Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea

Written by Jules Verne

Narrated by Simon Hester

Today we take for granted the exploration of the fascinating submarine depths of the oceans, so ubiquitous are its many representations on our screens. It is therefore surprising to realise that in his thrilling 1869 novel Jules Verne was anticipating much which was then not even imagined by science.

The enigmatic Captain Nemo takes his awe-inspiring Nautilus around the Oceans of the world exploring the deep with its wonders and horrors. The story is narrated by Professor Aronax, who, though enthralled and fascinated by all that Captain Nemo shows him, fears that he and his companions may never escape from this submarine fortress.

Head Stories Audio presents the classic tale of underwater science fiction, narrated by Simon Hester. With original music.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Head Stories Audio
• Release date: Jun 23, 2021
• ISBN: 9781667012957

Jules Verne

Jules Gabriel Verne was born in the seaport of Nantes, France, in 1828 and was destined to follow his father into the legal profession. In Paris to train for the bar, he took more readily to literary life, befriending Alexander Dumas and Victor Hugo, and living by theatre managing and libretto-writing. His first science-based novel, Five Weeks in a Balloon, was issued by the influential publisher Pierre-Jules Hetzel in 1862, and made him famous. Verne and Hetzel collaborated to write dozens more such adventures, including 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea in 1869 and Around the World in 80 Days in 1872. In later life Verne entered local politics at Amiens, where had had a home. He also kept a house in Paris, in the street now named Boulevard Jules Verne, and a beloved yacht, the Saint Michel, named after his son. He died in 1905.