Around the World in 80 Days - Jules Verne - A Short Summary & Review

Around the World in 80 Days - Jules Verne - A Short Summary & Review

By: a.d. elliott | Take the Back Roads - Art and Other Odd Adventures

A Rite of Fancy Book Recommendation and Review

Graphic featuring Around the World in Eighty Days by Jules Verne with text reading “A Short Summary & Review” over a stylized railway track background.
Fogg's whirlwind world tour.

A short summary:

Around the World in Eighty Days follows the unflappable English gentleman Phileas Fogg, who wagers that he can circumnavigate the globe in just eighty days, a feat made possible by modern transportation and sheer audacity. Accompanied by his loyal and increasingly bewildered servant, Passepartout, Fogg embarks on a whirlwind journey by train, steamer, elephant, and any conveyance available.

Along the way, Verne sweeps readers through continents, cultures, mishaps, and near-disasters, testing whether precision and perseverance can outpace chaos. What begins as a carefully calculated itinerary quickly becomes an adventure shaped by chance, courage, and unexpected human connection.

My favorite quote from the book:

"Anything one man can imagine, another man can make real."
- Jules Verne, Around the World in 80 Days

Jules Verne quote reading “Anything one man can imagine, another man can make real” over railroad tracks curving into the distance.

Questions to ponder while reading:

Do you like to travel?

What have you done on a bet?

My review:

A ridiculous, joyful adventure that dares you to dream.

Do you like to travel? This book practically dares you to pack a bag. Around the World in Eighty Days runs on momentum, on bets made lightly, schedules kept obsessively, and problems solved with imagination rather than caution.

What have you ever done on a bet? Hopefully, nothing like this. Fogg’s commitment is both absurd and admirable, and yes, it’s a good thing I’m not a gambler. The delight of the story lies in its confidence: it knows exactly what it is and never apologizes for it.

I loved how ridiculous this book is. I loved the speed. I loved the optimism. And I love that it continues to be challenged, not because it’s controversial, but because it reminds us of a time when progress felt thrilling, and the world felt open to possibility.

This is adventure literature at its most infectious.

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About the Author
a.d. elliott is a wanderer, photographer, and storyteller traveling through life

She shares her journeys at Take the Back Roads, explores new reads at Rite of Fancy, and highlights U.S. military biographies at Everyday Patriot.

You can also browse her online photography gallery at shop.takethebackroads.com.

✨ #TakeTheBackRoads

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