Jules Verne

Jules Verne was visited at his home in Amiens, France, by R. H. Sherard for a profile in the January 1894 of McClure’s Magazine. The 66-year-old author spoke of his childhood, his career and his plans for future works.

Verne reflected on his legacy, expressing disappointment that he had not received more acclaim nor been elected into the French Academy. “The great regret of my life is that I have never taken any place in French literature,” he remarked. He then began repeating, “Je ne compte pas dans la littérature française,” meaning, “I do not count in French literature.”

Additional Interviews With Jules Verne
Zvi Har’El’s Jules Verne Collection, a Web site maintained by an Israeli professor, hosts the McClure’s interview and five others conducted between 1895 and 1904. Included is a 1903 return visit to Verne’s home by Sherard, who finds the author in poor health but continuing to write new stories.

To learn more about Jules Verne, read his profile on findingDulcinea.