Jules Verne's classic 1864 sci-fi novel tells the story of German professor Otto Lidenbrock who believes there are volcanic tubes going toward the centre of the Earth. He, his nephew Axel, and their guide Hans descend into the Icelandic volcano Snaefellsjökull, encountering many adventures, including prehistoric animals and natural hazards, before eventually coming to the surface again in southern Italy, at the Stromboli volcano.
Journey has been read by millions of inquisitive minds and has influenced some of the worlds most famous explorers such as Admiral Byrd, who announced on his 1926 expedition to the North Pole that "it is Jules Verne who is bringing me."
Renowned cave explorer Norbert Casteret said in 1938 that A Journey to the Center of the Earth was a "marvelous book which impressed and fascinated me more than any other. I have re-read it many times, and I confess I sometimes re-read it still, each time finding anew the joys and enthusiasm of my childhood."
When Professor Lidenbrock discovers coded messages about a passage to the center of the Earth in an old manuscript, he decides to undertake the adventure of a lifetime and travel through the volcanic passage described in his research. Accompanied by his nephew Axel and their Icelandic guide, he undertakes a fantastic journey, encountering unimaginable environments, terrible obstacles and strange creatures along the way.
Journey to the Center of the Earth is one of Jules Verne's most renowned works of science-fiction. It was inspired by Geological Evidences of the Antiquity of Man by Charles Lyell, which discusses the origin of humans through geological discovery. Verne's novel has been adapted numerous times for film, television and theatre, including the 2008 film starring Brendan Fraser and Josh Hutcherson.