When I was a kid, I loved Jules Verne's novels, especially "Journey to the Centre of the Earth".


Jules Verne 1828 - 1905

I had the book and read it and read it and eventually I must have read it to death, cos I sure as hell don't have it now. I have managed to find a picture that looks very similar to how I remember the cover of the book to be, though (except for the slightly different title).



I also remember being very taken with "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea" and the cruel but daring Captain Nemo, both in book form and on TV. Now, as an adult, I have recently acquired "League of Extraordinary Gentlemen" on DVD and have been reacquainted with Captain Nemo along with a whole bunch of wonderful characters. This time, however, the Nautilus is larger, sleeker and better appointed than my memory tells me the original one was,



and Nemo has a really cool car.



And I want one.

OK, so it probably only does 3 gallons to the mile and there's no chance of parking it downtown, but that's just one more excuse not to go into town, isn't it?

Isn't it amazing the things people can dream up and write about that don't come into being for the better part of a century? I think I should make an effort to pad out my library with some of these classics.