09-16-2020, 11:07 AM | #31 | ||
Hedge Wizard
Posts: 801
Karma: 19999999
Join Date: May 2011
Location: UK/Philippines
Device: Kobo Touch, Nook Simple
|
Quote:
Quote:
Intereesting and informative. It is also something that is often ignored. Last edited by Thasaidon; 09-16-2020 at 11:10 AM. |
||
09-16-2020, 11:08 AM | #32 | |
Resident Curmudgeon
Posts: 74,585
Karma: 130140792
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts
Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Aura H2O, PRS-650, PRS-T1, nook STR, PW3
|
Quote:
|
|
Advert | |
|
09-16-2020, 11:21 AM | #33 |
Grand Sorcerer
Posts: 7,346
Karma: 52398889
Join Date: Oct 2010
Device: Kindle Fire, Kindle Paperwhite, AGPTek Bluetooth Clip
|
Re the date: it's not about newspapers or Fogg being generally oblivious to anything but his own pursuit; it's about the schedules. The train times--are trains leaving at the same time every day, weekdays and weekends, as they travel the U.S.? Worse, the ships that crossed the Atlantic--how in the world do they arrive a day early, yet find their ship has sailed? It's absurd.
|
09-16-2020, 11:46 AM | #34 | ||
Grand Sorcerer
Posts: 7,346
Karma: 52398889
Join Date: Oct 2010
Device: Kindle Fire, Kindle Paperwhite, AGPTek Bluetooth Clip
|
Quote:
Quote:
What's wrong with her being a secondary character to the men in an adventure story written in the 19th century? Her rescue lets us see Fogg as principled and heroic, when to that point he's been quite a prig. She could easily have been left in Hong Kong, as she served little purpose in the story till she was needed again for the plot at the end, but so what? Most of the men in the story are marginal as well, there only to provide obstacles or assistance as needed to advance the story. |
||
09-16-2020, 11:54 AM | #35 |
Grand Sorcerer
Posts: 7,346
Karma: 52398889
Join Date: Oct 2010
Device: Kindle Fire, Kindle Paperwhite, AGPTek Bluetooth Clip
|
I don't believe anyone's mentioned Fix yet. I was reminded of the TV show The Fugitive, and Lieutenant Gerard's obsession with catching Richard Kimble; Gerard was supposedly modeled somewhat on Javert from Les Miserables, which led me to wonder if Fix was based on Javert. (I haven't read Les Mis; hence my roundabout thought process.)
|
Advert | |
|
09-16-2020, 12:36 PM | #36 | |
Professor of Law
Posts: 3,658
Karma: 66000000
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Chapel Hill, NC
Device: Kobo Elipsa, Kobo Libra H20, Kobo Aura One, KoboMini
|
Quote:
As to your second comment - there is nothing "wrong" with Aouda's position in the story, I was just explaining that it took away from my enjoyment. It bothered me enough to distract me, so it felt worthy of comment in the disicussion. |
|
09-16-2020, 03:05 PM | #37 |
Wizard
Posts: 1,013
Karma: 19767610
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Nova Scotia Canada
Device: ipad, Kindle PW, Kobo Clara; iphone 7
|
I was completely surprised by this book. I only knew Verne by his reputation as an early sci-fi writer and was expecting a clockwork display of the marvels of modern travel, not a caper. Something much more like a World Fair exhibit. So it took me a while to adjust to the tone.
That said, once I got on the same page as Verne, I enjoyed the book, and am glad I finally read it. It was amusing and moved at a nice pace. I felt a bit of tension each time Fix showed up, or there was another setback. In terms of the writing itself, I preferred Fix’s efforts to derail the journey and thought they were more believable than Passepartout’s shenanigans. Those were a bit too slapstick for my tastes, and felt contrived. Also, I didn’t think having Fix give Passepartout opium was in character for a lawman. Plus, we first met Passepartout, he wanted an uneventful life. Then his character seemed to do a complete turnaround. But the book is a caper, so the inconsistencies didn’t spoil it for me. I thought that imperialism and other attitudes were very much on display, and it did make me cringe several times. However, I expected it, and also saw it more as a general reflection of the era, than specific to Verne. In terms of the believability of the ending, I hadn’t read the book nor seen the movie. I thought Fogg had failed, and was disappointed. I completely forgot about the dateline. Since I fell for it 2020, I didn’t think was Verne out of line writing the ending in 1873. Last edited by Victoria; 09-16-2020 at 03:42 PM. |
09-16-2020, 03:45 PM | #38 |
Wizard
Posts: 1,013
Karma: 19767610
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Nova Scotia Canada
Device: ipad, Kindle PW, Kobo Clara; iphone 7
|
I thought it was a way to tamp down the mixed-race aspect too, when I read it, in addition to emphasizing their shared cultural framework.
