《从地球到月球》是世界上*伟大的科幻小说之一，入选*****的中小学生必读书目。故事讲述的是美国南北战争结束后，一些退伍军人在美国巴尔的摩成立了大炮俱乐部。俱乐部主席巴比康大胆设想，倡议用大炮把人送上月球，并因此建立地球与月球之间的联系。当法国冒险家米歇尔获悉这一消息后，建议造一颗可以载人的空心炮弹。为了实现到月球探险的愿望，志同道合的巴比康、米歇尔和船长尼切尔随着空心炮弹的发射升空出发了。运行中的炮弹碰到流星，致使轨道偏离，未能在月球上着陆，却在离月球2800英里的地方绕月飞行。一路上险象环生，历经神奇之旅的他们*后**返回到地球。

"I have now enumerated," said Barbicane, "the experiments which I call purely paper ones, and wholly insufficient to establish serious rela- tions with the Queen ofthe Night. Nevertheless, I am bound to add that some practical geniuses have attempted to establish actual communica- tion with her. Thus, a few days ago, a German geometrician proposed to send a scientific expedition to the steppes of Siberia. There, on those vast plains, they were to describe enormous geometric figures, drawn in characters of reflecting luminosity, among which was the proposition regarding the 'square of the hypothenuse,' commonly called the 'Ass's Bridge' by the French. 'Every intelligent being,' said the geometrician, 'must understand the scientific meaning ofthat figure. The Selenites, do they exist, will respond by a similar figure; and; a communication being thus once established, it will be easy to form an alphabet which shall en able us to converse with the inhabitants of the moon.' So spoke the Ger- man geometrician; but his project was never put into practice, and up to the present day there is no bond in existence between the Earth and her satellite. It is reserved for the practical genius ofAmericans to establish a communication with the sidereal world. The means of arriving thither are simple, easy, certain, infallible - and that is the purpose ofmy present proposal."
A storm of acclamations greeted these words. There was not a single person in the whole audience who was not overcome, carried away, lified out of himself by the speaker's words!
Long-continued applause resounded from all sides.
As soon as the excitement had partially subsided, Barbicane resumed his speech in a somewhat graver voice.
"You know," said he, "what progress artillery science has made during the last few years, and what a degree of perfection firearms of every kind have reached. Moreover, you are well aware that, in general terms, the resisting power of cannon and the expansive force of gunpowder are practically unlimited. Well! starting from this principle, I ask myself whether, supposing sufficient apparatus could be obtained constructed upon the conditions of ascertained resistance, it might not be possible to project a shot up to the moont.
At these words a murmur of amazement escaped from a thousand panting chests; then succeeded a moment of perfect silence, resembling that profound stillness which precedes the bursting of a thunderstorm. In point of fact, a thunderstorm did peal forth, but it was the thunder of applause, or cries, and of uproar which made the very hall tremble. The president attempted to speak, but could not. It was fully ten minutes before he could make himselfheard.
"Suffer me to finish," he calmly continued. "I have looked at the question in all its bearings, I have resolutely attacked it, and by incontrovertible calculations I find that a projectile endowed with an initial velocity of 12,000 yards per second, and aimed at the moon, must necessarily reach it. I have the honor, my brave colleagues, to propose a trial of this little experiment."
……

**章 大炮俱乐部
第二章 巴比康主席的报告
第三章 主席报告产生的影响
第四章 来自剑桥天文台的回信
第五章 月球的传说
第六章 美国人不可能不知道的事物和不允许相信的东西
第七章 炮弹的赞歌
第八章 大炮的历史
第九章 火药问题
第十章 两千五百万个朋友对付一个敌人
第十一章 佛罗里达和德克萨斯
第十二章 在世界各地
第十三章 小石山
第十四章 十字镐和泥铲
第十五章 铸炮节
第十六章 哥伦比亚大炮
第十七章 一份电报
第十八章 “亚特兰大号”上的乘客
第十九章 一次大会
第二十章 攻击与反驳
第二十一章 法国人是如何处理纠纷的
第二十二章 美国的新公民
第二十三章 炮弹车厢
第二十四章 落基山的望远镜
第二十五章 *后的细节
第二十六章 开炮
第二十七章 坏天气
第二十八章 一颗新星