding; these too are very scarce today. There was a Sampson Low third edition published by April 1873, plus a fifth edition by July 1874, and a "Fourth Edition" dated 1874. All of these are not really "editions," but rather printings of the first edition. All of these printings feature a pictorial binding showing the Nautilus scanning the ocean floor and all kinds of sea life with a gilt beam of light; on the spine is a bug-eyed giant squid. Further Editions 1888. Published in London, (Green cover, left); title page undated, rear list of Jules Verne publications by Sampson Low give "North against South" & The Clipper of the Clouds" as the last published books, both these works were printed in 1886-1887, I would estimate that this edition is no later in date than 1888. Book is bound in the Deluxe binding with bevelled edged boards, page edges gilded all-round, titled and decorated in gilt to the spine and upper board; this is a fully illustrated edition with over 100 full page illustrations. 1906. Illustrated. London: Sampson Low, Marston, and Company, n.d. Original tan cloth with front cover applied illustration and with spine pictorially gilt. "Authorised Copyright Edition" according to the front cover -- which was issued for the Christmas season of 1906. Included are sixteen plates, of which one (the frontispiece) is in color.
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TWENTY THOUSAND LEAGUES UNDER THE SEA
Jules Verne. Published in Boston by James R. Osgood and Company in 1873. First Issue of First American Edition. Hard Cover. No Jacket. First Edition. Translated to English from the original French. The sales blurb on this edition states: Original blue cloth decorated in gilt and black. The First American Edition of Verne's famous tale about Captain Nemo and his submarine, the Nautilus. The story was first published in France in two parts between 1869 and 1870. A great deal has been written about the two editions of this story printed in Boston in 1873; the two versions were bound almost identically. Although this Osgood edition is dated 1873, it was actually published in the same month as Sampson Low's British Edition in November 1872, and copies of the Osgood edition quickly became scarce. Soon after, George M. Smith, also of Boston, produced an edition in a binding similar to that of the Osgood (the Osgood edition has a jellyfish on the front cover and reads "Under the Sea," while the Smith edition has Captain Nemo using a sextant on the front cover and reads "Under the Seas"). The images in the Osgood edition are undoubtedly sharper than those in the Smith, in terms of both text and profuse plates. Because there are only a few known copies of this Osgood edition, it is far rarer than the Smith. Some believe that the scarcity of the Osgood edition is a result of the Boston Fire. Another sales description of another book of this edition shows the same cover and spine design, but in green cloth. The front cover illustration shows Captain Nemo using a sextant. All page edges gold gilt. One hundred and ten illustrations. |
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TWENTY THOUSAND LEAGUES UNDER THE SEAS;
or, the marvellous and exciting adventures of Pierre Aronnax, Conseil his servant, and Ned Land, a Canadian Harpooner. Jules Verne. Alphonse Marie du Neuville ;Edouard Riou, (illustrator). [Note the title]. Geo. M. Smith Co., Boston, 1873. Decorative Cloth. 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall. First Smith edition, first printing. "THE END" on page 303, "Sold only by subscription, edition of James R. Osgood & Co." on title page. 303 pp. Green cloth binding with decorative black and gold designs and titles, all edges gilt (a scarce feature of this edition). The first edition, first printing of a very early reprint, taken from the Osgood plates (first American edition). Also listed: 8vo - over 7 " - 9 " tall xiii, [3], 303 pages. Green cloth. Black letters on gilt blocks. Gilt illustration on spine and front cover. Re-backed spine, cover and brown end papers repaired professionally. Overall a very good copy. Additional photos available on requested. Book is 100% guaranteed.One Hundred and Ten Illustrations. Later issue of the Smith edition (without "The End" on page 303 at end of text), with the illustrations from the Osgood edition. , , The second (preferred?) Smith issue - according to Myers, copies with 'THE END' on final page of text have damaged type. Further editions: Geo. M. Smith & Co., Boston, 1874, 1874. Sold only by subscription. Boston: Geo. M. Smith & Co., Douglass & Myers (New York), Randall & Fish (Chicago), and F. Dewing & Co. (San Francisco), 1874. Second American Printing, [published shortly after the short run by James R. Osgood, of which very few examples still remain]. Pp. [i]-xiii,(3),[1]-303,(3), frontis., + 109 p. of plates. Copiously illustrated. 8vo, decorated green cloth with gilt illustration, tooling, and title blocks to front and spine. Anderson 1409. A very early printing of one of Verne's prophetic and exhilarating masterworks, and one of the finest early science-fiction novels, about the adventures of a learned Frenchman aboard the submarine Nautilus, sailing the depths of the oceans on a massive scientific expedition, and the crew's visits to undiscovered lands and their encounters with sea monsters. |
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TWENTY THOUSAND LEAGUES UNDER THE SEAS.
