Around the World in 80 Days

By: Jules Verne

Narrated by: Patrick Tull

Length: 6 hrs and 47 mins

Publisher's summary

Filled with fantasy, comedy and grand suspense, Around the World in 80 Days is classic entertainment that is sure to enchant listeners of all ages. When an eccentric Englishman named Phileas Fogg makes a daring wager that he can circle the globe in just 80 days, it’s the beginning of a breathlessly-paced world tour. With his devoted servant Passepartout at his side, Fogg sets off on an adventurous journey filled with amazing encounters and wild mishaps. Pursued all the way by the bumbling Detective Fix, who believes the two travelers are bank robbers on the run, Fogg and Passepartout must use every means of transportation known to 19th-century man - including a hot-air balloon, a locomotive, and an elephant - to win the bet. When Jules Verne’s delightful tale of two globetrotting gentlemen first appeared in 1873, it won the hearts - and imaginations - of readers across Europe. Published chapter by chapter over the course of many months, Around the World in 80 Days aroused so much excitement that readers placed bets on the outcome of Phileas Fogg’s race against time.

Public Domain (P)1986 Recorded Books

Fun, classic story - but SCREEN PLAY BETTER

What made the experience of listening to Around the World in 80 Days the most enjoyable?

Fast moving, compelling adventure story.

Any additional comments?

Actually a bit disappointed. This was because the movie is such a favorite. The screen play is really much more detailed, compelling, colorful and enjoyable. Many of the pivotal scenes in the book are only lightly detailed and pass without the detail that one might want. This is one of those cases where the movie was actually an improvement on the book.

A delightful read

Jules Verne was an excellent writer and this is one of his great, classic stories. It is a fun romp around the world and the characters are very engaging, especially Passepartout who provides the main point of view for the reader as well as a catalyst for a lot of the action. The book builds to an exciting and satisfying conclusion.

It is read by the great Patrick Tull who is famous for reading the Patrick O'Brien novels (which is why I chose this particular book). Tull imbues each character with their own personality, he really was one of the best readers.

I highly recommend this book, it is also a great family book.

A Real Page Turner

This novel has always been a classic. Now, however, it is the availability of a recorded reading professional that gives treasured classics an opportunity to be cherished by a contemporary audience. Now too can today’s audience fall in love with the furious passion that is Passepartout or the near endless vigilance and calm that encompasses Mr. Fogg.

A favorite tale and a Jules Verne classic.

It's funny how much power there is in this book for me. I have read, reread and now listened to this book several times. I have even watched two movies featuring it's plot and I still like it. There is something about a story about a mad race around the world that inspires the imagination and desire to experience new places. If you like Jules Verne novels, then this is a must have. If you love to travel then this is a must have. If you like well narrated audiobooks of really old classic novels, then this is a must have.

Around the world for love

Marvelous reading I fell into the story completely. Fascinating, adventurous, beautiful.
What is to be gained from adventure? love.

The quintessential road trip book

I was shocked just how funny this book was. But it was also full of mystery, romance, gunfights, acrobatics, coolheaded Englishmen, fair maidens, funny Frenchmen and dastardly detectives. A rocklicking globe trotting adventure that Indiana Jones would envy.

An absolutely delightful romp!

Thank you, thank you, Audible for offering this book on the $4.95 sale. I would not have used one of my credits for it - why should I spend a credit on under 7 hours of listening when I could get for the same cost 20 or even 50 hours of listening? There is no shortage of excellent longer choices. But, you know, sales work - even for self-controlled people like me. So, since I like 19th century literature, I took Around the World in 80 Days, and it was totally delightful, wildly entertaining, and a superb performance by the reader (except his voice for the one female character, but she didn't speak so much, so it is a truly negligible matter). If anyone is feeling down, in need of some cheer, listen to this book! Trust me - your mood will improve hugely. The book does suffer, here and there, from one of the ailments of a lot of literature of that era - bigotry. Often it is the pawnbroker or money-lender, almost invariably singled out as a Jew, when a literary character is in need of such services. Or, of course, in American literature, the depiction of African-Americans is deplorable. In this case it is the depiction of American Indians. It is not the fact that the train was attacked by Indians - that indeed might be historically realistic, without going into the complexity of the situation. It is when in chapter 26 (actually before an attack) we are told that "the railway crosses a territory which is still infested by Indians and wild beasts" that I cringed. The original French is not quite as blunt - instead of "infested" it has "frequentee" (frequented), which "merely" denotes danger but does not denote some kind of vermin in need of elimination. But it is not the French version that you will be listening to, here. And, like so much literature of the era, there is a rather paternalistic attitude towards the female character. Sort of like chivalry. But I am a fan of 18th and 19th century literature, and I maintain that one can read (or listen to) and appreciate this literature and use a filter to understand and appreciate the historical reality, and use it to remind us that though there has been progress in some places regarding some groups of people, the world still has much to improve in the realm of respect for people who are different from us. These bits of misguided attitude towards "the other" or towards women can serve as an exercise in increasing sensitivity.

Greatly Enjoyed It

The writing style is a little hard for a modern listener but that adds to the feeling of being there. I had never read the book or heard the full story so I was happily surprised with the ending!

One of my favorites

I love this book! The plot is simple and easy to follow, but the details and characters make it fun and worth the time. Mr. Tull did an excellent job reading it aloud. The chapters are short, so it is easy to match to tasks of varying lengths I highly recommend it to anyone looking for something to listen to as the prepare dinner or clean (or just relax!).

Classic Victorian adventure yarn

This book is a classic Victorian era English adventure yarn, in the vein of Sherlock Holmes, Dracula and the like. This would have been the escapist adventure fiction of the late 1800's. And it is a lot of fun. In this story, as most probably already know, the stoic English gentleman Philias Fogg bets that he can make it around the world in 80 days. He embarks on his journey with his brand new French servant, Passepartout. They end up being chased by an English detective, Fixx, who suspects Fogg of being a criminal making his escape. Fogg, Passepartout, Fixx and others encounter a variety of adventures, near misses and close shaves at they circumvent the earth by ship, train, ice sledge and elephant. The characters are a lot of fun, but this book is simple entertainment. I happen to enjoy adventure stories from this era, but those not familiar with them should understand that they are all written in a certain style, of which this book is typical. In my opinion, well worth the read. I am usually not a fan of Patrick Tull as a narrator, but he was perfect for this story.