The books of Jules Verne (1828-1905) created characters and formulated ideas which have stimulated and entertained countless reader since they first appeared. They have been the subject of films, radio dramatizations and have even been presented on ice! The deft and original quality in Verne's works has given them an amazing popularity. His parents were of a seafaring tradition, one factor which influenced his writings. As a boy, Jules Verne ran off to be a cabin boy on a merchant ship, but he was caught and returned to his parents. In 1847 Jules was sent to study law in Paris. While there, however, his passion for theater grew. Later in 1850, Jules Verne's first play was published. His father was outraged when he heard that Jules was not going to continue law, so he discontinued the money he was giving him to pay for his expenses in Paris. This forced Verne to make money by selling his stories. After spending many hours in Paris libraries studying geology, engineering, and astronomy, Jules Verne published his first novel Five Weeks in a Balloon. Soon he started writing novels such as Journey to the Center of the Earth, From the Earth to the Moon, and 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea.