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Re: Letter to an American

From: Brian Taves <btav~at~loc.gov>
Date: Fri, 4 Aug 2006 18:26:14 -0400 (EDT)
To: Jules Verne Forum <jvf~at~Gilead.org.il>

And indeed for Verne to feel conflicting emotions is not surprising, for
the United States is a nation of many contradictions.

Brian Taves
Email: btav~at~loc.gov


Disclaimer--All opinions expressed are my own.


On Thu, 3 Aug 2006, volker dehs wrote:

> 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
Received on Sat 05 Aug 2006 - 01:26:20 IDT

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