Five Weeks in a Balloon
Failed to add items
Add to Cart failed.
Add to Wish List failed.
Remove from wishlist failed.
Adding to library failed
Follow podcast failed
Unfollow podcast failed
Get 2 free audiobooks during trial.
Buy for $19.99
No default payment method selected.
We are sorry. We are not allowed to sell this product with the selected payment method
-
Narrated by:
-
Graham Scott
About this listen
Five Weeks in a Balloon
By Jules Verne
Translated by Frederick Paul Walter
Edited by Arthur Evans
Narrated by Graham Scott
One of the great "first novels" in world literature is now available in a complete, accurate English translation. Prepared by two of America's leading Verne scholars, Frederick Paul Walter and Arthur B. Evans, this edition honors not only Verne's farseeing science but also his zest, style, and storytelling brilliance.
Initially published in 1863, Five Weeks in a Balloon was the first novel in what would become the author's Extraordinary Voyages series. It tells the tale of a 4,000-mile balloon trip over the mysterious continent of Africa, a trip that wouldn't actually take place until well into the next century. Fusing adventure, comedy, and science fiction, Five Weeks has all the key ingredients of classic Verne: sly humor and cheeky characters, an innovative scientific invention, a tangled plot that's full of suspense and surprise, and visions of an unknown realm.
Public Domain (P)2019 Voices of TodayListeners also enjoyed...
-
A Journey to the Center of the Earth
- By: Jules Verne
- Narrated by: Peter Batchelor
- Length: 7 hrs and 10 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Jule's Verne's A Journey to the Center of the Earth is a science fiction classic. Volcanic tubes bring intrepid travelers toward the center of the Earth, where they encounter many adventures, including prehistoric animals.
-
-
Great story but poor narration.
- By Kevin on 01-07-14
By: Jules Verne
-
Around the World in 80 Days
- By: Jules Verne
- Narrated by: Patrick Tull
- Length: 6 hrs and 47 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
When an eccentric Englishman named Phileas Fogg makes a daring wager that he can circle the globe in just eighty 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.
-
-
A straightforward adventure/exploration story
- By Darwin8u on 02-03-13
By: Jules Verne
-
In the Year 2889
- By: Jules Verne
- Narrated by: Scott Thrift
- Length: 36 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In the Year 2889 by Jules Verne is a diary of the observations of Fritz Napoleon Smith, the editor of an influential futuristic newspaper. It is an action-packed tale of technological advances and science fiction scenarios. Some of the predictions were remarkably accurate.
By: Jules Verne
-
Off on a Comet
- By: Jules Verne
- Narrated by: David Gilmore
- Length: 11 hrs and 52 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In the latter part of the 19th century, a wayward comet strikes the Earth in Algeria and carries away a small group of French and British soldiers from their posts. They are forced to endure a two-year journey around the solar system and back. Famed early science fiction writer Jules Verne chronicles the challenges that confront the reluctant castaways as they attempt to survive on this small body of rock while they await possible return and transfer back to their dearly missed home planet.
By: Jules Verne
-
Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea (AmazonClassics Edition)
- By: Jules Verne, Lewis Page Mercier - translator
- Narrated by: James Langton
- Length: 11 hrs and 42 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In 1866, sightings of a legendary sea monster prompt a daring expedition out of New York City. Professor Pierre Aronnax, his servant Conseil, and whaler Ned Land are among the crew of the United States Navy frigate Abraham Lincoln. Though they are fearless, nothing prepares them for the "creature" itself - the Nautilus - a powerful, destructive submarine years ahead of its time. At the helm of the vessel is the brilliant Captain Nemo, who pulls the men deep into the wonders of the seas and the dark depths of his mind.
-
-
I loved this book!!
- By Amazon Customer on 10-19-20
By: Jules Verne, and others
-
The Survivors of the Chancellor
- By: Jules Verne
- Narrated by: John Bolen
- Length: 5 hrs and 8 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Mr. Kazallon thought that booking passage on a cargo ship from Charleston to Liverpool would be a charming way to return to his English homeland. If only he knew! A crazed sea captain, a disaster in the hold, storms, oppressive heat, sharks and starvation are just some of the many travails that will beset both passengers and crew. Will any of them survive the wreck of the Chancellor?
-
-
Overall, Good
- By Caleb on 03-16-15
By: Jules Verne
-
A Journey to the Center of the Earth
- By: Jules Verne
- Narrated by: Peter Batchelor
- Length: 7 hrs and 10 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Jule's Verne's A Journey to the Center of the Earth is a science fiction classic. Volcanic tubes bring intrepid travelers toward the center of the Earth, where they encounter many adventures, including prehistoric animals.
