Overview: The program salutes the achievement of the father of science fiction. Despite his ardent desire to become a successful writer, Verne failed as a playwright. He abandoned writing for the stage when he married a young widow and started a business in the Stock Exchange at which he also failed. His wife and a friend Nadar the pioneer balloonist encouraged him to write again and his first book, a fantasy about balloon ascension to the planets, became a sensational success when its publication coincided with Nadar's balloon flight over Paris. Verne was also launched on his career as a successful author of science fiction.