Jules Verne - Cinq semaines en ballon - 1896

Five Weeks in a Balloon takes the reader on a daring aerial expedition over Africa, still largely unknown in the 19th century. Dr. Fergusson, accompanied by his faithful friends Kennedy and Joe, faces deserts, storms, hostile tribes, and geographical mysteries from the basket of their airship. Each stage is a scientific discovery and a survival challenge, where boldness and intelligence guide the explorers. The novel, vibrant and lively, blends humor, tension, and wonder at the vastness of the African continent. A foundational adventure that inaugurates the great saga of the Voyages extraordinaires.

Born in 1828 in Nantes, Jules Verne grew up between maritime daydreams and literary passions, before becoming one of the visionary fathers of science fiction. A curious scholar of everything, he explored continents, the depths, and the stars through an imagination nourished by emerging sciences. An indefatigable worker, he published more than sixty novels in the series of Extraordinary Voyages. His work, blending scientific rigor with epic spirit, has a lasting influence on literature and popular sciences. He passed away in 1905, recognized as a universal visionary.



Verne, Jules - Five Weeks in a Balloon

Paris, Hetzel, without date, 1896.

Beau cartonnage called 'au steamer,' in reasonable condition. The plates are clean and the gilding is still quite bright. The hinge of the second plate is cracked and could be restored. Overall, it is well bonded despite everything. Wear and small losses at the corners and edges. Tear at the level of the spine.