or the marvellous and exciting adventures of Pierre Aronnax, Conseil his servant, and Ned Land, a Canadian Harpooner. Jules Verne. John W. Lovell, New York, 1873. Hardcover;. 8vo; 351, [3] pages. Issued for customers of Max Stadler & Co. , Broadway, cor. Prince St. , 8th Avenue cor. 40th St. Gilt stamped "Compliments of Max Stadler & Co. Clothiers" on back board and Max Stadler label on front past down. [The company were clothing retailers]. |
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20,000 LEAGUES UNDER THE SEAS
or, The Marvellous and Exciting Adventures of Pierre Aronnax, Conseil his Servant, and Ned Land, a Canadian Harpooner. Jules Verne. Donnelly, Loyd & Co, Chicago, 1875, 1876. Illustrated (with new illustrations not in the earlier American editions). A curiously uncommon early publication of this classic work. No further details. Original dark blue cloth decorated in black and gilt. Early American edition of one of Verne's most famous tales, published as a volume in Donnelley Loyd's "Lakeside Library." Twenty Thousand Leagues first came out in America in late 1872, by Osgood in Boston. Donnelley Loyd, in their "Lakeside Library," published it in 1875 (as here) and again in 1876, both individually and combined with The Tour of the World in Eighty Days. |
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TWENTY THOUSAND LEAGUES UNDER THE SEA
Jules Verne. London: Ward, Lock & Co., n.d. [c1879]. 6 pp undated ads. Original terra-cotta cloth ornately decorated in black, silver and gilt. Early edition, and perhaps the earliest one-volume edition to consist of this truer translation commissioned by Ward Lock & Tyler. It first came out in two separate volumes, undated but in 1876, in both "The Jules Verne Library" and the "Youth's Library of Wonders and Adventures" - with six color plates. About two or three years later (with "Tyler" absent from the publisher's name), the tale was published in one volume -- with all six color plates in the same "Youth's Library." and with only one color plate in "The Family Gift Series."
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TWENTY THOUSAND LEAGUES UNDER THE SEAS
or, The Marvellous and Exciting Adventures of Pierre Aronnax, Conseil his Servant, and Ned Land, a Canadian Harpooner. Jules Verne. From a sales blurb for this edition: Author's Edition. Philadelphia: Porter & Coates, n.d. [ca. 1877]. Original terra cotta moiré cloth decorated in black and gilt. Early American edition. Osgood of Boston published the first American edition (dated 1873), and then published a second edition (smaller, normal-sized format) dated 1875 - in two styles, "fine" and "cheap." In early 1876 Osgood was forced to sell its assets at auction, and Porter & Coates of Philadelphia wound up with the Verne ones - including 1200 "fine" copies of this title in sheets, 1400 "cheap" copies in sheets, and the plates for printing more. This copy is in the usual P&C binding for this title, which shows Ned Land the harpooner on the front cover and Captain Nemo (in gilt) on the spine - and reading ".UNDER THE SEA" (no "S"). Fine.