Last edited by Victoria; 09-16-2020 at 03:51 PM. |
09-16-2020, 03:54 PM | #39 |
Resident Curmudgeon
Posts: 74,585
Karma: 130140792
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts
Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Aura H2O, PRS-650, PRS-T1, nook STR, PW3
|
I thought there was a case of Munchhausen Syndrome going on here.
|
09-16-2020, 05:30 PM | #40 |
Resident Curmudgeon
Posts: 74,585
Karma: 130140792
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts
Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Aura H2O, PRS-650, PRS-T1, nook STR, PW3
|
First look at David Tennant in Around the World in 80 Days
It's coming to BBC (and I would think BBC America) in 2021. Last edited by JSWolf; 09-16-2020 at 05:35 PM. |
09-16-2020, 05:39 PM | #41 |
Resident Curmudgeon
Posts: 74,585
Karma: 130140792
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts
Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Aura H2O, PRS-650, PRS-T1, nook STR, PW3
|
This is a fun video.
|
09-16-2020, 08:50 PM | #42 | |
(he/him/his)
Posts: 12,170
Karma: 79742714
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Sunshine Coast, BC
Device: Oasis (Gen3),Paperwhite (Gen10), Voyage, Paperwhite(orig), Fire HD 8
|
Quote:
That being said, if we're going to allow sledges "sailing" across the plains, then we can hardly quibble about the International Date Line being forgotten. |
|
09-16-2020, 09:59 PM | #43 | |
cacoethes scribendi
Posts: 5,809
Karma: 137770742
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Australia
Device: Kobo Aura One & H2Ov2, Sony PRS-650
|
Quote:
|
|
09-16-2020, 10:00 PM | #44 | |
Hedge Wizard
Posts: 801
Karma: 19999999
Join Date: May 2011
Location: UK/Philippines
Device: Kobo Touch, Nook Simple
|
Quote:
I said about racism "If you look hard enough you will find it whether it exists or not." and that goes for many other things as well. Re Haggard a quote from Wikipedia "His novels portray many of the stereotypes associated with colonialism, yet they are unusual for the degree of sympathy with which the native populations are portrayed. Africans often play heroic roles in the novels, although the protagonists are typically European (though not invariably). Notable examples are the heroic Zulu warrior Umslopogaas and Ignosi, the rightful king of Kukuanaland, in King Solomon's Mines." If you read about his life I think you will find he was quite enlightened for his time, which is supported by how he writes about non Europeans (see wikipedia quote above). I think he has been unfairly criticised because he is famous, closely associated with the British Empire, and dead. This makes him an easy target as he cannot argue his case with said critics. Have you tried reading any of his non African books like "Eric Brighteyes" (vikings)? |
|
09-17-2020, 04:09 AM | #45 |
Wizard
Posts: 4,461
Karma: 429063498
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: Mauritius
Device: Kindle Paperwhite 4
|
The French version left a little to be desired. Verne was not a master of the language. I liked this book more than the journeys to the moon and the center of the earth. Aouda was conveniently European, I suppose that was the best that could be expected of a dated writer like Verne.
Thanks for the link, JSWolf. Pierce Brosnan was a good cast as Fogg. |
|
Similar Threads | ||||
Thread | Thread Starter | Forum | Replies | Last Post |
Other Fiction Verne, Jules: Around the World in 80 Days. v2, 24 Feb 2008 | HarryT | Kindle Books | 1 | 03-11-2012 03:06 PM |
Action Verne, Jules: Around the World in 80 Days. v2. 14th Feb 2010 | HarryT | ePub Books | 0 | 02-14-2010 01:20 PM |
Science Fiction Verne, Jules: The Master of the World. v2, 24 Feb 2008 | HarryT | BBeB/LRF Books | 3 | 04-02-2008 11:05 PM |
Science Fiction Verne, Jules: The Master of the World. v2, 24 Feb 2008 | HarryT | Kindle Books | 0 | 02-24-2008 06:48 AM |
Science Fiction Verne, Jules: Around the World in 80 Days. v2, 24 Feb 2008 | HarryT | BBeB/LRF Books | 1 | 02-24-2008 05:07 AM |