Around the World in Eighty Days (1873)

What an adventure! Why didn't I read this earlier? I thought it was one of those boring classics you had to slog through in high school. Surprised to find this enjoyable to read. I didn't bother much with the geography bits though, and I'm glad I could read this for pleasure and not for a book report, where I'd be forced to say something about cultural/racial/religious portrayals or something.

I love how the emotional Passepartout is a great foil for the ever-phlegmatic Fogg. That was the primary source of humor for me. The part about Aouda is a bit sappy. Don't expect politically correct / round characters in this one. But all in all good fun.

Alternative moral: having wads of cash with which to bribe/pay off people is very useful when going around the world. Money makes the world go round, indeed.

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This book starts off slow, but picks up pace as the story goes on - the literary equivalent of a crescendo. The tale is of the stoic and mathematical Phineas Fogg who makes a potentially ruinous wager that he can circumnavigate the globe in 80 days. His adventures are cataloged, and the suspense palatable up until the last moment. Along the way he is met with a variety of unique challenges, not the least being pursued by Mr. Fix, an officer of the British India company, for an alleged bank robbery. No sex or profanity. Very little violent - none graphic. I would recommend this book to middle school aged readers and older. ( )

My high hopes for “Around the World in Eighty Days” were dashed in eight chapters or so.

Having seen a film of this as a child, I expected a similar amount of fun and adventure, but instead I endured a tedious plot and unappealing characters. ( )

Essentially light-hearted tale about a trip taken on a wager. The translation conveyed or possibly enhanced the humour. ( )

This is full of adventure. It was written at a time when people couldn’t find facts about other parts of the world as easily as we can today. Even though it may not be completely accurate, it sparks an interest by showing different countries around the world. I enjoyed the trip. It highlights different people, cultures and forms of transportation. Also, there are so many obstacles and near misses to keep everything exciting (It’s a race and high stakes bet). ( )