After watching Around the World in 80 Days starring Jackie Chan with my children I thought it would be interesting to read the book. The book by Jules Verne is a whirlwind trip across the globe.
In this book Verne chronicles the journey of Phileas Fogg and his servant Passepartout across the world from London and back again. The story is entertaining even though it is outlandish at times.
When learning that Fogg is about to try and travel around the world in 80 days Passpartout “mechanically set about making the preparations for departure. Around the world in eighty days! Was his master a fool? No. Was this a joke, then? They were going to Dover; good! To Calais; good again!”
To add an element of complexity to the story Verne introduced the character of Mr. Fix who is a British Detective trying to arrest Fogg who has been described as a suspected bank robber.
The book does not provide much detail about Fogg at the beginning and I expected to learn more of his backstory as the book progressed but never really got the details I was hoping for. The interactions between Fogg and Aouda are also lacking. My favorite interactions were between Passpartout and Fix.
Overall the book missed an opportunity to allow the reader to connect with Fogg and his relationship with Aouda. The book was probably about 50 pages too short to build up the main characters in more depth. As a result it is just a quick whimsical read. I rate this book 3 out of 5 stars.
Great literature should do more than entertain us. It should provide a roadmap to improving our lives.
In A Tale of Two Cities, Charles Dickens introduced readers to Sydney Carton, one of literature's most compelling and deeply flawed characters. Dickens also gives him an unusual title: the Jackal.
His struggles raise questions that remain relevant today.
Are we defined by our past mistakes? Can we overcome our weaknesses? What separates the people we are from the people we could become?
Lessons From the Jackal is a 25-day character study exploring these questions through Sydney Carton’s life, decisions, relationships, and personal development.
This is not a traditional course on A Tale of Two Cities. Our reading assignments will focus specifically on Carton, with sufficient background provided to understand his story. No previous knowledge of the novel is necessary.
Each day will feature selected readings, historical comparisons, reflection questions, discussions, and practical challenges ...
In 1781, London’s Inner Temple was one of England’s four Inns of Court, institutions responsible for admitting and training barristers. Situated near the River Thames, between Fleet Street and the river, the Inner Temple had been associated with the English legal profession for centuries.
Its origins date to the medieval period, when the Knights Templar occupied land in this part of London. Following the dissolution of the order in the early fourteenth century, the area gradually developed into a center of legal education and professional activity.
By the eighteenth century, the Inner Temple was an established community of barristers, legal students, and experienced members of the profession. Its grounds contained chambers where lawyers could work, residential accommodations, a hall for communal dining, and the historic Temple Church.
For an ambitious young man, admission to the Inner Temple represented an opportunity to enter a respected profession. Students studied legal texts, observed court proceedings, and developed ...
“You’ve been at Doctor Manette’s house as much as I have, or more than I have. Why, I have been ashamed of your moroseness there! Your manners have been of that silent and sullen and hangdog kind, that, upon my life and soul, I have been ashamed of you, Sydney!”