-
-
Great story but poor narration.
- By Kevin on 01-07-14
By: Jules Verne
-
Around the World in 80 Days
- By: Jules Verne
- Narrated by: Patrick Tull
- Length: 6 hrs and 47 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
When an eccentric Englishman named Phileas Fogg makes a daring wager that he can circle the globe in just eighty 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.
-
-
A straightforward adventure/exploration story
- By Darwin8u on 02-03-13
By: Jules Verne
-
In the Year 2889
- By: Jules Verne
- Narrated by: Scott Thrift
- Length: 36 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In the Year 2889 by Jules Verne is a diary of the observations of Fritz Napoleon Smith, the editor of an influential futuristic newspaper. It is an action-packed tale of technological advances and science fiction scenarios. Some of the predictions were remarkably accurate.
By: Jules Verne
-
Off on a Comet
- By: Jules Verne
- Narrated by: David Gilmore
- Length: 11 hrs and 52 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In the latter part of the 19th century, a wayward comet strikes the Earth in Algeria and carries away a small group of French and British soldiers from their posts. They are forced to endure a two-year journey around the solar system and back. Famed early science fiction writer Jules Verne chronicles the challenges that confront the reluctant castaways as they attempt to survive on this small body of rock while they await possible return and transfer back to their dearly missed home planet.
By: Jules Verne
-
Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea (AmazonClassics Edition)
- By: Jules Verne, Lewis Page Mercier - translator
- Narrated by: James Langton
- Length: 11 hrs and 42 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In 1866, sightings of a legendary sea monster prompt a daring expedition out of New York City. Professor Pierre Aronnax, his servant Conseil, and whaler Ned Land are among the crew of the United States Navy frigate Abraham Lincoln. Though they are fearless, nothing prepares them for the "creature" itself - the Nautilus - a powerful, destructive submarine years ahead of its time. At the helm of the vessel is the brilliant Captain Nemo, who pulls the men deep into the wonders of the seas and the dark depths of his mind.
-
-
I loved this book!!
- By Amazon Customer on 10-19-20
By: Jules Verne, and others
-
The Survivors of the Chancellor
- By: Jules Verne
- Narrated by: John Bolen
- Length: 5 hrs and 8 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Mr. Kazallon thought that booking passage on a cargo ship from Charleston to Liverpool would be a charming way to return to his English homeland. If only he knew! A crazed sea captain, a disaster in the hold, storms, oppressive heat, sharks and starvation are just some of the many travails that will beset both passengers and crew. Will any of them survive the wreck of the Chancellor?
-
-
Overall, Good
- By Caleb on 03-16-15
By: Jules Verne
-
Michael Strogoff
- By: Jules Verne
- Narrated by: John Bolen
- Length: 9 hrs and 36 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In this 1876 "Mission Impossible" tale of intrigue set in Russia, a traitor has inspired the fierce Feofar Khan to invade Siberia and foment a rebellion. A sinister plot to assassinate the Czar's brother, the Grand Duke, is discovered but all telegraph lines have been cut.
-
-
Man reads words without comprehension...
- By Shane on 03-06-04
By: Jules Verne
-
From the Earth to the Moon and Around the Moon
- By: Jules Verne
- Narrated by: Bill Homewood
- Length: 14 hrs and 13 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Bored with inactivity following the end of the Civil War, the fanatical members of the American Gun Club in Baltimore look for a project to fulfill their passion for rearms. Their distinguished President, Impey Barbicane, proposes an exciting new endeavor - one that will cement their names in history: They will build the largest projectile ever known to man and shoot it at the moon! The bullet will be hollowed to accommodate Barbicane and two bold companions, along with their dog, and they will claim the moon as America's 37th state.
-
-
Earth to Moon
- By PJL0815 on 04-15-20
By: Jules Verne
-
The Swiss Family Robinson; The Final Adventures
- Castaways of the Flag
- By: Jules Verne
- Narrated by: Rusty Nelson
- Length: 15 hrs and 9 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Jules Verne achieved a triumph when his imagination, fired by Rudolph Wyss’ The Swiss Family Robinson was impelled to carry the story a step farther in The Castaways of the Flag. An island was ever his spiritual home; and no one was ever happier upon one. The Castaways of the Flag is a satisfactory sequel to The Swiss Family Robinson because it is the production of Jules Verne, an original genius, set in motion by Rudolph Wyss. Wherever The Swiss Family Robinson is heard, The Castaways of the Flag should also be heard.
