TWO GREAT WRITERS

Jules Verne Radio Shows Now Available on CD

For Verne fans in the USA, the Sixties and Seventies meant the beginning of a great New Age. In 1965, Walter James Miller published his revolutionary edition of Twenty Thousand Leagues under the Sea with his “Jules Verne in America: A Translator’s Preface.” He exposed the “standard translations” that had been rushed into print in the 19^th century. They omitted many of Verne’s most intellectual, scientific, and political passages, and dashed off many crucial errors in words and numbers. Verne became known as “a boy’s author,” and his critical reputation hit bottom.

In one month after publication, Miller appeared on 27 radio and TV shows with his revelations. Several scholars were inspired to do their Ph.D. dissertations on Verne; many translators produced new, complete, reliable versions. Then in 1976-78, Miller published his “Annotated Jules Verne” series: Twenty Thousand Leagues... and From the Earth to the Moon. These prompted a second round of radio and television programs and paved the way for new annotated editions in English, and French publishers as well soon emulated Miller’s approach in Verne’s own land. By now, the “rescue team” numbers some 40 scholars, critics, and translators.

The early days of this major turnabout in literary history are recaptured in four radio shows rebroadcast in this album: TWO GREAT WRITERS. Our Distinguished Member Walter James Miller found tapes of four surviving radio shows he did on Jules Verne in relation to his own translations as well as the Jean-Jules Verne biography. They encompass four shows, between 1966 to 1979, each broadcast related to a different book, and together lasting nearly two hours. Walter arranged for the initial transfer of old reel-to-reel tapes to CDs and is donating any royalties due him so the North American Jules Verne Society (a non-profit organization) may sell them for fund-raising purposes. Our member, Andrew Rogulich, was able to copy the CDs, improve the quality, and place them on a two CD-set, donating to the society his professional services.

“Walter James Miller provides a unique perspective on the writings of Verne in this two CD set. You will find these radio interviews informative and it will make you enjoy Verne’s novels even more than you do now.”
— Andrew Rogulich

“These marvelous radio shows offer a personal understanding by one of the foremost experts in the field, who is truly energizing as he discusses Verne in the interview context. They are a one-of-a-kind surviving treasure--allowing a glimpse into a formative period in the development of modern Verne appreciation.”
— Brian Taves

“Listening to these CDs makes you part of the history of the rehabilitation of Jules Verne as a writer in the Anglophone world. It’s a marvelous jump back to the beginnings of what Walter James Miller once called ‘The Rescue Team’ of Jules Verne in America. These two CDs are not only (and will become) precious collector’s items, but, listening to Miller’s voice, you understand how Verne was butchered by his ‘translators’ and why it was (and still is) necessary to rescue his literary reputation.”
— Jean-Michel Margot

Listen to some samples here:

The audio for these recordings was cleaned up by member Andy Rogulich who has started a mastering business. Please visit his website at www.highfidelitymastering.com.

Here is the insert for the two CD set, which detailed out the contents.

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