Hello Bill,
I was mistaken in saying that your translation of Journey to the Centre of
the Earth (which I possess in paperback) is part of the B&N e-book Verne
collection. I saw your name attached to that edition and erroneously
assumed that your wonderful translation had been incorporated into it.
Thank you for correcting my mistake. I can only hope that your work and
that of other present-day Vernian scholars will be made available in the
digital format. Barnes & Noble tells its patrons that Jules Verne is
enjoying a revival of interest in the United States and that the company is
proud to make his work available in new e-books. That is commendable. But
it would seem that their admiration of Verne does not go as far as to
introduce readers to the high quality translations now available.
The e-book format is relatively new as we all know. Texts of books
published prior to 1925 are offered for free in many cases. However, I have
found that these e-books are often riddled with typos and other errors
making reading them less than fully enjoyable. And diacritical markings as
well as italics are often eliminated as well, thus diluting the impact of
the author's meaning or sentiments. I hope that as time goes on such
oversights, omissions, and errors will be removed. Amazon.com has reported
that for the first time in its existence, the company has sold more e-books
than printed ones. That tells me this format is now firmly established and
will only gain wider acceptance as time moves forward. I will always love
and treasure the printed book, but I have also embraced this new technology
eagerly and look forward to further developments.
Best,
Raymond
From: owner-jvf~at~Gilead.org.il [mailto:owner-jvf~at~Gilead.org.il] On Behalf Of
wbutcher
Sent: Saturday, 21 May, 2011 20:03
To: 'Jules Verne Forum'
Subject: Re: Jules Verne E-Book Editions -- Nook
Raymond,
I have no knowledge of my Journey to the Centre of the Earth (please note
correct spelling) being issued by Barnes & Noble. Do you have a precise
reference?
Thanks for the kind comment,
Bill
<
http://www.ibiblio.org/julesverne/>
http://www.ibiblio.org/julesverne/
1A, Kai Kuk Shue Ha, Luk Keng, North District, NT, HONG KONG
_____
From: owner-jvf~at~Gilead.org.il [mailto:owner-jvf~at~Gilead.org.il] On Behalf Of
Raymond Macon
Sent: 22 May 2011 09:39
To: 'Jules Verne Forum'
Subject: Re: Jules Verne E-Book Editions -- Nook
Rick,
Thank you very much for your reply. It was full of useful information.
From what I have seen of the B&N offerings, it is as you say. I think I
will contact the organization and point out what you have said with respect
to the editions they offer as well as the fact that their rivals at
Amazon.com have consistently better texts available on their Kindle.
By the way, on 7 June B&N will release Extraordinary Voyages, a collection
featuring Around the World in Eighty Days, Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the
Sea, and Journey to the Center of the Earth. I think the JCE translation is
the one done by Bill Butcher, so it will be worth obtaining for that alone.
I will endeavor to find out who has translated the other texts.
Raymond
From: owner-jvf~at~Gilead.org.il [mailto:owner-jvf~at~Gilead.org.il] On Behalf Of
Rick Walter
Sent: Saturday, 21 May, 2011 14:47
To: Jules Verne Forum
Subject: Re: Jules Verne E-Book Editions -- Nook
>I am in the process of selecting certain Jules Verne novels for purchase
and downloading [from Nook]. . . . Would you be so kind as to recommend
editions I should own?
Hi Raymond--
I'm afraid I can't give you much encouragement at this time. I've spent over
an hour scouring what B & N are making available in their Nook format, and
it has been a dispiriting experience. Virtually all of it consists of the
same old public-domain material many of us are heartily sick of.
The significant exceptions are:
* The Castle in Transylvania -- Charlotte Mandell, translator. A brand-new
text you'll probably enjoy.
* Journey Through the Impossible -- Edward Baxter, translator. A modern text
of a Verne theatrical collaboration.
* The Bantam Classics editions of 20,000 Leagues & From the Earth to the
Moon -- readable, mostly complete modern texts.
Otherwise, Raymond, it's samo, samo. The problem is that Barnes & Noble is
itself such an aggressive publisher: They stand to make more money off their
own editions and off p.d. items than by licensing from other publishers. I'm
sure that's why so few copyrighted Verne texts are available in their Nook
format.
Which is a huge shame, Raymond, because Amazon's Kindle, their big rival,
has a generous selection of modern Verne editions available. But hopefully
Nook will become more competitive in the months ahead. When that happens, I
warmly recommend these splendid modern editions:
* The Oxford World Classics texts, translated by William Butcher and based
on his pioneering research into Verne's manuscripts.
* The University of Nebraska offerings in their Bison Frontiers of
Imagination series -- annotated modern texts based on Verne's unedited
originals.
* The titles in the Wesleyan Early Classics of Science Ficition series,
edited by Arthur B. Evans -- standard-setting modern texts.
* State University of New York's popular omnibus "Amazing Journeys: Five
Visionary Classics" -- which I busted my butt over and generally feel good
about.
Meantime cross your fingers, Raymond. Maybe you won't have to wait too long.
Or you might contact B&N and light a fire under them...
All the best,
Rick
Frederick Paul Walter
Albuquerque, New Mexico
----- Original Message -----
From: Raymond Macon <mailto:maconr~at~speakeasy.net>
To: Jules Verne Forum <mailto:jvf~at~Gilead.org.il>
Sent: Saturday, May 21, 2011 11:01 AM
Subject: Jules Verne E-Book Editions
My friends,
A good friend has given me Barnes & Noble's e-Reader called the NOOK. I was
absolutely surprised and delighted by this gift. You can only imagine how
eager I am to download the many titles I have wished to own in this new
digital format.
I am in the process of selecting certain Jules Verne novels for purchase and
downloading. I want to avoid at all cost the horrible public domain ones as
well as any that abridge or make alterations to names in the original French
text. Would you be so kind as to recommend editions I should own? I am
especially interested in the following titles: Twenty Thousand Leagues
Under the Sea; Journey to the Center of the Earth; The Mysterious Island;
From the Earth to the Moon; and Around the Moon.
I know that several Forum members have produced their own translations, and
if they want to recommend them I would be happy to obtain them. I wouldn't
mind having several versions of the same title so long as the translations
are first rate. Also, if any of you want to recommend other Verne titles I
will be happy to consider them. This new era of digital technology is both
exciting and somewhat frightening as changes are coming at blinding speed.
The idea of carrying an entire library in a machine that is as slim as a
magazine; has the same size as a medium paperback or softcover book; and
which can fit into a deep coat pocket is simply mind-boggling. I never
thought I would live to see such advances, and I want to take full
advantage. Why, the very fact that I can make this request to so many Verne
scholars, enthusiasts, and fans by means of the Internet and World Wide Web
is nothing short of miraculous!
So I ask for your aid and counsel in full confidence that the
recommendations you will give me (as well as others) will be sound ones. I
want to thank all of you in advance, and I look forward to your replies.
"Et quacunque viam fortuna dederit, sequamur!"
Raymond Macon
"Books are the carriers of civilization. Without books, history is silent,
literature dumb, science crippled, thought and civilization at a
standstill." -Barbara Tuchman
Received on Sun 22 May 2011 - 19:33:54 IDT
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