-
-
great story, follows the original well
- By MegaMom on 03-28-24
By: Jules Verne
-
From the Earth to the Moon
- By: Jules Verne
- Narrated by: Bernard Mayes
- Length: 5 hrs and 16 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The War of the Rebellion is over, and the members of the American Gun Club, bored with inactivity, look around for a new project. At last they have it: "We will build the greatest projectile the world has ever seen and make the moon our 38th state!" When From the Earth to the Moon was published in 1865, it was regarded as pure fantasy. Who could imagine a rocket that would carry men and animals through space?
-
-
Mediocre story, terrible narration
- By Matthew Whatshisface on 07-03-20
By: Jules Verne
-
Journey to the Center of the Earth (AmazonClassics Edition)
- By: Jules Verne, Frederick Amadeus Malleson - translator
- Narrated by: Derek Perkins
- Length: 8 hrs and 45 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
A sixteenth-century cryptogram spurs modern geologist Otto Liedenbrock to embark on the most remarkable human quest ever taken. With his nephew and guide, he leads the descent from a dormant Icelandic volcano into the unexplored realm beneath their feet. There, a vast subterranean ocean, prehistoric creatures, and natural phenomena are but a few of the wonders hidden from all but the boldest eyes.
-
-
A Vernian Jouney
- By Andreea Marin on 11-29-17
By: Jules Verne, and others
-
Journey to the Center of the Earth
- By: Jules Verne, Frederick Amadeus Malleson - translator
- Narrated by: Derek Perkins
- Length: 8 hrs and 40 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In the midst of examining an ancient Icelandic manuscript, professor and mineralogist Otto Liedenbrock and his nephew Axel make an astonishing discovery.
-
-
Great narration, tedious story.
- By oseedee on 04-20-19
By: Jules Verne, and others
-
Journey to the Center of the Earth: A Signature Performance by Tim Curry
- By: Jules Verne
- Narrated by: Tim Curry
- Length: 8 hrs and 20 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
A Signature Performance: Tim Curry, the source of our inspiration, returns – this time, he captures the quirky enthusiasm of this goofily visionary adventure.
-
-
Feels like Jules Verne
- By Ramon on 03-10-11
By: Jules Verne
-
The Lost World (AmazonClassics Edition)
- By: Arthur Conan Doyle
- Narrated by: Gary Furlong
- Length: 7 hrs and 9 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
There’s only one way for Professor George Edward Challenger to prove that dinosaurs still roam the earth. He invites skeptical journalist Edward Malone to accompany him and a group of adventurers to see the creatures with his own eyes. But when they arrive at the fantastic volcanic plateau in the Amazon where time stands still, their expedition quickly becomes one of survival. With its cliff-hanging escapes, rousing humor, and nailbiting suspense, The Lost World is a pioneering work of fantasy-adventure that paved the way for every thrill ride to follow.
-
-
Wonderful book!
- By Arron on 03-07-21
-
Robinson Crusoe
- By: Daniel Defoe
- Narrated by: Simon Vance
- Length: 10 hrs and 10 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Widely regarded as the first English novel, Daniel Defoe's Robinson Crusoe is one of the most popular and influential adventure stories of all time. This classic tale of shipwreck and survival on an uninhabited island was an instant success when first published in 1719, and it has inspired countless imitations.
-
-
Great story but with moments that made me cringe
- By Tad Davis on 10-25-12
By: Daniel Defoe
-
Treasure Island
- By: Robert Louis Stevenson
- Narrated by: Timothy West
- Length: 6 hrs and 57 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
First conceived during a rainy summer holiday in the Highlands of Scotland in an attempt to amuse his stepson, Treasure Island began with the map. Young Lloyd Osbourne had drawn a crude version of an island, and Stevenson, looking over the boy's shoulder, began to elaborate, christening various curves and smudges the famed names of Skeleton Island and Spyglass Hill and finally adding the three red crosses marking the buried treasure.
-
-
1st Rate Narrator
- By flashcraft on 03-05-16
-
Captain Nemo
- The Fantastic History of a Dark Genius
- By: Kevin J. Anderson
- Narrated by: Jim Meskimen
- Length: 14 hrs and 55 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Captain Nemo is the fictional life story of one of Jules Verne's most memorable characters from 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea and The Mysterious Island. It covers his boyhood friendship with the dreamer Jules Verne, adventures aboard sailing ships, battles with pirates, and survival on a mysterious deserted island. Each time he returns home to his beloved France, Captain Nemo shares the tales of his exploits with the struggling writer Verne.