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TWENTY THOUSAND LEAGUES UNDER THE SEA
Jules Verne. R. Worthington, New York, 1880. Decorative Cloth. 12mo - over 6¾" - 7¾" tall. Full elaborately stamped green pictorial original cloth. From a sales blurb: In black and gilt tooled peebled cloth with full page steel and wood engravings from the original James Osgood edition 1st American Boston 1873. This is the 3rd overall appearance and the 2nd with the original plates, and comparable in quality to the Osgood edition. |
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TWENTY THOUSAND LEAGUES UNDER THE SEAS
Jules Verne. Belford, Clarke & Co, Chicago, 1887. Hardcover: bound in black & blue decorated cloth, gold spine blocking, uncredited frontis illustration. Gold spine. 12mo - over 6¾" - 7¾" tall. |
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TWENTY THOUSAND LEAGUES UNDER THE SEAS
Jules Verne. Hurst & Co., 1887. Arlington Edition Hardcover - maroon cloth over embossed boards, gilt banded spine titles. No dustjacket. 335 pages. |
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TWENTY THOUSAND LEAGUES UNDER THE SEA
Jules Verne. Mercantile Publishing Co., 1888. Hard Cover. No Jacket. No Additional Printings Indicated. 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall. |
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TWENTY THOUSAND LEAGUES UNDER THE SEA
Jules Verne. Butler Brothers, 1888. Hardcover, no dust jacket. Red cloth, stamped with a design of two wasps on a leaf in black and "Edition". Black decoration on the spine with title on gilt background. Floral print end papers. |
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TWENTY THOUSAND LEAGUES UNDER THE SEA
Jules Verne. International Book Company, New York, 1894. Red Letter Series #49. Soft Cover. |
EARLY 20th CENTURY EDITIONS |
TWENTY THOUSAND LEAGUES UNDER THE SEA
Jules Verne. Charles Scribner's Sons, New York, 1905. Hardcover. ; 8vo; 427 pages. See also later editions from this publisher. |
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TWENTY THOUSAND LEAGUES UNDER THE SEA.
Jules Verne. J. M. Dent & Sons, London, 1908. Reprinted 1911, 1913, 1916, 1918. This edirtion reviewed: 1918 reprint; 288 pages, illustrated end-papers, top edge tinted, gilt decorated spine, in blue, cloth boards. Fps indicatesd Everyman's Library Edited by Ernest Rhys. For Young People. Small format, easy reading copy. [ps] |
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TWENTY THOUSAND LEAGUES UNDER THE SEA
Jules Verne. J Nisbet, UK, c.1910. Decorative cloth. No Jacket. New Edition. 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall. Circa 1910. Coloured frontis plate and a number of full page coloured plates throughout the book. . |
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TWENTY THOUSAND LEAGUES UNDER THE SEA : Volume I + II in
One Volume.
Jules Verne. Translated by Henry Frith. George Routledge & Sons Ltd, London. No date - c 1910. Hardcover. Both volumes bound as one volume in green cloth with a super colour embossed picture to the front board. Gilt embossed lettering to the front board and spine. Volume I 253pp; Volume II 256pp. A b/w frontispiece illustrated both volumes. Also produced in softcover (date?), 8vo - over 7¾ - 9¾" tall. Colour illustrated front cover and advert rear cover for Pears' Soap ; 253pp + 256pp, |
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20,000 LEAGUES UNDER THE SEA
Jules Verne. Grosset and Dunlap. New York. Publication Date: 1916 Hardcover, dust jacket. First Photoplay Edition, illustrated with scenes from the Universal Film Co.'s production which utilized undersea photography and starring Allan Holubar and Dan Hanlor. Colorized dustjacket wrap-around art of nautical scene. Also 1917: In light green pictorial cloth; the pictorial dust jacket has minor wear at the corners, slight spine fade. The jacket shows a surfaced Nautilus in the background, with a large vignette of Captain Nemo with 3 crew men handling a torpedo; the rear cover depicts an exploding two-masted ship, with an underwater, foreground vignette of four men in diving helmets (and a sea turtle) examining the ribs of a wrecked vessel. "Special Submarine Edition" on front of dustjacket. Four film stills from the 1916 Universal Film Company silent movie are tipped in, a frontispiece & three internal illustrations. |
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TWENTY THOUSAND LEAGUES UNDER THE SEA
Jules Verne. Illustrated by: Henry Austin Published by: Ward, Lock & Co Ltd London c1917
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TWENTY THOUSAND LEAGUES UNDER THE SEA
Jules Verne. Putnams, NY nd. ca.1920s. Hardcover, (mauve cloth w/ pictorial label of diver in suit killing whale), dustjacket? Smaller 8vo. 372pp. |
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TWENTY THOUSAND LEAGUES UNDER THE SEA
Windermere Series, Cover Art and Illustrations By Milo Winter. Rand McNally & Company, Chicago and New York, 1922. First publication in Windermere Series. Also 1936, 1956.
