Jules Verne

The writer whose imagination took him around the world and under the sea

Who is he?

Jules Verne was a famous French novelist, one of the pioneers of science fiction.

Why is he an overman?

Jules Verne is considered one of the founders of modern science fiction and one of the most influential adventure writers in literary history. At a time when many of the technologies he described did not yet exist, he imagined advanced submarines, space travel, and journeys to the centre of the Earth. Although he did not predict the future perfectly, his stories encouraged curiosity about science, engineering, geography, and exploration.

Jules Verne was an imaginative, curious, and fairly private person. He was known for being disciplined and hardworking, often following a strict writing routine. He enjoyed sailing and travelling, but he also valued spending time at home, reading, writing, and working on his stories.

Curious facts:

According to a famous story, Verne secretly arranged to work as a cabin boy on a ship heading to the Indies. He wanted to bring back a coral necklace for his cousin, Caroline. His father reportedly caught him before the voyage could begin and made him promise to travel only in his imagination.

Quotes:

Anything one man can imagine, other men can make real.

The sea is everything.

Science, my lad, is made up of mistakes, but they are mistakes which it is useful to make, because they lead little by little to the truth.

Important work:

Journey to the Center of the Earth

From the Earth to the Moon

Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Seas

Around the World in Eighty Days

Short biography:

08 February 1928 – 24 March 1905

Jules Verne was in Nantes, France. His father, Pierre Verne, was a lawyer who hoped that Jules would follow in his footsteps, while his mother, Sophie, came from a family connected to shipping and navigation. Growing up in a busy port city, Jules developed a strong fascination with ships, travel, and exploration. Although he studied law in Paris, he was much more interested in writing literature and plays, eventually deciding to pursue a career as a writer rather than becoming a lawyer.

Verne achieved literary success after meeting publisher Pierre-Jules Hetzel, who recognized his talent and helped him publish his first major adventure novel, Five Weeks in a Balloon, in 1863. He went on to write many celebrated books which combined scientific knowledge with exciting adventures, imagining technologies such as advanced submarines and space travel long before they became practical realities.

Verne married Honorine de Viane, a widow with two daughters, on January 10, 1857. The couple had one son, Michel, born in 1861. To support his family while developing his writing career, Verne initially worked as a stockbroker. He also enjoyed travelling and sailing, owning several boats and visiting different parts of Europe. These experiences provided inspiration for many of his adventure stories. In 1871, he settled in Amiens, where he continued writing and became involved in local politics, serving as a town councillor from 1888.

During the later years of his life, Verne continued to write, although some of his later works adopted a darker tone and explored the potential dangers of scientific progress and human ambition. In 1886, he was shot in the leg by his nephew Gaston, an incident that left him with a permanent limp. Despite this setback, he remained active in literature and public life.