-
-
THERE'S MORE TO THE WORLD THAN NAUT
- By Jim "The Impatient" on 11-16-13
-
Waverley
- By: Sir Walter Scott
- Narrated by: David Rintoul
- Length: 17 hrs and 9 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Waverley by Sir Walter Scott is an enthralling tale of love, war and divided loyalties. Taking place during the Jacobite Rebellion of 1745, the novel tells the story of proud English officer Edward Waverley. After being posted to Dundee, Edward eventually befriends chieftain of the Highland Clan Mac-Ivor and falls in love with his beautiful sister Flora. He then renounces his former loyalties in order actively to support Scotland in open rebellion against the Union with England. The book depicts stunning, romantic panoramas of the Highlands.
-
-
Loved it
- By Tad Davis on 04-12-18
By: Sir Walter Scott
Critic reviews
"Jules Verne's debut novel makes a wonderful audiobook. Delivered in tones of discovery and joy by Graham Scott, the story takes listeners on a lengthy balloon trip across what was once known as "darkest Africa." The work is whimsical, and Scott's gentle pace meshes well with its optimistic outlook. Happily, Scott moves more quickly through the tedious parts, such as the descriptions of balloon mechanics. Listeners should be mindful that the book, written in 1863, reflects colonialist attitudes." D.J.S. © AudioFile 2021, Portland, Maine [Published: APRIL 2021]
Related to this topic
-
Jules Verne Collection
- Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea, Journey to the Center of the Earth, Around the World in 80 Days and The Mysterious Island
- By: Jules Verne
- Narrated by: Jim D. Johnston
- Length: 43 hrs and 7 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
From the pen of one of the literary world’s finest explorers of the imagination, these classic tales of fantastical habitats and intrepid adventurers delve deep into every mysterious corner of planet Earth. Whether you’ve adventured with Verne before or are only just setting off on your maiden voyage, this collection encompasses the most extraordinary adventures the father of science fiction has to offer.
-
-
Classics, But Hours of Scientific Exposition.
- By Sarah on 05-02-21
By: Jules Verne
-
The Happy Prince and other Tales
- By: Oscar Wilde
- Narrated by: B.J. Harrison
- Length: 51 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In "The Model Millionaire", the destiny of a young, ambitious, brilliant pauper changes with an act of his misplaced generosity. "The Happy Prince" is one of Oscar Wilde’s renowned fairy tales. From his vantage point, high above the city, the statue of The Happy Prince gives of himself in a way most astonishing. In "The Sphinx Without a Secret", we learn of an enigmatic woman who holds a secret so close, no suitor can win her.
-
-
"Curiouser & Curiouser"
- By Jade Dragon on 09-14-16
By: Oscar Wilde
-
James Cook
- The Story Behind the Man Who Mapped the World
- By: Peter FitzSimons
- Narrated by: Michael Carman
- Length: 21 hrs and 23 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The name Captain James Cook is one of the most recognisable in Australian history - an almost mythic figure who is often discussed, celebrated, reviled and debated. But who was the real James Cook? This Yorkshire farm boy would go on to become the foremost mariner, scientist, navigator and cartographer of his era, and to personally map a third of the globe. His great voyages of discovery were incredible feats of seamanship and navigation.
-
-
Great. But...
- By Virgil Tracy on 05-01-21
By: Peter FitzSimons
-
The Eerie Adventures of the Lycanthrope Robinson Crusoe
- By: Peter Clines
- Narrated by: Tim Gerard Reynolds
- Length: 8 hrs and 47 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Robinson Crusoe is one of the most enduring adventures of the past four centuries and one of the most well-known works in the English language. Or is it? Recently discovered amidst the papers of the 20th-century writer and historian H. P. Lovecraft is what claims to be the true story of Robinson Crusoe. Taken from the castaway's own journals and memoirs, and fact-checked by Lovecraft himself, it is free from many of Defoe's edits and alterations. From Lovecraft's work a much smoother, simpler tale emerges - but also a far more disturbing one.
