The Mysterious Island

A great adventure story with lots of interesting technical details and amusing attitudes that would seem very old fashioned nowadays

I purchased a leather bound omnibus of four Verne tales in an Antique store in 1969 and was instantly hooked. I found a copy of the Mysterious Island later that year, a worn library book in my elementary school library, and surprised my teacher by doing a book report on it . . . she assumed it was over my head, but I surprised her. My mother purchased a copy for my next birthday, a Kingstone translation, a hardback version I still have.The Kingstone translation is all I have ever know, but I heard about the Jordan Stump translation and had to buy it.I am told that this version is more truthful to how the book reads in French, the language Verne wrote in. I will certainly say that the version holds up well, having not read my Kingstone versions in ten or fifteen years.It is a great tale that shows how a number of strong willed men, when led by a man knowledgeable in engineering and the sciences, can overcome severe adversity. The Mysterious Island is a not an easy read for most, written in the common language of the 19th century and containing many, many sections wherein the characters use their knowledge of period skills and science to survive on an uncharted island. For those of you who have not yet attempted the reading of Verne's novels, I would suggest starting with '20000 leagues' . . . if you like that try this one; it too has a great deal of geography and science involved in the story.

its the third book in Jules Verne's trilogy. I would recommend reading from the very first book: Captain Grant's Children, Twenty Thousand Leagues under the Seas and then this one: the Mysterious Island. From the start the connection between books is not really visible but at the end of the Mysterious Island you get the connection. Have fun :)

had this book in Czech originally. have been looking for it for a while. since I read and re-read it in Czech, wasn't sure if the English version would entertain me as much, ordered it more for other family members... alas, Jules Verne in any language is the master!

Modern Library; Reprint版 (2004/4/27)のレビュー。10.9 x 17.5 cmのマスマーケット版。原作の挿絵すべて収録。フランス語を小説をわざわざ英訳で読むなんて邪道だかもしれませんが、これはいいですよ。いきなり１９世紀の小説を読むのがキツイ方も、１９世紀の雰囲気を出した翻訳を読んでみるのはどうでしょうか。訳者の解説にありますが、この小説の主要登場人物はすべてアメリカ人（南北戦争当時の北軍側）で、会話はすべて英語でなされていたはずです。そのフランス語で書かれたアメリカ人の話をそれらしく英訳したそうです。結果として、やや古風ながら、とても読みやすくなっています。まあ、ヴェルヌの小説はたいてい、章ごとに要約が書いてあって要点がわかりやすいし、登場人物の性格も単純ですが。おもしろさは、人物の描写ではなく、無人島でのサバイバルの細部の描写でしょう。あっと驚く秘密も最後に用意されています。（もっとも、例の作品のファンには納得しがたいかも）それから、『グラント船長の子どもたち』の筋をそのままネタバレで書いてある章もあるんです。これは困るけど、話の都合上、読まないわけにはいかないでしょうね。