Jules Verne (1828-1905) is internationally famous as the author of a distinctive series of adventure stories describing new travel technologies which opened up the world & provided means to escape from it. The collective enthusiasm of generations of readers of his 'extraordinary voyages' was a key factor in the rise of modern science fiction. In The Mysterious Island a group of men escape imprisonment during the American Civil War by stealing a balloon. Blown across the world they are air-wrecked on a remote desert isl&. In a manner reminiscent of Robinson Crusoe the men apply their scientific knowledge & technical skill to exploit the island's bountiful resources eventually constructing a sophisticated society in miniature. The book is also an intriguing mystery story for the island has a secret.