VERNE, Jules; FERAT, J. (illus.); [KINGSTON, W. H. G. (trans.)]
Part 1 of "The Mysterious Island" trilogy. Rear advertising pages announce Part Second will appear in American Homes magazine, also published by Henry L. Shepard & Co. Shepard had also serialized Part First, probably to create interest in this pirated edition. Last ad page advertises "A Journey to the Centre of the Earth," complete with an illustration.Oddly, the editor of American Homes, Eggleston, complained in an 1875 editorial that "The Mysterious Island" had extended into too many volumes, three - all filled with a long catalogue of minute details. While some reviewers found the level of detail in the work tedious, others praised Verne's new version of "Robinson Crusoe" with modern improvements. Kingston's translation made a few changes from Verne's original French; the hero's surname is changed from Smith to Harding and many technical passages are abridged or omitted. Unfortunately, Kingston's became the standard translation. Myers 42. Taves and Michaluk V013.