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TWENTY THOUSAND LEAGUES UNDER THE SEA
Jules Verne. Charles Scribner, 1925. Hardcover. Dust jacket. From a sales blurb: Fisrt rare Scribner's Edition. Matching dates on the title & copyright page with Scribner Seal, $2.00 price. A beautiful blue cloth book with gilt titling and green decorative design of the sea & fish on the cover. 9 1/2x7,407pp & 4 lovely color plated by W.J. AYLWARD. The dust jacket is tan with black lettering & a colored paper paste-on of 2 men looking out a port hole of a swimmer. The back cover lists 32 of Scribners $2.50 classics.
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TWENTY THOUSAND LEAGUES UNDER THE SEA
Jules Verne. Round the World Library No. 63 Street and Smith, USA, 1927. Digest Size Softcover. Cover art of a deep-sea diver with the Nautilus and a shark in the background. |
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TWENTY THOUSAND LEAGUES UNDER THE SEA
Jules Verne. The John C. Winston Co., Philadelphia, 1932. Hardback. 6 1/4" x 8 1/2". |
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20,000 LEAGUES UNDER THE SEA
Jules Verne. Ward, Lock & Co., London and Melbourne. 1933
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TWENTY THOUSAND LEAGUES UNDER THE SEA
Jules Verne. Frank J. Lefevre, and H.G. Nicholas(illustrator). (or), The Marvelous and Exciting Adventures of Pierre Aronnax, Conseil, His Servant, and Ned Land, a Canadien Harpooner McLoughlin Bros., Inc, Springfield, MA, 1934.Pennant Series. Hardcover. Dustjacket. 284 pages. |
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TWENTY THOUSAND LEAGUES UNDER THE THE SEA
Jules Verne Mary Lamberton Becker, introduction; Kurt Wiese, illustrator. The World Publishing Co, Cleveland, Ohio, 1946. Hardcover. Size 5 3/4 X 8 1/2 in. Blue green & white pictoiral cloth boards of underwater fish scene. Color Frontispiece of Divers at bottom of sea fighting shark and man lying dead on ocean floor. Includes some interior color illustrations. One sales blurb indicates: "Dustjacket of men with scuba gear on bottom ocean with sharks & rust keel of ship Front and back end papers have deep sea divers with diving helmets in grey and white". I do hope the jacket does not sahow divers with 'scuba' gear. May also be listed as Rainbow Classics World Pub., 1946. |
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TWENTY THOUSAND LEAGUES UNDER THE SEA
Classics Illustrated #47 HRN 47 - comic. Gilberton, New York, NY, 1948. Paper Wraps. . 4to - over 9" - 12" tall.
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(Some) MODERN EDITIONS - Post 1950 |
TWENTY THOUSAND LEAGUES UNDER THE SEA
Jules Verne.
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TWENTY THOUSAND LEAGUES UNDER THE SEA
Jules Verne. Published by Juvenile Productions Limited, London c1955.
