Abandoned / The Mysterious Island

Verne, Jules / Translated from the French by W.H.G. Kingston

Verlag: Scribner, Armstrong, New York, 1876

Beschreibung

Second volume (only) of Verne's three-decker novel "The Mysterious Island," concerning five escaped Civil War prisoners marooned on an uninhabited island in 1865 when a mighty storm blows their hot-air balloon far into the Pacific. Second American printing of what is, in effect, the sequel to "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea." Looks pretty much identical to the 1875 Scribner-Armstrong American first, save that this copy is dated 1876 to the tile page, stead of 1875. Brick-red cloth, ornately stamped in black and gilt to spine and front board, the gilt rubbed and darkened in a few small areas, but overall remains pleasingly bright. Boards display beveled edges. Some rub to cloth at head and heel of spine, and the board corners have begun to rub through -- this copy still "very good." Tightly bound, hinges have not called for any repair. Of the 50 illustrations called for, the one itemized at page 238 has been transposed to appear as the frontispiece, as always, and one is missing, that being "Flotsam and Jetsam," called for at page 22, which is also missing from our first edition. As we can spot no sign that said plate has been removed from either copy, we conclude it was never included, and that its absence is "as made." Unfortunately, the translation here is by children's author W. H. G. Kingston, who not only changes the hero's name from Smith to Harding, but then proceeds to omit many of the technical passages explaining the castaways' scientific development of the island. Verne's anti-imperialist sentiments, as expressed by the dying Captain Nemo, were also either omitted or reversed by Kingston, apparently so as not to offend English readers. The 1961 Charles Schneer film -- a showcase for Ray Harryhausen's stop-motion, giant-animal special effects, featured Michael Craig, Michael Callan, Gary Merrill, and Herbert Lom as Captain Nemo. A 2005 remake featured Kyle MacLachlan, Gabriel Anwar, and Patrick Stewart. Around 2010-2012 a Canadian made-for-TV version mixing in some time travel (Gina Holden, Lochlyn Munro, Susie Abromeit) seems to have left its few viewers scratching their heads in puzzlement. 304 pp., followed by 6 pp. publisher's ads. Here reduced from $765. Bestandsnummer des Verkäufers 007385

Bibliografische Details

Titel: Abandoned / The Mysterious Island

Verlag: Scribner, Armstrong, New York

Erscheinungsdatum: 1876

Einband: Hardcover

Illustrator: B&W engravings by Charles Barbant (1844-1922)

Zustand: Very Good

Zustand des Schutzumschlags: No Jacket