Making and the Mysterious Island by Jules Verne

The multi-talented Cyrus Harding and his companions are balloon-wrecked on a strange island. Over time, they are making felt for clothing, blowing glass and firing pots. An implausible but fun look at where we might be without the skills and crafts that have taken years to learn. Plus there’s a surprise at the end! 

As part of some writing I did for the now defunct Craftfinder, exploring craft in literature, I made a list of books I'd loved that refer in some way to making or process.  The Mysterious Island is one of them.

I love this even though it’s frankly bonkers. The multi-talented Cyrus Harding and his companions are balloon-wrecked on a strange island. Over time, using nothing but his expensive scientific knowledge and a pocket knife (I might be exaggerating about the pocket knife) he is making felt for clothing, blowing glass and firing pots. Oh, and he blows up a watercourse too, in order to provide running water for his two story cave dwelling.  It’s an implausible but fun look at where we might be without the skills and crafts that have taken years to learn. Captain Cyrus would be a bit nonplussed by the today’s environmental lobby I think. Plus there’s a surprise at the end!