Embark on the ultimate adventure with Jules Verne’s ‘Around the World in Eighty Days’, and read the complete novel online for free.
Published in 1872, Around the World in Eighty Days is Jules Verne’s most purely entertaining and globally beloved novel, a masterpiece of adventure fiction that captured the world’s imagination. The story follows the imperturbable, mysteriously wealthy English gentleman Phileas Fogg, a man of such rigid habit that he lives by the clock. After a debate at the Reform Club about whether improved travel links have made it possible to circumnavigate the globe in eighty days, Fogg makes a £20,000 wager that he can do just that. Accompanied by his newly hired, accident-prone French valet, Jean Passepartout, he departs London that very evening.
What follows is a breathtaking race against time, using every conceivable means of transportation—steamships, railways, carriages, sledges, and even an elephant. From the exotic markets of Suez and the jungles of India (where they rescue the beautiful Princess Aouda), to the turbulent waters of the Pacific, the wild American frontier, and a desperate sprint across the Atlantic, Fogg’s progress is dogged by both natural obstacles and the persistent Detective Fix, who is convinced Fogg is the elusive bank robber who recently stole £55,000 from the Bank of England. A tale of Victorian daring, technological optimism, and unflappable British cool, Verne’s novel is a joyous celebration of a world newly connected by steam and schedule, where the unknown has become a challenge to be met with a timetable and a steady nerve.
On this page, you can join this legendary journey. We offer the complete 1872 novel for online reading.
Book Info
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Title | Around the World in Eighty Days (Le Tour du monde en quatre-vingts jours) |
| Author | Jules Verne |
| Year of Publication | 1872 (serialized), 1873 (book) |
| Genre | Adventure Fiction, Travel Literature, Victorian Novel |
| Language | English (Translation from French) |
| Legal Status | Public Domain |
| Format | Online Reading |
[Read Around the World in Eighty Days Online]
Accept the wager and begin the race. Start this timeless adventure by exploring the first chapters interactively below.
This preview introduces the precise Phileas Fogg and his fateful wager, but the full, globe-spanning saga of missed connections, daring rescues, and relentless pursuit is available in the complete text for our subscribers.
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About Around the World in Eighty Days
While less scientifically speculative than Verne’s other works, this novel is a perfect crystallization of the 19th-century spirit of conquest—not of territory, but of time and space, through human ingenuity and the tools of the Industrial Revolution.
Phileas Fogg: The Stoic Hero
Fogg is one of literature’s great enigmatic protagonists. His past is a mystery, his emotions are invisible, and his motives seem to be honor and the challenge itself, not the money. His unshakeable calm in the face of every disaster—from missed trains to Sioux attacks—is both comical and inspiring. He represents the Victorian ideal of the imperturbable Englishman, mastering the world through rationality and reserve.
Jean Passepartout: The Human Heart
The valet Passepartout is the perfect foil: emotional, loyal, impulsive, and perpetually astonished. He provides the heart and humor of the story. His former career as a circus performer, gymnast, and fireman comes in handy at crucial moments, reminding us that flexibility and practical skill are as important as Fogg’s rigid planning.
The Global Panorama
Verne, who wrote the novel based on meticulous research without leaving his study, offers a thrilling tourist’s-eye view of the world. Each location—Suez, Bombay, Calcutta, Hong Kong, Yokohama, San Francisco, New York—is sketched with vivid, if sometimes stereotypical, detail. The novel fed a public hungry for tales of exotic locales now made accessible by modern transport.
Detective Fix: The Comic Antagonist
Inspector Fix of Scotland Yard is not a villain but a dutiful, blinkered bureaucrat. His single-minded pursuit of Fogg, based on a superficial resemblance to a thief, creates constant tension and comic irony, as he inadvertently helps and hinders the journey. He represents the parochial law, unable to conceive of a gentleman embarking on such a quest for its own sake.
Princess Aouda: A Progressive Touch
The rescue of Aouda from a forced sati (widow-burning) in India is a pivotal moment. She is not a passive damsel but a dignified, educated woman who becomes an integral part of the team. Her presence adds an emotional dimension and allows Verne to critique certain Eastern customs from a Western humanitarian perspective, a common Victorian trope.
Technology as the True Protagonist
The real hero is the network of global transportation—the steamships and transcontinental railways—that makes the feat theoretically possible. The novel is a hymn to the shrinking world. The tension revolves not around if one can travel somewhere, but when the next connection leaves.
The Triumph of the Timetable
The entire narrative is structured around schedules, time zones, and calculations. Fogg’s meticulous ledger, where he notes gains and losses, is a symbol of his worldview. The famous climax, where he believes he has lost the bet only to discover he gained a day by traveling eastward across the International Date Line, is a brilliant celebration of human intellect mastering natural phenomena.
Why Read Around the World in Eighty Days Today?
It is the purest, most exhilarating escape read. In an age of instant global travel, it reminds us of the wonder and difficulty of the journey itself. It champions qualities like perseverance, resourcefulness, and cool-headedness. It is, above all, a wonderfully constructed machine of a plot, delivering relentless forward momentum and a famously satisfying payoff.
FAQ
Was such a trip possible in 1872?
Barely, and only with immense wealth, perfect connections, and a lot of luck. Verne based the schedule on actual timetables and shipping routes. The publication of the novel inspired several real attempts to beat the eighty-day record, with journalist Nellie Bly famously completing it in 72 days in 1889.
Is the novel culturally insensitive?
As a product of its time, it contains stereotypes and a colonial perspective. However, Verne is generally more interested in adventure and local color than in deep cultural critique. The portrayal of Aouda is relatively respectful, and the satire is often directed at British eccentricity (Fogg) and French impulsiveness (Passepartout).
What is the role of the Reform Club?
The Reform Club was (and is) a real London gentleman’s club for progressive thinkers. Its inclusion grounds Fogg in a specific social milieu of wealth, leisure, and intellectual curiosity. The club members serve as the stationary chorus, tracking Fogg’s progress via telegraph and newspaper, representing the watching world.
How accurate is the geography?
Verne was famously meticulous. The routes, distances, and transport methods are scrupulously researched. The one major liberty is the existence of a continuous railway across India in 1872 (it wasn’t quite complete), but this was a minor poetic license for the sake of the plot.
Can I read it on my phone?
Yes. Its short, cliffhanger chapters are perfectly designed for serial reading and make it incredibly engaging on any device.