This is a bit off-topic but I’ve been re-reading 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea recently. Partly because it was free on Amazon and partly because it is an intriguing story. The French writer, Jules Verne, was such a visionary person. It’s hard to believe that the story was published around the time of the Civil War, the ideas seem so modern. I love the idea of exploring the unknown, especially the ocean. And I love how he makes his wild inventions seem scientifically plausible.
Another thing I like about the story is that he always credits “The Great Designer” with the majesty of creation. He seems to have done a lot of research before writing the book because he goes off on these long passages describing the classifications of fish, and the stories of ancient mariners. For many this might be a down-side, but I don’t mind learning a thing or two (even in a science fiction book).
Towards the end of his life he wrote a book called The Lighthouse at the End of the World. It takes place on the southern tip of Argentina, in Ushuaia (pictured above). We were actually planning a trip down to Ushuaia with our French friend Romain (pretty ironic), but making it to the next stage with The Doorpost (no complaints) kind of postponed that trip. I guess I can just read the book (especially if it’s free on Amazon).