French writer Jules Verne (February 8, 1828 - March 24, 1905) pioneered the science fiction literary genre. He published many plays, essays, short stories, and poems during his lifetime, but is best known for <i>Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea, <i>Around the World in 80 Days, and A<i> Journey to the Center of the Earth. Today, he is one of the most translated authors in the world.