Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea
by Jules Verne
Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea is a novel by Jules Verne, serialised by Pierre-Jules Hetzel in Paris from March 1869 and issued as a book in 1870. Three captives travel the oceans aboard Captain Nemo's submarine, the Nautilus. An English translation by Lewis Page Mercier followed in 1872.
- Editions tracked
- 4
- First edition
- J. Hetzel, 1869
- First published
- Pierre-Jules Hetzel (Magasin d'éducation et de récréation), Paris, 1869
- Series
- Captain Nemo trilogy
The first edition of Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea by Jules Verne was published in Paris by J. Hetzel in 1869. We track 4 editions.
Which edition do you have?
First edition
- 1st J. Hetzel1869 Other · Captain Nemo trilogy I own Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea, J. Hetzel 1869 Log in to want this
Later and other editions
- James R. Osgood and Company (late Ticknor & Fields, and Fields, Osgood & Co1873 Hardback · Captain Nemo trilogy I own Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Seas, James R. Osgood and Company (late Ticknor & Fields, and Fields, Osgood & Co 1873 Log in to want this
- Sampson Low, Marston, Low & Searle1873 Hardback · Captain Nemo trilogy I own Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea, Sampson Low, Marston, Low & Searle 1873 Log in to want this
- Ward, Lock1900 Hardback · Captain Nemo trilogy I own Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea, Ward, Lock 1900 Log in to want this
We have not yet researched the issue points for this book. If you know how to tell the first from later printings, tell us and we will credit you once it is checked against a second source.
Awards, adaptations and setting
Awards and honours
Adaptations
- Under the Seas film, 1907
- 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea film, 1916
- W głębiach oceanu adaptation, 1920
- 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea film, 1954
- Captain Nemo and the Underwater City film, 1969
- 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea film, 1973
- The Return of Captain Nemo television film, 1978
- 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea television film, 1985
- 20 000 Leagues Under The Sea game, 1988
- 20,000 Leaks Under the City animated film, 1989
- 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea television film, 1997
- 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea television series, 1997
Setting and characters
- Set in
- New York City, India, Norway, France, Pacific Ocean, Atlantic Ocean
- Characters
- Captain Nemo, Pierre Aronnax, Conseil, Farragut, Ned Land
- Genre
- science fiction, nautical fiction, scientific romance, travel literature
Read next
- Comes after
- In Search of the Castaways
- Followed by
- The Mysterious Island, Around the Moon
In print
- Editions recorded
- 384 on Open Library, 249 in English
- Wikipedia
- Articles in 66 languages
- Free to read
- Project Gutenberg (out of copyright in the US)
From Wikidata and Open Library, both CC0. A prize or a new adaptation often lifts demand for the first printing.
Pictures of the book
Freely licensed pictures of the work. They are not necessarily the edition you hold: check the points on each edition's page.
More by Jules Verne
- The Begum's Fortune1860 · 2 editions
- A Journey to the Center of the Earth1864 · 4 editions
- The Count of Chanteleine: A Tale of the French Revolution1864 · 2 editions
- Round the Moon1870 · 2 editions
- The Adventures of Captain Hatteras1870 · 1 edition
- Around the World in Eighty Days1873 · 4 editions
- Five Weeks in a Balloon1873 · 2 editions
- A Floating City1874 · 2 editions
Questions about Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea
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Know what you are looking at
How to Identify a First Edition
To identify a first edition, check that your copy is the first printing of the first edition. Read the copyright …
Read the guide →6 min readBook Condition Grading: Fine to Poor Explained
Book condition grading uses a six-step trade scale: Fine, Near Fine, Very Good, Good, Fair and Poor. Collectors grade the …
Read the guide →7 min readDust Jackets Explained: Why the Jacket Drives a Book's Value
For most books published since the 1920s, the original dust jacket carries a large share of the value, often most …
Read the guide →Frequently asked questions
Who published the first edition of Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea?
The first edition of Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea by Jules Verne was published in Paris by J. Hetzel in 1869.
How many editions of Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea are there?
We track 4 editions of Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea, including 1 first edition. Each has its own page with how to identify it.
Did Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea win any awards?
Yes: Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea won the NPR Top 100 Science Fiction and Fantasy Books, according to Wikidata.
Has Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea been adapted?
Yes, including Captain Nemo (television series), Nadia: The Secret of Blue Water (television series), Nautilus (television series), according to Wikidata.
What should I read after Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea?
In order, it follows In Search of the Castaways and it is followed by The Mysterious Island, Around the Moon, according to Wikidata.
Can I read Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea for free?
Yes: the text is out of copyright in the United States and free to read on Project Gutenberg. Collectors still pay for the first edition, which is the physical object, not the words.
Where these facts come from
- Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Seas, Wikipedia (en.wikipedia.org)
- Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea (Q183565), Wikidata (wikidata.org)
Every fact on this page was checked against the sources listed. Checked 17 October 2026. Reviewed by Harriet Ellis; read how we check facts.