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Re: Letter to an American

From: volker dehs <volker.dehs~at~web.de>
Date: Thu, 03 Aug 2006 21:45:39 +0200
To: Jules Verne Forum <jvf~at~Gilead.org.il>

Dear Ian,

yes, it is! Thank you for giving us this very nice letter. But there is a very interesting paradox (which still exists today in the relations of US and Europe): In fact, Jules Verne was very fond of the United States, and I think, it was one of his greatest desires to make a second trip to US. In same time, he is very critic, and always ironic on the "american way of life", even in "The Will of an Eccentric". Personnally, I think, that's one of the great revelations: you critic severely what you are very fond of. (sorry for my bad english).


>
> As promised I am forwarding my transcription on Verne's letter to Monsieur
> John Eyerman, "Oakurst" Easton Pa, Etats Unis d'Amérique.
>
> Amiens, 9 Avril 98
>
> Cher Monsieur,
>
> Je m'empresse de répondre à votre lettre et comment hésiterais-je à le
> faire, puisqu'elle est de la main de l'un de mes amis inconnus d'Amérique?
> L'année dernière, je leur avais dédié le roman du Sphinx des Glaces, tout
> a l'honneur de leur grand poète EdgarPoe et pour leur témoigner ma
> reconnaissance. L'année prochaine ce sont les Etats-Unis dans tout leur
> ensemble qui serviront de théâtre à mon nouveau roman.Puissiez-vous, quand
> vous le lirez y trouver quelque plaisir. Il y a 25 à 27 ans, j'ai pu
> visiter une partie de votre beaux pays, et j'en ai conserver de précieux
> souvenirs.
> Veillex me croire, cher Monsieur,
> Cordialement à vous
> Jules Verne
>
> A literal English translation is;
>
> I hasten to reply to your letter and why should I hesitate to do so since
> it is from the hand of one of my unknown American friends. Last year, I
> dedicated to them my novel Le Sphinx des Glaces, and in honour of their
> great poet Edgar Poe, to demonstrate my gratitude. Next year it will be
> the whole of the United States which will act as the theatre of my new
> novel. I hope when you read it that it will give you some pleasure. 25 or
> 27 years ago,I was able to visit a part of your beautiful country and have
> kept precious memories.
>
> Several points I think arise from this letter I think
> 1 As I mentioned in my previous posting he writes with enthusiasm
> vis-à-vis the United States which by this time had replaced Britain in his
> mind as the centre of technical progress and modernity.
> 2 The cross reference to his dedication of Le Sphinx des Glaces to Poe is
> interesting.
> 3 He foreshadows his next novel, which he says will encompass all of the
> States. Given the date, would this be Le Testament d'un excentrique?
> Ian Thompson

-- 
Volker Dehs, Eisenbahnstr. 9, D-37073 Göttingen. Tel.: 0551 / 38 13 088
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Received on Thu 03 Aug 2006 - 22:45:51 IDT

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