-
-
95% verbatim Robinson Crusoe
- By La suede on 07-20-18
By: Peter Clines
-
How I Found Livingstone in Central Africa
- By: Henry M. Stanley
- Narrated by: James Adams
- Length: 15 hrs and 57 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
This riveting history is a firsthand account of the long and arduous search for one of the greatest explorers of the 19th century. Journalist and adventurer Henry M. Stanley was known for his search for the legendary David Livingstone, and their eventual meeting led to the popular quotation "Dr. Livingstone, I presume?" A real-life adventure story, How I Found Livingstone in Central Africa tells of the incredible hardships - disease, hostile natives, tribal warfare, impenetrable jungles, and other obstacles - faced by a daring explorer. This must-have account also includes a wealth of information on various African peoples.
-
-
Remarkable courage and pluck!
- By Jim on 05-25-18
By: Henry M. Stanley
-
Typee
- A Peep at Polynesian Life
- By: Herman Melville
- Narrated by: George Guidall
- Length: 11 hrs and 34 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Herman Melville is one of the greatest figures in literary history. His classic Moby Dick is generally considered the finest novel ever written by an American. Yet in Melville’s day, Typee was a far more popular book. Largely autobiographical, this classic adventure story is set in the South Seas, where a runaway sailor is captured by the Typees. Described as “a fierce and unrelenting tribe of savages," the islanders have no intention of letting their captive go.
-
-
Peeping Typee is Tapu; Reading Typee is Noa!
- By Darwin8u on 04-21-14
By: Herman Melville
-
Jules Verne Collection
- Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea, Journey to the Center of the Earth, Around the World in 80 Days and The Mysterious Island
- By: Jules Verne
- Narrated by: Jim D. Johnston
- Length: 43 hrs and 7 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
From the pen of one of the literary world’s finest explorers of the imagination, these classic tales of fantastical habitats and intrepid adventurers delve deep into every mysterious corner of planet Earth. Whether you’ve adventured with Verne before or are only just setting off on your maiden voyage, this collection encompasses the most extraordinary adventures the father of science fiction has to offer.
-
-
Classics, But Hours of Scientific Exposition.
- By Sarah on 05-02-21
By: Jules Verne
-
The Happy Prince and other Tales
- By: Oscar Wilde
- Narrated by: B.J. Harrison
- Length: 51 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In "The Model Millionaire", the destiny of a young, ambitious, brilliant pauper changes with an act of his misplaced generosity. "The Happy Prince" is one of Oscar Wilde’s renowned fairy tales. From his vantage point, high above the city, the statue of The Happy Prince gives of himself in a way most astonishing. In "The Sphinx Without a Secret", we learn of an enigmatic woman who holds a secret so close, no suitor can win her.
-
-
"Curiouser & Curiouser"
- By Jade Dragon on 09-14-16
By: Oscar Wilde
-
James Cook
- The Story Behind the Man Who Mapped the World
- By: Peter FitzSimons
- Narrated by: Michael Carman
- Length: 21 hrs and 23 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The name Captain James Cook is one of the most recognisable in Australian history - an almost mythic figure who is often discussed, celebrated, reviled and debated. But who was the real James Cook? This Yorkshire farm boy would go on to become the foremost mariner, scientist, navigator and cartographer of his era, and to personally map a third of the globe. His great voyages of discovery were incredible feats of seamanship and navigation.
-
-
Great. But...
- By Virgil Tracy on 05-01-21
By: Peter FitzSimons
-
The Eerie Adventures of the Lycanthrope Robinson Crusoe
- By: Peter Clines
- Narrated by: Tim Gerard Reynolds
- Length: 8 hrs and 47 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Robinson Crusoe is one of the most enduring adventures of the past four centuries and one of the most well-known works in the English language. Or is it? Recently discovered amidst the papers of the 20th-century writer and historian H. P. Lovecraft is what claims to be the true story of Robinson Crusoe. Taken from the castaway's own journals and memoirs, and fact-checked by Lovecraft himself, it is free from many of Defoe's edits and alterations. From Lovecraft's work a much smoother, simpler tale emerges - but also a far more disturbing one.
-
-
95% verbatim Robinson Crusoe
- By La suede on 07-20-18
By: Peter Clines
-
How I Found Livingstone in Central Africa
- By: Henry M. Stanley
- Narrated by: James Adams
- Length: 15 hrs and 57 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
This riveting history is a firsthand account of the long and arduous search for one of the greatest explorers of the 19th century. Journalist and adventurer Henry M. Stanley was known for his search for the legendary David Livingstone, and their eventual meeting led to the popular quotation "Dr. Livingstone, I presume?" A real-life adventure story, How I Found Livingstone in Central Africa tells of the incredible hardships - disease, hostile natives, tribal warfare, impenetrable jungles, and other obstacles - faced by a daring explorer. This must-have account also includes a wealth of information on various African peoples.
-
-
Remarkable courage and pluck!
- By Jim on 05-25-18
By: Henry M. Stanley
-
Typee
- A Peep at Polynesian Life
- By: Herman Melville
- Narrated by: George Guidall
- Length: 11 hrs and 34 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Herman Melville is one of the greatest figures in literary history. His classic Moby Dick is generally considered the finest novel ever written by an American. Yet in Melville’s day, Typee was a far more popular book. Largely autobiographical, this classic adventure story is set in the South Seas, where a runaway sailor is captured by the Typees. Described as “a fierce and unrelenting tribe of savages," the islanders have no intention of letting their captive go.
-
-
Peeping Typee is Tapu; Reading Typee is Noa!
- By Darwin8u on 04-21-14
By: Herman Melville
-
The Man-Eaters of Tsavo
- By: John Patterson
- Narrated by: Marco Mintaka
- Length: 7 hrs
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The true story of John Patterson in Tsalvo written by Patterson. In the book, lions are terrorizing the workers of the railroad near the turn of the century.
-
-
great old fashioned story.
- By Amazon Customer on 10-13-21
By: John Patterson
-
The Smoky God or A Voyage to the Inner World
- Esoteric Classics: Occult Fiction
- By: Willis George Emerson
- Narrated by: Shea Taylor
- Length: 2 hrs and 20 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The Smoky God is a classic tale from the genre of hollow Earth or subterranean literature. A once-favorite tale of Amazing Stories publisher Ray Palmer, The Smoky God is the (purportedly true) tale of two Norwegian fishermen Jens and Olaf Jansen, who sailed their fishing vessel into the inner Earth in the year 1829. While in the center of the Earth, they find an entire society and meet a race and of advanced giants.
-
-
great story
- By Rodney C Kilgore on 07-25-21
-
Edgar Allan Poe - The Complete Short Stories
- By: Edgar Allan Poe
- Narrated by: Bob Thomley
- Length: 16 hrs and 34 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
All of Edgar Allan Poe’s great short stories in one 16-hour collection.
-
-
NEVERMORE
- By Jim "The Impatient" on 11-23-15
By: Edgar Allan Poe
-
The Narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym
- By: Edgar Allan Poe
- Narrated by: Jamie Hanes
- Length: 6 hrs and 37 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Edgar Allan Poe's The Narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym is a realistic yet romantic nautical adventure about a young stowaway on the high seas. One day in 1827, Arthur Gordon Pym escapes his dreary life in New Bedford and hides on the Grampus, where he befriends the captain's son, Augustus. The two boys witness and participate in a dazzling series of adventures, including shipwreck, famine, rescue, and voyages all over the world.
-
-
Good but...
- By Marco Berry on 11-17-15
By: Edgar Allan Poe
-
Madhouse at the End of the Earth
- The Belgica's Journey into the Dark Antarctic Night
- By: Julian Sancton
- Narrated by: Vikas Adam
- Length: 13 hrs and 28 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In August 1897, the young Belgian commandant Adrien de Gerlache set sail for a three-year expedition aboard the good ship Belgica with dreams of glory. His destination was the uncharted end of the earth: the icy continent of Antarctica. But de Gerlache’s plans to be first to the magnetic South Pole would swiftly go awry. After a series of costly setbacks, the commandant faced two bad options: turn back in defeat and spare his men the devastating Antarctic winter, or recklessly chase fame by sailing deeper into the freezing waters.
-
-
Excellent story
- By Ginger 3701 on 05-23-21
By: Julian Sancton
-
The Toilers of the Sea
- By: Victor Hugo
- Narrated by: Patrick Dickson
- Length: 6 hrs and 52 mins
- Abridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Victor Hugo wrote this wonderful story while living in exile on the island of Guernsey, which is where the adventure unfolds. Set in the early 1800s, The Toilers of the Sea tells off a young reclusive fisherman who falls dangerously in love with a beautiful island girl. Her uncle, himself an intrepid seafarer, is the owner of a paddle-steamer, which plies its trade to and from St. Malo on the coast of Brittany.
