Philias Fogg is not the sort to plan a fantastical trip around the world. A reclusive English gentleman, he divides his time between his home and the Reform Club, where he spends time with colleagues and plays whist. One night, however, a disagreement arises at the Reform Club—according to a newspaper article, it is now possible to go around the world in just eighty days, and although his companions think it impossible, Mr. Fogg bets that he can do it. Accompanied by his manservant Passepartout, he sets out immediately, traveling by steamship, train, elephant, sledge, and more, and overcoming all manner of storms, setbacks, and an inspector from Scotland Yard named Fix, who believes that he robbed the bank of England and is determined to stop him at all costs.
Around the World in Eighty Days is an entertaining read, although it does take a little bit to get into. There are funny characters, clever plot twists, and interesting facts about transportation and the world in general in the late 1800s. Full of humor, wit and adventure, we’d recommend Around the World in Eighty Days to readers ages 10 and up, not as much because it would be inappropriate, but because the language may be more difficult for younger readers to understand.
*Note: there are many different editions of Around the World in Eighty Days, in many different languages, so we did not include a publisher or copywrite, as it was translated from the original French to English several times.