This was one of Jules Verne's lesser known novels. It didn't escape during his lifetime, the manuscript was discovered under a table leg early in 1973. By December of that year it was published by Eyre Methuen, but was quickly withdrawn after receiving a cease and desist letter from the estate of film producer Mike Todd. In the letter Todd's heirs claimed to have a copyright on "The World."

The story concerns a character called Patchy-Dense Fogg, brother of the famous Phileas. Patchy was of the belief that most ordinary mortals would require more than eighty days to go around the world, and would say so to anybody who would listen.

One night at the London pub known as "The Root and Crown" our hero Patchy had gone a few pints past his limit. He proceeded to stand up and loudly announce that he could make a trip around the world in five years and fifty-seven seconds and dared any man in the place to contradict him. It is here that the proprietor of this establishment, one C. Costa Monger, decided to make a friendly wager.

A short conversation and a handshake later, a wager was made for the sum of five pounds, six shillings. It was agreed that Fogg would leave London the next day accompanied by his hilarious manservant Candyfloss Ragout, and return exactly five years and fifty-seven seconds later.

By closing time, Mr. Monger began to become a little concerned. There was a lot of money at stake, and he wondered if he shouldn't do something to tip the odds into his favor. He called for Edwin Meek, the man who swept up the floors around the pub, and ordered him to follow Fogg on his journey, and see if he couldn't speed things up a little bit.

Does Fogg succeed in his mission? Well, I don't want to give away the ending. Instead I suggest you track down a copy of the book and read it for yourself. It will be worth it.