Central Africa is one of the most inaccessible areas of the globe, and expeditions there are always fraught with enormous difficulties. English traveler Dr. Samuel Ferguson offers a truly revolutionary method of exploring these territories and, together with two satellites, goes on a journey over central Africa in a hot air balloon, wanting to link together the discoveries of previous expeditions... "Five Weeks in a Balloon" (Fr.) Cinq Semaines en Ballon is the first adventure novel by Jules Verne, which brought the future great classics wide fame. The impetus for the creation of the novel in no small measure was the introduction of the author in 1860 with the famous aeronaut and photographer Nadar. Nadar subsequently became president, and Jules Verne became secretary of the "Society for the Encouragement of Air Services". The idea of an improved balloon "Victoria" was also inspired by the project Nadar The writer began work on the novel in early 1862, the work was completed in the summer. The first attempts to find a publisher ended unsuccessfully. The novel was rejected by fourteen publishers. The manuscript was offered to be published without payment to the author, but Jules Verne did not agree. Next, according to one version - Nadar introduced the author to the publisher Etzel according to another version - the first reader of the novel was Alexander Dumas , Then he introduced Verna to the then-famous writer Brichet ,, who was also the author of the book..... and he presented the author of the novel to Etzel in the third version of Jules Verne “opened the door” of Etzel’s publishing house, the then famous French writer Alfred De Brea ...... Etzel, already at that time was one of the most famous Parisian publishers, he printed Victor Hugo and Georges Sand ..... He had recently returned from political exile, and was planning to continue publishing. At that time, Etzel was going to start publishing a Journal of Education and Entertainment for children and adolescents (it would later publish most of Jules Verne's novels for forty years), and decided that Verne's knowledge, abilities and literary inclinations corresponded to his plans. Etzel accepted the novel for publication, asking the author to revise it somewhat. The novel was first printed in a separate book titled Five Weeks in a Balloon. Travels and Discoveries in Africa by Three Englishmen . Notes by Dr. Fergusson (Cinq Semaines en ballon .) Voyage de découvertes en Afrique par trois Anglais . Rédigé sur les notes du docteur Ferguson" on 31 January 1863 (dates 24 December 1862 and 17 January 1863 are also found). The novel, despite all its unusual for the time (for example, among his characters there is no woman) was a great success among readers and critics. Many readers considered the described journey to be the most real . Etzel made a twenty-year contract with Jules Verne to write two new novels or one two-volume one each year. The future famous writer resigned from the stock office in which he served, deciding to write novels of a new genre. Jules Verne was 34 years old at the time.