Jules Verne (1828-1905) was a French novelist, playwright, and poet who is best known for his enduring tales of adventure and discovery that include Journey to the Center of the Earth, Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea, and Around the World in Eighty Days. Verne's books about a variety of innovations and technological advancements-including the submarine, space travel, terrestrial flight and deep-sea exploration-years before they were practical realities laid much of the foundation of modern science fiction. One of the most famous French novelists of all time, Verne has been the second most-translated author in the world since 1979, ranking between Agatha Christie and William Shakespeare.