All Around the Moon

Jules VerneJan 2016

3.9

Word count: 117K words
Chapters: 26

Summary

A few years ago the world was suddenly astounded by an experiment of a most novel and daring nature, altogether unprecedented in the annals of science. The Baltimore Gun Club, a society of artillerymen started in America during the great Civil War, had conceived the idea of nothing less than establishing direct communication with the Moon by means of a projectile. President Barbican, the originator of the enterprise, was strongly encouraged in its feasibility by the astronomers of Cambridge Observatory, and took upon himself to provide all the means necessary to secure its success. Having realized, by means of a public subscription, the sum of nearly five and a half million dollars, he immediately set himself to work at the necessary gigantic labors.

Editor's review

All Around the Moon continues Verne's famous cannon-to-the-moon conceit, telling of the Baltimore Gun Club's subsequent journey to establish direct contact with the moon through a projectile, driven by its president Barbicane. The book's value lies in weaving engineering speculation and astronomical observation into adventure narrative: calculations, orbits, and lunar-surface observations form the skeleton, while the characters' confinement together and sudden emergencies provide tension. It is a representative text of nineteenth-century science-fiction imagination, conveying both the era's optimism and curiosity about space travel and the gaps between scientific speculation and literary invention. Suitable as supplementary reading in the sources of science fiction or for comparison with works on similar themes. Readers need not demand today's scientific accuracy; treating it as a period document of imagination makes it more enjoyable.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers interested in early science fiction and Verne's works
Fans of space-travel themes who accept period limitations
Readers wanting to learn about nineteenth-century scientific imagination and astronomy
Readers with some English proficiency willing to read classics in translation or the original

Not a good fit for

Readers demanding hard-SF rigor and modern scientific accuracy
Impatient readers preferring fast-paced action
Those uncomfortable with nineteenth-century narrative pacing and long technical passages

Reading tips

Before reading, learn a little about the preceding Verne moon-shot story to connect characters and setup.
Slow down at orbital and lunar-surface passages, treating them as samples of period scientific imagination.
Compare the book's speculations with today's spaceflight knowledge and note the differences for a richer reading.
In translation, note how notes handle astronomical and engineering terms to aid understanding.

Copyright information
PRELIMINARY CHAPTER,
CHAPTER I.
CHAPTER II.
CHAPTER III.
CHAPTER IV.
CHAPTER V.
CHAPTER VI.
CHAPTER VII.
CHAPTER VIII.
CHAPTER IX.
CHAPTER X.
CHAPTER XI.
CHAPTER XII.
CHAPTER XIII.
CHAPTER XIV.
CHAPTER XV.
CHAPTER XVI.
CHAPTER XVII.
CHAPTER XVIII.
CHAPTER XIX.
CHAPTER XX.
CHAPTER XXI.
CHAPTER XXII.
CHAPTER XXIII.
CHAPTER XXIV.

FAQ

How does this relate to the previous book? Can it be read alone?

It continues the Baltimore Gun Club's idea of reaching the moon with a projectile, with characters and setup linked to the earlier book. It can be followed roughly on its own, but knowing the origin of the launch plan in the previous work makes character motives and the journey's starting point easier to understand.

Is the science in the book still accurate today?

The book contains much astronomical and engineering speculation of its time that is clearly limited by today's standards. Its value is not scientific accuracy but its presentation of how nineteenth-century people imagined space travel; it is best read as a source of science fiction and a period document.

What background knowledge should I prepare?

Basic astronomy and some sense of the technological level of Verne's era help but are not essential. More important is accepting nineteenth-century narrative pacing and being patient with longer technical passages as part of the adventure.

Comments

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About the author

Jules Verne Author

Jules Verne was a renowned French novelist and is regarded as one of the pioneers of science fiction. His writing is known for adventure, geographical exploration, and scientific imagination; he skillfully wove the technical knowledge of his time into gripping travel narratives that stirred readers' curiosity about the unknown world. This library holds 23 of his works, mostly English editions, including the Mysterious Island series and the Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea series, commonly classified under foreign literature. Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea links undersea wonders through a submarine voyage, while Mysterious Island tells of survival and rebuilding on a deserted island; both show his characteristic blend of scientific detail, adventurous plot, and humanistic concern. Because public information is limited, no biographical details are expanded here; his representative works alone reveal his thematic preferences and enduring literary influence.