Malaysia [antikvár]

Introduction Jules Verne is often regarded as the father of science fiction. His most popular works, originally written in French, have been translated into many languages and read and enjoyed all over the world. Verne was born in 1828 in Nantes, a port on the French Atlantic coast. He went to school there, but at the age of eleven tried to run away to sea. Brought home by his worried parents, he promised them that from then on he would travel only in his imagination - and he did, in fact, write more than fifty extremely imaginative travel stories. Verne s father was a judge, and always intended his son to follow in his footsteps. He therefore encouraged Jules to go to Paris to study law. But by the time he had completed his degree, Jules was sure that his interest and his future were not in the legal world at all, but in the world of literature. His early writing was for the stage, and one of his first plays was produced with the support of the famous writer Alexandre Dumas. But these works met with little success. In 1857 Verne married Honorine Morel, who had recently lost her husband. Honorine already had two young daughters, and Verne and Honorine then had a son of their own. Although Verne was earning only a very small amount from his writing, Honorine encouraged him to continue until he achieved success.Verne was a keen sailor until 1886, when he was shot in the leg by a young relative who was mentally ill; for the rest of his life he walked with difficulty. His last years were spent in Amiens, where he continued to write and also played an active part in local government. In 1892 he was honoured by the French government for his lifetime of writing. Although he was seriously ill and half blind towards the end of his life, he worked until his death in March 1905. His funeral was attended by more than 5,000 people.