Classics Carnival-Around the World in Eighty Days

Over at 5 Minutes for Books, they are having their First Tuesday Classics Carnival about Around the World in Eighty Days by Jules Verne

I don't know why I was thinking the character in this book went around the world in a hot air balloon but that couldn't have been farther from the truth! (although I wouldn't have been surprised; he certainly used a number of unusual modes of transport!)

Basically, the story consists of a gentleman named Philias Fogg who is very set in his ways who makes a bet with his cronies (for lack of a better word) that he can travel around the world in 80 days. Along for the traveling is his newly hired manservant, Passpartout who despite having recenlty met his master, is extremely devoted to him and willing to do most anything for him.

The travels take him from England through India (where Passpartout rescues a princess named Aouda, simply because it would be wrong to leave her there). They eventually travel across the United States and take a boat back to London.

Throughout the story, Fogg encounters many problems and somehow manages to get through them all with amazing calmness and determination. It amused me somewhat that Fogg didn't take the time to see the sights despite the fact he would probably never return to that part of the world--it was Passpartout who ended up seeing the sights and of course having some of his own adventures.

Of course, to travel around the world in eighty days would seem strange now what with the ease of flying but it was almost relaxing to read of a time when flying on a plane around the world was not possible and it was fun to see what Fogg would come up with next to overcome whatever the obstacle was.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and found that I couldn't put it down! Up next month is the Great Gatsby by F.Scott Fitzgerald.