From the Earth to the Moon

From the Earth to the Moon is a book by Jules Verne, first published in 1865, and is the fourth in the Extraordinary Voyages series. This imaginative adventure follows the bold ambitions of the Baltimore Gun Club, a post-Civil War society of artillery experts determined to launch a projectile to the Moon. Their visionary president, Impey Barbicane, proposes an unprecedented engineering feat: building a colossal cannon capable of firing a manned capsule into space. His rival, the fiery Captain Nicholl, initially challenges the idea, but their heated competition soon transforms into a shared pursuit that captures the attention of the world. The story grows in scope as public excitement spreads, drawing in the spirited French adventurer Michel Ardan, who volunteers to take part in the daring expedition. His charisma and philosophical musings shape the project’s direction and unite the previously quarreling engineers. Together, they set out to solve the immense scientific and logistical challenges of space travel - calculating trajectories, designing the projectile, and constructing the massive launch site in Florida. As the launch date approaches, the narrative builds tension through political intrigue, international fascination, and the sheer audacity of the enterprise. From the Earth to the Moon offers a grounded yet thrilling exploration of early space-voyage imagination, making it ideal for readers interested in classic sci-fi adventure, lunar exploration stories, and the origins of speculative engineering. This translation by Ward, Lock & Co. was first published in 1877.