-
-
Interesting, could without the special effects
- By Louise on 07-21-16
By: Victor Hugo
-
Down the Great Unknown
- John Wesley Powell's 1869 Journey of Discovery and Tragedy Through the Grand Canyon
- By: Edward Dolnick
- Narrated by: Danny Campbell
- Length: 13 hrs and 3 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
On May 24, 1869 a one-armed Civil War veteran, John Wesley Powell, and a ragtag band of nine mountain men embarked on the last great quest in the American West. The Grand Canyon, not explored before, was as mysterious as Atlantis - and as perilous. The 10 men set out from Green River Station, Wyoming Territory, down the Colorado in four wooden rowboats. Ninety-nine days later, six half-starved wretches came ashore near Callville, Arizona.
-
-
Modern references take away
- By HC-2 NAS Norfolk '92 on 08-17-19
By: Edward Dolnick
-
Marie
- By: H. Rider Haggard
- Narrated by: Shelly Frasier
- Length: 10 hrs and 3 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Allan Quatermain, hero of King Solomon's mines, tells a moving tale of his first wife, the Dutch-born Marie Marais, and the adventures that were linked to her beautiful, tragic history. This moving story depicts the tumultuous political era of the 1830s, involving the Boers, French colonists and the Zulu tribe in the Cape colony of South Africa. Hate and suspicion run high between the home government and the Dutch subjects.
-
-
Confusing narration!
- By Browsing on 02-22-14
By: H. Rider Haggard
-
The Deerslayer
- By: James Fenimore Cooper
- Narrated by: Raymond Todd
- Length: 20 hrs and 15 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The Deerslayer is the first of the Leatherstocking Tales of James Fenimore Cooper. Here we meet Natty Bumppo as a young man living in upstate New York in the early 1740s. The action begins as Bumppo, called "Deerslayer", and his friend Hurry Harry approach Lake Glimmerglass, or Oswego, where the trapper Thomas Hutter lives with his daughters, the beautiful Judith and the feeble-minded Hetty. Hutter's floating log fort is attacked by Iroquois Indians, and the two frontiersmen join in the fight.
-
-
things were slower them
- By Bill on 05-08-05
-
The Captain of the Pole Star
- By: Arthur Conan Doyle
- Narrated by: B. J. Harrison
- Length: 1 hr and 6 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Word goes among the crew of the Pole Star that the captain is haunted by demons. And after the days turn into weeks in the frigid Arctic Ocean, stories begin to circulate of ghosts and midnight hauntings.
-
-
Conan Doyle wrote more than Mr. Holmes.
- By Kristi R. on 11-14-11
-
Sufferings in Africa
- By: James Riley
- Narrated by: Brian Emerson
- Length: 9 hrs and 54 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In this classic tale of adventure, a young American sea captain named James Riley, shipwrecked off the western coast of North Africa in 1815, was captured by a band of nomadic Arabs and sold into slavery. Thus begins an epic adventure of survival and a quest for freedom that takes him across the Sahara desert.
-
-
19th century shipwreck saga
- By Leslie Grey on 09-05-07
By: James Riley
-
Race for the South Pole
- The Expedition Diaries of Scott and Amundsen
- By: Roland Huntford
- Narrated by: Bronson Pinchot
- Length: 14 hrs and 38 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
For the first time ever Roland Huntford presents each man's account of the race to the South Pole in their own words. In 1910, Robert Falcon Scott and Roald Amundsen set sail for Antarctica, each from his own starting point, and the epic race for the South Pole was on. 2010 marks the centenary of the last great race of terrestrial discovery. For the first time Scott's unedited diary entries run alongside those of Amundsen and Bjaaland, never before translated into English.
-
-
Great account, might be better in hard copy
- By Error9312 on 05-24-22
By: Roland Huntford
What listeners say about Five Weeks in a Balloon
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Tad Davis
- 01-19-20
A grand adventure
Graham Scott Audio has released an audiobook of Jules Verne's first novel, Five Weeks in a Balloon. That by itself isn't unusual; what makes this special is that it uses the most recent and best translation of the novel, the one by Frederick Paul Walter, edited by Arthur B Evans, originally published in 2015 by Wesleyan University Press. It's almost impossible to find a Verne audiobook that uses a good translation, so on that score alone, the producer deserves kudos: all the more so because translator and editor are given credit on the cover.
The book is narrated by Graham Scott. (Going out on a limb, I'm guessing he's the head of Graham Scott Audio). He's an engaging and brisk narrator, moving quickly through the book’s 44 chapters. He has a particularly good time with the Scottish friend and outdoorsman Dick Kennedy. His energy doesn't flag even when working through the seemingly interminable list of earlier explorers of Africa. (This is Jules Verne, after all: lists of names have to come into it somewhere.)
