‘Around the World in 80 Days’ — THE SOURCE

There are several different theories put forth as probable sources for Verne's journey around world. Verne’s grandson, Jean Jules-Verne, aware of Verne’s tremendous respect for author Edgar Allan Poe, observes that Verne wrote about several Poe short stories in an 1864 issue of the magazine Musee des Familles including Poe’s "Three Sunday’s In A Week":

"Among others, Verne studied also a little-known story called Three Sundays in a Week, in which Poe demonstrates that for three different individuals a week can have three Sundays. If one man sails west around the world, he will gain a day with regard to a second person who stays put. But if a third individual sails east around the world and joins up with the other two, he will be one day behind the person who never left and two days behind the person who sailed west. Thus, with one yesterday will be Sunday, with another today will be Sunday, and with the third tomorrow will be Sunday. ‘As you can see,’ says Verne in his article, ‘it is a cosmographic oddity recounted in a curious way’."

Poe possibly provided Verne with the initial notion, but other sources, published closer to the time Verne started the novel, may have sparked the author with his dramatic action.

In 1869 and 1870, exciting news was published about the opening of both the Suez Canal and the American transcontinental railroad, and the improved technology in steam travel. The Paris magazine, La Magasin Pittoresque, published an article in 1870 suggesting that improved steam travel would permit circumnavigation in eighty days. The same reason was put forth by Thomas Cook, founder of the largest travel agency in the world, Thomas Cook and Son, and originator of the "group tour." He produced a promotional leaflet in his Paris office in 1871 (of which Verne was known to have seen a copy), offering a guided tour around the world. But the most telling source is the 1871 edition of Bradshaw’s Continental Railway Guide (see Glossary), which Verne had obviously been aware as he includes the popular travel book in AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DAYS’ dramatic action. The introduction to this edition read:

"... a traveler using the facilities offered him, may run through the 'Grand Tour' of the globe in an incredibly short time. With a choice of routes he can traverse the great oceans and visit the most famous countries in the Old and New World. For example, he can accomplish a circuit of 23,000 to 23,500 miles in 78 to 80 days exclusively in mail steamers and express trains, supplied with every comfort by starting from England to New York; then overland rail to San Francisco, by sea to Yokohama. Hong Kong, Singapore, and Calcutta; by overland rail to Bombay; by sea to Suez; by overland rail to Alexandria; by sea to Brindisi, by overland rail to Brussels or Paris ... and so back to England."

The route described is almost identical to Fogg’s journey, except for the use of train travel between Suez and Alexandria, and Fogg's travels eastward, which sets up the exciting climax to the novel.