Jules Verne

20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, Journey to the Center of the Earth, and Around the World in Eighty Days are just a few of the books written by Jules Verne. Verne will always be remembered for his unique mix of scientific fact and fiction, and for his uncanny ability to predict inventions. He predicted the invention of airplanes, submarines, television, guided missles, space satellites, space shuttles, and scuba gear. Verne even forecast their uses accurately. He's often called the father of modern science and the all-time greatest storyteller.

Jules Verne was born in Nantes, France on February 28, 1828. At age 12 he tried to run away on a ship to India. After finding little success as a writer, he met his wife Honorine Morel. Verne's first successful book was Five Weeks in a Balloon. He then wrote Adventures of Captain Hatteras and Journey to the Center of the Earth. In 1879 his book 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea was published. After this was published, Verne received the Legion of Honor.

When France lost a war against Prussia, Verne decided to write a book to cheer up his country. The book was titled Around the World in Eighty Days. To this day it is still his most successful book. In 1902 Verne wrote Master of the World. Verne's last book before he died was The Invasion of the Sea.

Since Jules Verne didn't want to reveal too much about himself to the world, he revealed himself through his books. He even said in an 1898 interview that he modeled his characters after what his best self would be like. Jules Verne died on March 24, 1905 at age 77. 5,000 people showed up at his funeral. Aside from Lenin and Shakespeare, he is the most translated author. His books have been published in 104 languages! Jules Verne will always be remembered as a literary master.