From the Earth to the Moon, Direct in Ninety-Seven Hours and Twenty Minutes: and a Trip Round It

"From the Earth to the Moon, Direct in Ninety-Seven Hours and Twenty Minutes" by Jules Verne is a science fiction novel written in the late 19th century. The story revolves around the ambitious plans of the Baltimore Gun Club, led by President Impey Barbicane, as they aim to launch a projectile to the moon. The book explores themes of ingenuity, the spirit of American enterprise, and the interplay between science and public enthusiasm. At the start of the book, we are introduced to the Gun Club, formed during the American Civil War, which has become obsolete following the war's end. The members, discontent with their inactivity, are excited by Barbicane's proposal to send a projectile to the moon. This leads to a gathering of club members, where Barbicane informs them of his groundbreaking idea, sparking a fervor of support and speculation among the members and the wider public. As the opening unfolds, the scene is set for an exploration of the practical and theoretical challenges of achieving this unprecedented venture, coupled with the enthusiasm of a nation eager to participate in a seemingly impossible mission. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

Jules Gabriel Verne was a French novelist, poet, and playwright. His collaboration with the publisher Pierre-Jules Hetzel led to the creation of the Voyages extraordinaires, a series of bestselling adventure novels including Journey to the Center of the Earth (1864), Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Seas (1870), and Around the World in Eighty Days (1872). His novels, always well-researched according to the scientific knowledge then available, are generally set in the second half of the 19th century, taking into account the technological advances of the time.