A Famous Wager

Photo courtesy of NASA

Today is Phileas Fogg’s Wager Day. In Jules Verne’s adventure novel AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DAYS, Fogg bets 20,000 pounds that he can make a tour of the world in eighty days or less. When asked when he would leave on his journey: "This very evening," returned Phileas Fogg. He took out and consulted a pocket almanac, and added, "As today is Wednesday, the 2nd of October [1872], I shall be due in London in this very room of the Reform Club, on Saturday, the 21st of December, at a quarter before nine p.m.; or else the twenty thousand pounds… will belong to you…”


This classic can be read, for free, on-line at: http://www.gutenberg.org/files/103/103-h/103-h.htm