Day 15) O is for Ocean: Choose a book that takes place on or in the Ocean
Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea by Jules Verne
This is one of my top favorite books.
I started reading this book the same way I started reading all the classics, The Great Illustrated Classics collection at my local library.
And this is one of my all-time favorite stories. Just like Doc Brown
Doc Brown: So do I. “20,000 Leagues Under the Sea”, my absolute favorite.
As I mentioned before I love Jules Verne. I’ve read almost everything by him.
My favorite thing about this novel is everything they see and all the adventures they go on.
Another amazing thing was how Verne was so ahead of his time. In his novel Captain Nemo has electric lights on his submarine, it wasn’t until more than thirty years that was possible. He just had all these ideas or improvements that inspired people to create and copy them.
This book also has some solid math and science, based on current inventions of the time and what was known. It is just a fantastic book!
The book takes place in 1866. All the countries are agog as something seems to be destroying ships. Something…or some monster!
They call in the top people to launch an expedition to destroy whatever it is that is doing this to them. One of the people called in is Professor Pierre Aronnax, a marine biologist. He believes that the creature is something from the very depths of the oceans, as it would need incredible strength to survive that and destroy the ships the way it does.
Maybe a giant sea monster or narwhale?
He takes along his valet, Conseil, and the two meet and become good friends with Canadian Whaler, Ned Land, as they sail the sea searching for the creature.
They eventually find the creature, which rips apart the ships set after it. The only crew members to survive are Professor Aronnax, Conseil, and Ned. They try to find something to grab onto and drift on, when they grasp the monster and discover it is not a sea creature after all…
It is a super advanced submarine.
They are taken inside and saved by the captain, Captain Nemo. He decides to let them live because he greatly appreciates the intellect and things that Professor Aronnax has written.
But they are forced to remain on the ship forevermore, as they can not be returned to the surface. Saved but not free.
Conseil enjoys being underwater at first, but begins to wish for home. Ned has never liked being under the water, and from the beginning has been trying to figure out a way to escape their imprisonment. The only one who is thrilled with this arrangement is Professor Aronnax, as being a marine biologist this is the opportunity of a lifetime to learn about what really happens in the deep blue.
What is under the water?
They travel 20,000 leagues around the world; being the firsts to look upon Antarctica (as it wasn’t officially visited until 1911), battle a squad of sperm whales, visit shipwrecks, walk along the ocean floor, witness all kinds of marine life, fight off cannibal islanders, and are attacked by a giant squid in one of the most harrowing battles in literature.
As they journey they discover that their Captain has a lot of bitterness and rage; attacking ships because of an old pain.
For one who is so stone faced and set in his ways, will they ever be able to convince him to set them free? Or will they be stuck under the sea forever?
Yep just one fantastic read you need to check out for yourself.
No matter how many times I read this book it is still one wild ride! What can I say?
To start the 30 Day Challenge from beginning, go to It Was a Pleasure to Burn: Fahrenheit 451
For the previous post, go to I’d Spent Some Time As a Kid Wishing My Name Were Ashley or Katherine, if Only Because It Would Have Made Life Simpler, But My Mom Liked to Tell Me That My Name Was a Litmus Test: Along for the Ride
For more on 20000 Leagues Under the Sea, go to Heaven on Earth
For more Jules Verne, go to I Think I Have Found a Means of Conveyance…An Elephant: Around the World in 80 Days
For more ocean adventures, go to I Finally Read Moby-Dick
For more marine biologists, go to You’re Gonna Need a Bigger Boat: Jaws (1975)
Today’s pick is Carol of the Bells. This song was composed by Mykola Leontovych, and written by Peter J. Wilhousky in 1914.
For more Christmas Carols, go to Maybe Christmas, He Thought, Doesn’t Come from a Store. Maybe Christmas…Perhaps…Means a Little Bit More: How the Grinch Stole Christmas
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