The Mysterious Island
by Jules Verne
First published 1874 · French · 568 pages
- Novels
- Adventure
- Thriller and suspense
- Science fiction
During the American Civil War, a group of prisoners escapes in a balloon and is blown by a great storm to a remote, uncharted island in the Pacific. Led by the engineer Cyrus Smith, the castaways use knowledge and teamwork to make shelter, tools, food and even simple industry from almost nothing. Yet strange events suggest that some unseen presence is at work on the island. The novel is both a practical celebration of ingenuity and a mystery, and it links to characters from other Verne books.
Quotes
Man is never perfect nor contented.
Better to put things at the worst at first," replied the engineer, "and reserve the best for a surprise.
Before all masters, necessity is the one most listened to, and who teaches the best.
It is a great misfortune to be alone, my friends; and it must be believed that solitude can quickly destroy reason.