Around the World in Eighty Days by Jules Verne (Audiobook Review)

Philieas Fogg has to get Around the world in Eighty Days or he loses his entire fortune!

Audiobook Reviews from Audiobook-Heaven

Title: Around the World in Eighty Days
Author: Jules Verne
Narrator: Jim Dale
Publisher: Listening Library
Duration: 5 hours, 54 minutes
Copyright: 2004
Genres: classic fiction, adventure, travel
Filed in: Audiobook reviews
Review copy provided by Kearney Public Library.

THE GIST: While sitting around at their posh club one day, several English gentlemen engage in a discussion as to whether or not it would be possible to travel completely around the world in eighty days. The conversation was sparked by a newspaper article that told of the opening of a new railroad line across India which greatly reduced travel time. The gentlemen all agree that it would be quite impossible to accomplish the feat. All of the gentlemen except one. Phileas Fogg contends that it would indeed be possible, and even goes so far as to wager twenty thousand pounds that he could do it himself. Fogg's contemporaries eagerly accept the wager, as twenty thousand pounds was a great deal of money in those days. Not being a man to waste time over technicalities, Phileas leaves the club that very minute and begins his journey around the world, taking with him his servant Passepartout.

At about that same time, the London Bank is being robbed. A wire bearing the description of the bank robber is sent out immediately to all Scotland Yard detectives. One of those detectives is Mister fix, who soon afterward spots Phileas, who has just begun his journey. Phileas matches the description of the bank robber perfectly, and is also carrying a large bag full of money which he has brought to cover his traveling expenses.

And so the journey begins. Phileas Fogg and Passepartout move from country to country and continent to continent, scrambling to make their meticulously timed connections, all the while tailed by Mister Fix. Mister Fix is in turn being followed by the arrest warrant he has ordered from London. Fix has only to delay Fogg in one port long enough for the warrant to catch up.

On his incredible journey, Fogg uses every mode of transportation available to him: steam ship, sailing ship, steam train, elephant, and even a sail-driven sled which Fogg and company use to race down a frozen river in Nebraska. “Around the World in Eighty Days" provides a fascinating look at travel in the 19th century.

MY THOUGHTS: When I was in the third grade, I purchased a copy of Jules Verne’s "Journey to the Center of the Earth." It was my first Verne book and my very first taste of science fiction. I fell in love with both and I have never looked back.

“Around the World in Eighty Days” is not a typical Jules Verne audio book. Gone are the long technical descriptions of flora, fauna, and geology. What Verne provides instead are interesting portraits of the people and places Fogg encounters on his trip.

Of special interest to me was Phileas Fogg’s stop at the military fort in Kearney, Nebraska after his train is attacked by Sioux Indians. Fort Kearney, which is now a state recreation area, is no more than five miles due west of my house. Unfortunately, Jim Dale pronounced it with an “ear" sound instead of saying Carney. I guess he's never been here before..

NARRATOR: By now, everyone knows Jim Dale as the voice of Harry Potter and all his myriad cohorts. I just can’t help myself, whenever I listen to a Jim Dale audio book, I listen for familiar voices from the Potter series. In “Around the World in Eighty Days", I recognized a Rufus Scrimjour, a male character who sounded very much like Bellatrix LeStrange, and no less than three characters who sounded like Hagrid.

I also heard one voice which instantly became my favorite Jim Dale voice of all time. There was one character riding the train with Fogg through Utah, who began recounting a history of the Mormon church. The man sounded like a television evangelist with a slightly southern accent. It just cracked me up hearing Englishman Jim Dale doing a southern American accent.

FINAL WORD: If you have ever tried a Jules Verne audio book and were put off by all the technical scientific detail, you should give “Around the World in Eighty Days” a try. Besides, any audio book read by Jim Dale is worth a listen.

SPECIAL FEATURES: At the end of this audio book, the publisher of Listening Library, and son of the founder of the company, talks for a few minutes. He mentions that "Around the World in Eighty Days" was his father's very first audio book recording way back in 1955, and that this version was done to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the company. He then gives abrief history of Listening Library as well as some history of audio book technology. There were some interesting tidbits of information here.

Also, “Around the World in Eighty days” was enhanced with sound effects. Unlike some audio books I’ve heard, the sound fit the story very well. The sounds of steam whistles on trains and boats, and even elephant sounds really bring the story to life.

FILM ADAPTATION: “Around the World in Eighty Days” was adapted to film in 1955. The founder of Listening Library chose this story for that very reason, guessing that the feature film would generate interest in the story. The film was released in 1956 and starred David Niven and Shirley MacLain.

MORE AUDIOBOOKS NARRATED BY JIM DALE:
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J K Rowling (Audiobook Review)
Peter and the Secret of Rundoon by Dave Barry (Audiobook Review)
A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens (Audiobook Review)

If you liked this audiobook review, you can purchase the audiobook here:
Get "Around the World in Eighty Days" by Jules Verne from Amazon.com.

Interested in the movie?
Get "Around the World in 80 Days" (Two-Disc Special Edition) from Amazon.com.

This audiobook review is based on the unabridged audio book.
Audio book review by Steven Brandt
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