Nearly a century before NASA, a visionary novelist wrote this adventure classic about an international space race. Jules Verne's eerily prophetic fantasy unfolds at the close of the Civil War, as three artillerymen resolve to build a gun big enough to propel a manned rocket to the moon. Enlivened by broad satire, this rollicking tale recounts the launch of three astronauts from a Florida peninsula and their return to Earth in a splash landing. Acclaimed as "the man who invented the future," Verne wrote with uncanny accuracy about space, air, and underwater travel long before they were real possibilities. A pioneer of science fiction, he endowed his stories with a freshness and verve that keep them vital for modern readers. This edition features an excellent translation from the original French publication by Verne's foremost interpreter, Edward Roth, and 17 enchanting illustrations. AUTHOR: "The reason Verne is still read by millions today," declared Arthur C. Clarke, "is simply that he was one of the best storytellers who ever lived." Jules Verne started out composing librettos, but the French-born author's passion for travel and exploration compelled him to turn to adventure tales, creating the prototype for today's science fiction. One of the most translated authors in the world, he is best known for his classics: Journey to the Center of the Earth, Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea, and Around the World in Eighty Days.