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Around the World in Eighty Days

Audiobook
2 of 2 copies available
2 of 2 copies available
To take on the bet - to go around the world in eighty days, faster than anyone had gone before - was madness. If Phileas Fogg missed a single connection he would lose £20,000. Phileas Fogg was an eccentric Englishman who lived a quiet ordered life and believed that, with technology and planning, nothing was unforseeable. But he could not plan for the ebullient nature of his French servant, Passepartout, for the adventures that crop up on their journey and for the totally unexpected collision with romance. The humour and freshness of Verne's writing - vivid despatches from a newly accessible world - make Around The World In Eighty Days an ideal subject for an audiobook.
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  • Reviews

    • AudioFile Magazine
      On a wager with his chums at the Reform Club, Phileas Fogg attempts the trip described in the title of this classic adventure novel. Burton does a fine job reading this skillful abridgment, changing voices effectively and pacing himself well. Classical music is used as an effective bridge between chapters. Superior liner notes include a chapter outline, a brief biographical sketch of Verne and a list of the music used in the program. P.B.J. (c)AudioFile, Portland, Maine
    • Publisher's Weekly

      Starred review from February 14, 2005
      The sounds of a chugging steam engine and the orchestral movie-score strains that open this program set the stage for Dale's top-drawer performance of this much-loved adventure story. As one could set a clock by eccentric Phileas Fogg's daily routine, Fogg shocks everyone when he bets his personal fortune that he can complete the trip proposed in the book's title and then sets off on the wild trip. Listeners can almost envision a twinkle in Dale's eye as he delivers the lines of Fogg's traveling companion and man-servant Passepartout in an entertaining, though not over-the-top, French accent. Dale's vibrant, never-hurried reading is pleasantly punctuated by background music of the era at chapter breaks. A bonus afterword notes that this new edition pays homage to Listening Library's very first recording in 1955, of this same book. The added material also mentions the historical and social context of Verne's writings about other cultures, the tone of which would be considered insensitive or offensive by many people today. Ages 8-up.

    • AudioFile Magazine
      Commemorating Listening Library's 50th Anniversary, the publisher reprises the first book recorded as an audiobook in 1955. This new edition, read by Jim Dale, offers a good, if not brilliant, rendition of Verne's 1873 classic. Dale paces himself to Verne's narrative, which seems a bit slow and plodding. As the urgency of the circumnavigation increases, Dale's characters seem to gather more vitality. When Phileas Fogg, the focused English gentleman, and his resilient servant, Passepartout, encounter the boisterous Americans, Dale's interplay with the characters shines. Listeners will certainly enjoy some of Verne's satire, the geography, and the "modern" advances of travel in their nineteenth-century context. R.F.W. 2006 Audie Award Winner (c) AudioFile 2005, Portland, Maine
    • AudioFile Magazine
      When the English gentleman, Phileas Fogg, wagers with members of his London club that he can travel around the world in eighty days, few people could guess at the strange adventures he and his servant, Jean Passepartout, will encounter on their extraordinary voyage. David Colacci does a fine job in bringing this quaint nineteenth-century novel into our time. Instead of performing accents and gender distinctions that are totally accurate, Colacci adds an amusing flavor to them. The result is an enjoyable listening experience of a work that lives again. E.E.L. (c)AudioFile, Portland, Maine
    • AudioFile Magazine
      This classic adventure story, written in 1873, recounts the experiences of Phineas Fogg and his party as they make the trip described in the title in order to win a wager. Tim Behrens reads in a pleasant and interested voice. His vocal characterizations of men are more distinctive than the one female character with any dialogue (Aouda). The accents of the various nationalities encountered are skillfully handled. Although Behrens reads the narration with an American accent, he capably handles the British accents. Throughout the production, Behrens's pace is consistent, and he seems to enjoy the material. M.A.M. (c)AudioFile, Portland, Maine
    • AudioFile Magazine
      This audiobook is a rare treat that offers a peek at the past yet remains relevant today. When first published in 1873, Jules Verne's novel represented merely a dream for most people. Despite the quantum evolution of transportation since then, the book is still delightful--from Phineas Fogg's initial bet to the final culmination of his adventure. Michael Prichard's delivery is reminiscent of the no-nonsense style used by the narrators of newsreels. He adeptly captures Fogg's audacious nature, as well as the unique personality of his newly employed valet, Passepartout. The focal point of the story remains Fogg's attempt to circumnavigate the globe using every available type of transportation, including trains, boats, and elephants. No matter how Fogg travels or what he encounters, Prichard brings out his joys, fears, and bravura. D.J.S. SYNC 2015 © AudioFile 2015, Portland, Maine
    • AudioFile Magazine
      Narrator Bill Homewood's voice gives listeners a sense of the elegance of the Reform Club, where Phileas Fogg spends his days. There's a hint of Jules Verne's playfulness creeping in as Fogg is seen through the eyes of his servant, Passepartout. When Fogg makes a fateful wager, the monotony of his life disappears as he embarks on his journey around the world. Homewood's voice takes on a tone of majesty reflecting Verne's awe at the wonders of then-modern transportation. Familiar listeners know that Fogg's famously precise travel plans will run into obstacles. Happily, the English gentleman shows calm resilience, even as he opens his heart while crossing the globe. J.A.S. © AudioFile 2020, Portland, Maine

Formats

  • OverDrive Listen audiobook

Languages

  • English

Levels

  • Lexile® Measure:1070
  • Text Difficulty:6-9

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