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TWENTY THOUSAND LEAGUES UNDER THE SEA
Jules Verne. Limited Edition Club, 1956. Edward A. Wilson (illustrator). Limited/Numbered. Translated by Mercier Lewis. Intro. by Fletcher Pratt. Illus. and signed by Edward A. Wilson. Leather Spine. 1500 copies. Green leather spine, illustrated boards. Slipcased (all copies?). |
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TWENTY THOUSAND LEAGUES UNDER THE SEA
Jules Verne Nelson Doubleday, 1956. ISBN: 1558539808 / 1-55853-980-8) Hardcover. |
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Rewrite by Martha C. Weaver. Illustrator Vaughn Bode Frank E. Richards, Phoenix, New York, 1967. Faux Leather. Green with gold lettering and picture. No Jacket. No Edition Stated. 4to - over 9¾" - 12" tall. Some illustrations are in color, 89 pages. |
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20,000 LEAGUES UNDER THE SEA
Jules Verne & Heather Amery. Illustrated by Adrian Williams. Studio Vista. 1973. (ISBN: 0289704073 / 0-289-70407-3) Edited, annotated and abridged by Amery. Large format. Green cloth, black title to spine and vignette to front cover. B/w illustrations including some foldout plates. |
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TWENTY THOUSAND LEAGUES UNDER THE SEA: THE ANNOTATED
JULES VERNE
Jules Verne. Walter James Miller. Thomas Y. Crowell Company, New Yory, 1976. Hardcover, A4 size, dustjacket (as shown), selected bibliography. This edition is particularly interesting as it is extensively annotated, with explanations for the 'technical' details and aspects of being 'under the sea' that Verne mentions, and also comment on the literature and language used - and other relevant comments. This is a great aid to those younsters and adults wishing to have a greater undersatandsing of the real world beneath the sea, a somewhat necessary addition to Verne's text as he did not always get the technical side right. The book also contains small illustrations relevant to the text - some copied from tghe original edition, others relevant to landmarks that the Nautilus passes, and to undersea creatures seen. A very nice presentation. [ps] |
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20,000 LEAGUES UNDER THE SEA
Jules Verne The Franklin Library, Franklin Center, Pennsylvania, 1983. (ISBN: 9780817216528) Full Leather. (No dustjacket). Limited Edition. 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" Tall. Green full-leather covered boards beautifully decorated with gold designs. Bright gold titles on spine. Green silk bookmark bound-in. Gold gilt edges. |
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TWENTY THOUSAND LEAGUES UNDER THE SEA (Collector's Edition)
Jules Verne. Illustrated by Edward A Wilson. The Easton Press. Norwalk. Connecticut, U.S.A.; 1984. Hardcover. Special Edition:. bound in black leather, four raised bands to spine, gilt lettering & decoration to spine & front & rear boards, moire fabric end-papers, satin ribbon page-marker incorporated into binding & gilt page edges. 325 pages, illustrated; 4to - over 9¾" - 12" tall. Part of the '100 Greatest Books Ever Written' collection. |
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TWENTY THOUSAND LEAGUES UNDER THE SEA
Jules Verne.Translated by Ron Miller. Illustrated by Ron Miller. The Unicorn Publishing HGouse, New Jersey, USA. 1988. Hardcover, illustrated boards (pasted-on colour print in circle), dustjacket?, near A4 format size; 272 pages. From a preface on the various translations of the book, by Miller: (This edition) has at its core the old Mercier translation. I started with this because Mercier translated Verne very literally, changing word order only to the degree dictated by the differences in grammar. As a result, the style is very true to Verne's own. Beginning with this edition, I started making corrections. Errors in translation and scientific errors (Mercier's, not Verne's; any mistakes Verne himself made were left unchanged) were all fixed. This amounted to literally several thousand corrections. The style and wording was made as true as possible to the original. An example is the title: literal translation from the original French makes "Seas" plural. This is actually more accurate than "Sea" (singular), but the singular version is the most familiar. Next, the missing text was replaced. More than three hundred passages were restored, ranging from individual paragraphs to several pages. Eventually, the finished;.manuscript was more than one-fifth longer than the "standard" text! " The same care was taken with the art. Each illustration, map and chart was as meticulously researched as Verne's original text. Every character, device, plant, animal and landscape, as well as the Nautilus, were made as true to the book as possible, and they are enhanced by full-color reproductions. What you are about to read is probably the most complete, accurate version of Twenty Thousand Leagues available in the English language. As a great fan of Jules Verne, I tried to make this American edition as true to the thrust of Verne's scientific knowledge, political ideas, and vivid imagination as originally expressed in the original French edition. [ps] |
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20,000 THOUSAND LEAGUES UNDER THE SEA. Pop-Up edition.
