Around the World in 80 Days by Jules Verne

We are delighted to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the publication of the book Around the World in 80 Days, written by celebrated author Jules Verne, which is arguably the most popular of his Voyages Extraordinaries series of novels.

The stamps have been illustrated by Keith Robinson, who has depicted some of the key events from Phileas Fogg’s globe-trotting adventure with his manservant, Passepartout.

It is hardly surprising that Jules Verne is often referred to as being the father of science fiction; his books are full of descriptions of incredible technological advances, many of which have come to fruition since he wrote about them in the 1860s, 70s, and 80s. He made his mark beyond the world of literature and film, inspiring generation of inventors, explorers and scientists.

In 1954 the United States Navy launched the world’s first nuclear-powered submarine, named for Verne’s Nautilus. For over a century, adventurers have followed in the footsteps of Verne’s fictional hero Phileas Fogg by attempting to circumnavigate the globe in record-breaking times.

Verne was a true visionary, as we are reminded in Around the World in 80 Days, where he wrote that “Anything one man can imagine, other men can make real.”