Jules Verne

Jules Verne (1828–1905) was a French writer and is regarded as a pioneer of modern science fiction. Born in Nantes, he studied law in Paris and initially wrote plays. From 1852 to 1855 he worked as a secretary at the Théâtre Lyrique and later spent some time as a stockbroker. Publisher Pierre-Jules Hetzel published Verne’s first novel, Five Weeks in a Balloon, in 1863 and supported his subsequent career. His best-known works include Journey to the Centre of the Earth, Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Seas, From the Earth to the Moon, Around the World in Eighty Days, and Michael Strogoff. Verne’s adventure novels combine detailed knowledge of contemporary science and technology with an imaginative vision of future possibilities.