Jules Verne. Published by: Grandreams Ltd, London in 1990
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20,000 THOUSAND LEAGUES UNDER THE SEA
Jules Verne. Edouard Riou, and Alphonse De Neuville, (illustrator). Naval Institute Press, Annapolis, MD, 1993. Hardcover, embossed dustjacket. 4to - over 9?" - 12" tall; 392 pages.. This is a stated First Printing of this completely restored and annotated edition. "Definitive, Unabridged Edition Based on the Original French Texts; Newly Translated and Annotated by Walter James Miller and Frederick Paul Walter." This new translation corrects many errors in previous English translations and restores text appearing in the original French but omitted from earlier translations. Illustrations are copies from the original French edition, by Edouard Riou and Alphonse de Neuville. The maps are recreations by Jim Walter of the maps in that edition, which were drafted under Verne's supervision. This is a beautiful book, set in Granjon and Centaur type and printed on 55-lb. S.D. Warren Sebago antique cream and bound in Holliston Roxite B vellum. The sales blurb indicates: This edition is highly recommended for all Verne lovers who prefer not to read him in the original French. |
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20,000 THOUSAND LEAGUES UNDER THE SEA
Jules Verne. Grosset & Dunlap, New York, New York, U.S.A., 1996. Hardcover. 8vo - over 7¾ - 9¾" tall. Color illustrations. See also1916 edition from this publisher.
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TWENTY THOUSAND LEAGUES UNDER THE SEA
Jules Verne. Illustrated by: Paul Wright Published by: Dorling & Kindersley, UK in 1998
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21st CENTURY EDITIONS
There are so many - so many will not be listed. There have been new translations, new illustrations, and even abridgeements, each providing a 'modern' influence on the ease of actually reading the book. It is arguable that this is a good thing - but if it encourages the young reader to simply read, indeed the older reader also, then it has been of benefit. When purchasing a new or old edition, consider whether it is indeed a new edition with a new translation and perhaps illustrations, or if it is a reprint of an earlier edition. There is no suggestion that one is 'better' than the other. |
20,000 LEAGUES UNDER THE SEA
Jules Verne, Jules. Diane Dillon, illustrator. Leo Dillon, illustrator. Anthony Bonner, translator. William Morrow & Co, 2000. (Books of Wonder) (ISBN: 0688105351 / 0-688-10535-1) Hardcover, 394 pages; 8.75x7.50x1.25 inches. From a sales blurb: In twelve dazzling full-color plates and dozens of two-color illustrations, two-time Caldecott Medalists Leo and Diane Dillion capture the beauty, grandeur, and suspense of this timeless tale. From the exploration of the lost city of Atlantis to the battle with a giant octopus to the mad genius of the organ-playing Captain Nemo, their art brings the classic words of Jules Verne to vivid life. More than one hundred years after its first publication, 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea remains one of the most memorable adventure stories ever told. Now, with this beautifully illustrated and unabridged gift edition, a new generation can discover the excitement and imaginative power of Jules Verne's epic tale. Also listed under: HarperCollins Publishers, New York, New York, 2000. (Same ISBN as William Morrow above). |
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TWENTY THOUSAND LEAGUES UNDER THE SEA
Jules Verne. Dodo Press, 2007. Paperback. (ISBN: 1406554308 / 1-4065-5430-8 ) I have no further details on the book and do not know from which 'edition' this printing has been based. Dodo Press do a fine job of reproduction of old classics and no doubt this title will be no exception. |
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TWENTY THOUSAND LEAGUES UNDER THE SEA
Jules Verne. Paw Prints, 2008. ISBN: 9781439545041 "Presents an illustrated version of the story of Professor Arronax and his two companions who are trapped aboard a fantastic submarine as prisoners of the deranged Captain Nemo." |
READERS COMMENT
