Sans dessus dessous

Jules VerneProject Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

3.4

Word count: 311K words
Chapters: 32

Summary

Project Gutenberg was the first provider of free electronic books, or eBooks. Michael Hart, founder of Project Gutenberg, invented eBooks in 1971 and his memory continues to inspire the creation of eBooks and related technologies today.Sans dessus dessous by Jules VerneAuthor: Verne, Jules, 1828-1905,Language: French, Class: PQ: Language and Literatures: Romance literatures: French, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Release Date: Jun 1, 2004

Editor's review

Sans dessus dessous is a late science-fiction adventure novel by Jules Verne, released free in the original French by Project Gutenberg. Here Verne turns his gaze to the Arctic and to planetary engineering: a group of American engineers forms the North Polar Practical Association and seeks to alter the Earth's axial tilt in order to gain access to coal deposits within the Arctic Circle. The novel continues Verne's characteristic blend of scientific extrapolation and adventure narrative, offering bold imaginings of engineering while hinting at anxieties about capitalist expansion and human intervention in nature. As a public-domain ebook, its value lies in the authentic French text, making it suitable for readers who wish to read the original, study Verne's science-fiction lineage, or examine nineteenth-century scientific discourse. It is best read after works such as From the Earth to the Moon and Journey to the Center of the Earth, to appreciate Verne's shift from exploring the unknown to remaking the Earth.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Science-fiction fans who read French and want Verne's original text rather than a translation
Readers studying Verne's works and the lineage of nineteenth-century science fiction
Readers interested in scientific imaginings such as Arctic exploration and planetary engineering
Teachers and students needing a public-domain French text for language learning or textual analysis

Not a good fit for

General readers who cannot read French and accept only Chinese translations
Readers expecting fast-paced action-adventure and impatient with scientific discussion
Beginners needing full annotations and an introduction

Reading tips

Read one chapter first to get a feel for Verne's French narrative rhythm, then decide whether to read straight through or selectively.
Compare with translations of Verne's other works and note differences in his portrayal of engineering and capital.
Keep a map or globe at hand to follow the book's ideas about the Earth's axis and the Arctic.
For language learning, excerpt scientific terms and engineering dialogue for vocabulary notes.

About the publisher

Project Gutenberg United States · Founded in 1971

Project Gutenberg is a digital publishing project focused on public-domain ebooks. Its publishing direction centers on classic literary works whose copyright has expired, covering genres such as poetry, drama, fiction, and epic. Representative books include Lyrical Ballads by Wordsworth and Coleridge, Proust's Du côté de chez Swann, Shakespeare's Macbeth and The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, Homer's The Iliad, Dante's La Divina Comèdia: Purgatòri, Cervantes's The History of Don Quixote, Volume 2, and Grahame's The Wind in the Willows. Its author resources consist mainly of classic Western writers such as Wordsworth, Proust, Shakespeare, Homer, Dante, Cervantes, Grahame, and Tolstoy. Its publishing feature is the provision of freely accessible ebooks in EPUB and Kindle formats; it is not a traditional publisher, and publicly available information is limited.

FAQ

Is this book a Chinese edition?

No. This is the original French ebook released by Project Gutenberg, in French, with no Chinese translation in the text; readers need French reading ability before starting.

How does it relate to Verne's other works?

It belongs to Verne's late science-fiction adventure vein and, like From the Earth to the Moon, drives its plot with scientific speculation, but its focus shifts to planetary engineering and Arctic resources; it can be read comparatively within his body of work.

Is it suitable for learning French?

It can serve as advanced reading material. The text is nineteenth-century French with literary syntax and vocabulary; it is best attempted after gaining some grounding in French, with a dictionary and notes.

What are the features of the ebook edition?

It is provided free by Project Gutenberg and is easy to download, search, and copy, but it lacks modern annotations, introductions, or illustrations, so readers must supply background information themselves.

Comments

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About the author

Jules Verne Author · French · 1828–1905

Jules Verne (1828–1905) was a French author born in Nantes and died in Amiens, and is regarded as one of the founders of modern science fiction. He excelled at combining scientific knowledge, geographical exploration, and adventure narratives, drawing readers with precise detail and imaginative journeys. His representative works include Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Seas, Around the World in Eighty Days, and From the Earth to the Moon, with themes such as submarine voyages and global travel enjoying wide circulation. The library holds 141 of his works, reflecting the sheer volume and reach of his writing. His novels often center on exploring unknown worlds against the backdrop of nineteenth-century scientific progress, and have had a profound influence on later science fiction and adventure literature.