The Begum's Fortune
Jules Verne
Gelesen von Kate Follis





A novel with some utopian elements, but primarily dystopian. A French doctor and a German professor both inherit a vast fortune as descendants of a French soldier who married the rich widow of an Indian prince. They both decide to go to America and establish their own "ideal" society. Dr. Sarrasin, the French doctor, is focused on maintaining public health. He builds Ville-France. Professor Schultze, the German scientist, is a bit of a militarist and racist. He builds Stahlstadt and devotes his city to the production of ever more powerful weapons so that he can destroy Sarrasin's city. They manage to get the US to cede sovereignty to two cities so that the two newly rich men can create their utopia. The setting for Ville-France would place it on the Oregon Coast, near Bandon, Oregon. The location for the second city, Stahlstadt, is less clear, but the description would place it somewhere near Roseburg, Oregon.
- Summary by Kate Follis (6 hr 21 min)
Kapitel
Enter Mr. Sharp | 23:31 | Gelesen von Kate Follis |
A Pair of Chums | 26:10 | Gelesen von Kate Follis |
Effect of an Item of News | 24:57 | Gelesen von Kate Follis |
Two Claimants | 26:11 | Gelesen von Kate Follis |
Stahlstadt | 27:36 | Gelesen von Kate Follis |
The Albrecht Pit | 22:54 | Gelesen von Kate Follis |
The Central Block | 21:16 | Gelesen von Kate Follis |
The Dragon's Den | 33:00 | Gelesen von Kate Follis |
P.P.C. | 22:40 | Gelesen von Kate Follis |
An Article from "Unsere Centurie", a German Review | 25:02 | Gelesen von Kate Follis |
At Dinner with Doctor Sarrasin | 13:28 | Gelesen von Kate Follis |
The Council | 21:02 | Gelesen von Kate Follis |
News for the Professor | 5:07 | Gelesen von Kate Follis |
Clearing for Action | 10:17 | Gelesen von Kate Follis |
The Exchange of San Francisco | 20:25 | Gelesen von Kate Follis |
A Brace of Frenchmen Capture a Town | 17:59 | Gelesen von Kate Follis |
Parley Before the Citadel | 14:09 | Gelesen von Kate Follis |
The Kernel of the Nut | 15:44 | Gelesen von Kate Follis |
A Family Affair | 7:59 | Gelesen von Kate Follis |
Conclusion | 2:21 | Gelesen von Kate Follis |
Bewertungen
Very entertaining





Merle Arrowsmith
As usual, Jules Verne manages to ally humour, politics and scientific advancements in an entertaining story. As a German having grown up in France, however, the demonisation of the Germans was not much to my taste and smacks too much of war propaganda. I very much enjoyed listening to the excellent reader!