It is interesting to hear of reader's impressions of the book after so many years, more than one and a half centuries, after it was written. Most appreciate the book for its prophetic influences; others are divided on the literature influence - how it reads, the plot, the structure; others may deride the accuracy of the marine life descriptions and the ignorance of true science. Of course it is impossible for a modern-day reader to critique a book written so long ago, but that does not deny the reader making comment on how the book reads today. If the reader finds it difficult to read because of sentence construction and structure, thats is certainly no criticism of the author. After all, who really enjoys reading Dickens today. Keep in mind also that the book was written in French and thus inherited a translators influence into initially early English, and now with later translations, into modern English. The following are neatly plagurised from the Abebooks website and provides an amusing insight into the thoughts of the modern reader. This book is a classic. No question. That's why I chose to read it. When it came out in the 1860s, it was science fiction and gripped the imaginations of many. A ship that could travel under the water! But reading it in 2010, much of the novelty of the book has been realized. More...We have had submarines for nearly a century. But even aside from that, there is little plot to the novel. It reads as if it were written by a committee at National Geographic. It's a survey of all the unique items and places in the world's oceans. The little plot there is involves the protagonist trying to escape from the ship. And the ending (not to ruin it...) is a total cop-out and disappointing. I was hoping this book would stand the test of time, like The Time Machine or even Around the World in 80 Days. But I found it a rather boring and drudging read. [BN] 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (Books of Wonder)is one of my favourite books of all time. Verne has managed to writing an intriguing, invigorating and adventure-filled adventure that also delves into questions morality and religion. Verne's love of science and technology is a leading.theme through out the book and one gets a lesson in the marine-life as it was known during his lifetime. The illustrations by the Dillon's are certainly a work of art to bestow and admire. The afterword by Peter Glassman is very well-written and informative. I can highly recommend this book to readers of all ages and I gave this amazing classic a strong 5/5. 5/5. [BV] Submarines as we know them didn't exist in 1869. But Jules Verne
had an almost eerily prophetic knack for knowing what technology would
be used in the future - and he put it to work in 20,000 Leagues Under The
Sea, a slow-moving adventure tale with plenty of proto-steampunk and almost
fantastical undersea life. ..... It's actually rather amazing that
Jules Verne not only dreamed up the idea of a semi-modern submarine long
before they existed, but thought out the applications, the stealth, and
the vast size. And since nothing like the Nautilus existed at the time,
there's a slightly fantastical, steampunk flavor to 20,000 Leagues Under
the Sea. And as usual, Verne painstakingly studies everything about his
imagined world, filling it with science (although he obviously didn't know
about water/air pressure) and lovely descriptions of the Nautilus and the
eerie underwater world (giant oysters, forests, Atlantis). The only flaw
is that he tends to ramble on about exact measurements and travel details;
there are boring patches here and there. But Captain Nemo is probably one
of Verne's most fascinating characters - a charismatic, embittered man
who is a sort of noble sea pirate. He does some stuff that is totally unacceptable
(sinking a random warship), but he also has little spurts of kindness and
generosity towards poor and powerless peoples of the world. He's scary
but fascinating. Giant submarines, charismatic pirates and an undersea
world just waiting to be explored - 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea is a fascinating
sci-fi classic, if you can get past the dull patches. [ES]
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