The book centers on a small group of explorers led by Dr Samuel Fergusson. The plan is for the expedition to fly east to west across Africa, in the same direction as the equatorial trade winds; the balloon will rely on those winds to stay on course. Fergusson devises a way to heat and cool the hydrogen gas in the balloon without exposing it to an open flame. As it expands or contracts with the heat, the gas will move the balloon up or down — useful if a mountain peak is in the way, or if a different wind current needs to be found.
(Verne is sometimes described as a prophet, but his imagination wasn't infallible. When one character expresses anxiety about the hydrogen “powderkeg” above their heads, Fergusson assures him that any flame would burn slowly and would still allow them to descend safely. In other words, Verne didn't predict the Hindenburg. In his defense, though, the translator’s introduction points out that some investigators have concluded the explosive nature of that fire was due to something other than hydrogen.)
The explorers will cross the middle of Africa, from Zanzibar to St Louis, a city that straddles the mouth of the the Sénégal River on the western coast. It's supposed to take no more than a week. But because this is an adventure story, and the explorers consequently have adventures, the journey takes 5 weeks — hence the title. They are battered by storms, threatened by natives, attacked by vultures, even overtaken by locusts. Their balloon is damaged, the gas leaks, they begin to wonder if they'll make it to the west coast.
The characters are not psychologically deep, but they are sharply drawn and completely believable. The explorers include Fergusson; his friend Dick Kennedy, a blustery Scot and an expert hunter (he tries but fails to stop Fergusson's plan, which he thinks is insane); and Joe, Fergusson’s manservant, who like many of Verne’s servants seems to know how to do everything. Joe, an irrepressible optimist, has a unique perspective: after watching the locust horde strip the ground below them bare, he compares them to “airborne shrimp.” But he's no caricature. On more than one occasion, the “gallant” Joe is prepared to make the supreme sacrifice to save his companions.
There are many such trios in Verne novels, and clearly he found it a comfortable pattern from the beginning.
Other events foreshadow later novels. At one point the explorers are becalmed in the desert. The description of their thirst and despair is harrowing and is every bit as compelling as a similar scene in Journey to the Center of the Earth. Verne could be sadistic toward his characters at times: in Twenty Thousand Leagues under the Seas, it's oxygen that's in short supply. And as in the other two novels, the one who is closest to perishing is rescued by his comrades, who give him the last tiny atom of the life-giving substance from the bottom of the last container.
The fly in the ointment is Verne's patronizing attitudes toward the native peoples of Africa. He was no fan of colonialism, but he swam in that sea and internalized some of those values. There are times when he describes the African people with admiration, but he also uses the word “savage” on a regular basis, and the behavior he describes is often violent, barbaric, and superstitious. Yet a dying missionary rescued from cannibals by the travelers speaks of his captors with respect and devotion. The two attitudes exist in an unstable and uncomfortable relation to each other.
There are other areas where there's an uneasy balance. The explorers kill a magnificent elephant and admire its grandeur — just before they cut it up and eat it. To his credit, Fergusson, like Captain Nemo after him, is strongly opposed to hunting just for the sake of killing. But Verne describes the hunt itself with relish.
It's impossible for me to read a Jules Verne novel without breaking out a map. Far more than being the “father of science fiction,” he's the originator and practically sole practitioner of a genre that can best be described as “adventures in geography.” The problem, of course, is that maps have changed a lot since the novel was first published in 1863, probably maps of Africa more so than maps of other continents. So following the route of the adventurers can be a challenge. Hint: do a web search for “five weeks in a balloon map”. You should be able to find one “prepared by LJ Hetzel” specifically for this novel. A lot of it doesn't match our current knowledge of African geography, but it shows you what Verne thought was there.
Apart from the reservations expressed above, the book is a grand adventure and listening to it is a treat. Graham Scott is a superb narrator. I hope he narrates more Verne novels, especially if he continues to pick excellent translations like this one. It's a great fit.
But do yourself a favor after you've listened to the audiobook. Go out and buy the book itself — but make sure it's this edition. Doing that will give you the translator’s excellent introduction and notes, the wonderful illustrations reproduced from an early French edition, an annotated list of explorers mentioned in the text, and a bibliography of Jules Verne in English that sorts out the good translations from the bad ones.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
9 people found this helpful