Two Years' Vacation

Two Years' Vacation

Author	Jules Verne
Original title	Deux ans de vacances
Illustrator	Léon Benett
Language	French
Series	The Extraordinary Voyages#32
Genre	Adventure novel
Publisher	Pierre-Jules Hetzel
Publication date	1888
Publication place	France
Published in English	1889
Media type	Print (Hardback)
Preceded by	The Flight to France
Followed by	Family Without a Name

Two Years' Vacation(French:Deux ans de vacances) is an adventure novel byJules Verne,published in 1888. The story tells of the fortunes of a group of schoolboys stranded on a deserted island in theSouth Pacific,and of their struggles to overcome adversity. In his preface to the book, Verne explains that his goals were to create aRobinson Crusoe-like environment for children, and to show the world what the intelligence and bravery of a child were capable of when put to the test.

Plot summary

Map of "Chairman Island"

The story opens in March 1860 with a group of schoolboys aged between eight and fourteen on board a 100-tonschoonercalled theSleuthmoored atAuckland,New Zealand, and preparing to set off on a six-week vacation. With the exception of the oldest boy Gordon, an American, and Briant and Jack, two French brothers, all the boys are British.

While the schooner's crew are ashore, the moorings are cast-off under unknown circumstances and the ship drifts to sea, where it is caught by a storm. Twenty-two days later, the boys find themselves cast upon the shore of an uncharted island, which they name "Chairman Island." They go on many adventures and even catch wild animals while trying to survive. They remain there for the next two years until a passing ship sinks in the close vicinity of the island. The ship had been taken over bymutineers,intent on trafficking slaves. With the aid of two of the surviving members of the original crew, the boys are able to defeat the mutineers and make their escape from the island, which they find out is close to the Chilean coast (Hanover Island,located at 50°56’ S, 74°47’ W).

Publication

The whirlpool seized him

As with most of Verne's works, it was serialized (in twenty-four parts between January and December 1888) in the "Extraordinary Journeys"section of the FrenchMagasin d’Éducation et de Récréationby the Parisian publisherHetzel.It was also published in book form in two volumes in June and early November of that year. An illustrated double volume with a color map and a preface by Verne was released in late November.

Translations and adaptations

The elder boys began their search (1888)

• An English translation of the book was serialized in 36 installments in theBoy's Own Paperbetween 1888 and 1889.
• In 1889 a two-volumeEnglish-languagebook titledA Two Year's Vacationwas published by Munro in the United States. Later the same year, a single-volume abridged edition in the United Kingdom was released by Sampson Low under the title ofAdrift in the Pacific.
• In 1890, from February 22 through March 14, theBoston Daily Globenewspaper serializedAdrift in the Pacific; the Strange Adventures of a Schoolboy Crew.
• In 1896, Morita Shiken translated it to the Japanese language asJugo shonen( thập ngũ thiếu niên: it means15 boys) from the English text.
• In 1962 Emilio Gomez Muriel directed a Spanish-Mexican film, featuring Pablito Calvo in the main role.
• In 1964 Turkish Filmmaker Yilmaz Atadeniz produced this movie titled as Iki Sene Mektep Tatili. "
• In 1965 the I. O. Evens version of the Sampson Low translation was published in England (ARCO) and the U.S. (Associated Publishers) in two volumes:Adrift in the 11PacificandSecond Year Ashore.
• In 1967 a new modified and abridged translation by Olga Marx with illustrations byVictor AmbrustitledA Long Vacationwas published by Oxford University Press in the United Kingdom and Holt, Rinehart & Winston in the United States.
• In 1967 Czech filmmakerKarel Zemanmade a live-action/animated film adaptation under the titleUkradená vzducholod( "The Stolen Airship", released worldwideasTwo Years' Vacation), loosely based on Jules Verne's novelsTwo Years' VacationandThe Mysterious Island.
• In 1969 an Australian film produced, directed and written byMende BrownentitledStrange Holidaycredited Jules Verne for the story.
• The 1974 four-part T.V. seriesDeux ans de vacanceswas produced in a cooperation of French, Belgian, Swiss, West-German and Romanian television.
• In 1982 a Japanese studioToei Animationmade an anime movie adaptation under the title ofAdrift in the Pacific(Japanese:Thập ngũ thiếu niên phiêu lưu ký).
• In 1984, The novel was adapted as a Polish comic book titledDwa lata wakacji(Two Years' Vacation).
• In 1987 a made-for-TV animation was produced by the Japanese studioNippon Animationunder the title ofThe Story of Fifteen Boys(Japanese:Thập ngũ thiếu niên phiêu lưu ký).
• In 2001 the book was redistributed by CLE International to help learners be immersed in French
• The book became the story for different anime series likeKyōryū Bōkenki Jura Tripper,Infinite Ryvius,Mujin Wakusei SurviveandAstra Lost in Space.The novel served as the initial inspiration for the Japanese anime seriesMobile Suit Gundamin 1979;later in 1983, it would serve again as inspiration forSunrise's anime seriesRound Vernian Vifam,as well.

See also

• Lord of the Flies– a novel which echoes the struggles for survival and dominance amongst young boys who are stranded on an island

References

• Dehs V, Margot JM, Har'El Z."The Complete Jules Verne Bibliography".Retrieved18 March2006.

External links

Works related toTwo Years' Vacationat Wikisource Media related toTwo Years' Vacationat Wikimedia Commons

• Adrift in the Pacific (1889; abridged version)at theInternet Archive