H. G. (Herbert George) Wells
William Porphyry Benham, the protagonist of H. G. Wells' thought-provoking allegory The Research Magnificent, has dedicated his entire life to one sole purpose: embodying the life of an aristocrat. For him, this doesn't mean lolling about in a state of extreme leisure, but rather, cultivating a well-rounded, honorable existence. Will his all-encompassing mission pay off in the end?
Celebrated as "The Father of Science Fiction," H.G. Wells was a formidable intellect with a wide-ranging base of knowledge who developed strong and usually well-informed opinions on most of the pressing issues of the day. This volume details Wells' idiosyncratic religious beliefs and his somewhat controversial rejection of many types of Christian worship.
Something of a departure from Wells' best-known works of science fiction, this domestic drama follows the wartime experiences of a famous writer and his family as they struggle to survive—physically and mentally—through World War I. Although the Britlings are far from the battlefront, they are still forced to make sacrifices of their own. This gratifying page-turner will please fans of historical fiction.
H. G. Wells' prophetic The War in the Air foretold the use of airplanes in warfare and the coming of World War I. First serialized in 1907 and published in book form in 1908, the novel tells the story of the forward-thinking tinkerer Bert Smallways. Alfred Butteridge is said to be the only English aviator to know the "secret of the flying machine." When Bert Smallways accidentally falls into Butteridge's hot air balloon, he soon finds himself
...25) The Red Room
Best known as a science fiction writer, H.G. Wells also dabbled in horror and supernatural writing. The Red Room is a taut psychological thriller that showcases Wells' mastery of these genres. Get ready to sleep with the lights on after you finish this short spine-tingling tale.
One of the primary motivations behind H. G. Wells most popular science fiction works was his exploration of the factors that could help or harm society. As a result, many of his novels and short stories explored utopian or dystopian worlds. In Mankind in the Making, he tackles the same topic from a nonfiction perspective, ruminating on the variables that serve optimal human development from conception to adulthood.
Science fiction master H. G. Wells was never one to shy away from complex or controversial topics, and in this classic novel, he takes on Christianity. Though The Soul of a Bishop takes place on Earth and is wholly free of invading alien hordes or other fantastical creatures, it does deal with supernatural and mystical topics, delving into the how and why of religious belief.
H. G. Wells' 1901 science fiction novel The First Men in the Moon tells the story of a voyage to the moon by Mr. Bedford, a businessman plagued by financial problems, and Dr. Cavor, a brilliant and somewhat eccentric scientist. On arrival they discover that the moon is already inhabited by an advanced underground civilization of insect-like beings who they call "Selenites". This forward-looking novel, critical of the imperialism of Wells'
...30) Tono Bungay
Philosophically minded science fiction fans will rejoice in this novel from H.G. Wells, the author regarded as one of the originators of the genre who wrote classic gems such as The War of the Worlds, The Time Machine, The Invisible Man, and The Island of Doctor Moreau. Though more grounded in realism than some of his other works, Tono-Bungay offers an interesting look into the morality of scientific discovery.
31) The Time Machine
H. G. Wells' The Time Machine, from 1895, popularized the idea of a vehicle that allows its user to travel intentionally and selectively across time, and indeed Wells is credited with coining the very term "time machine." The Time Traveler of this novella tests his time machine with a leap forward to the year 802,701 A.D., to find that evolution has produced two very different post-human races - the peaceful and childlike fruit-eating Eloi
...Another visionary novel from the great science fiction writer H. G. Wells, The Island of Doctor Moreau tackles the thorny issues thrown up when humankind plays God and explores notions of society and identity, bringing the mythical chimera - part human, part animal - into the age of science.
Science fiction innovator H. G. Wells held many progressive political and social views, and many of his novels and short stories served as vehicles through which he sought to disseminate his opinions. In The Passionate Friends, which many critics and fans alike regard as one of Wells' best non-science fiction novels, a father passes on some of the wisdom he's gained over the course of his life to his son, much of which has to do with his
...The Country of the Blind and Other Stories brings together thirty-three of H. G. Wells' science fiction and fantasy short stories which were previously published separately in a variety of periodicals. The title refers to one of Wells' most popular short stories, included in this book.
The comical Wheels of Chance was written in 1896 at the height of the golden age of the bicycle, when practical and affordable bicycles led to profound social shifts in England. Suddenly people of modest means could travel greater distances for work or even for pleasure, without the limitations of rail schedules, weakening England's rigid class structure and strengthening the movement towards the liberation of women. In the novel, the poorly-paid
...Many readers associate H. G. Wells solely with his bestselling science fiction novels, including The War of the Worlds and The Time Machine. But to Wells himself, fiction was of secondary importance, and his nonfiction essays like those collected in In the Fourth Year took center stage. This collection presents Wells' thoughtful insights on World War I and the diplomatic and political steps that could be taken to avoid future
...H. G. Wells was a key figure in early science fiction, but he also explored other genres over the course of his long and varied literary career. Often, he used fiction as a vehicle to illustrate his progressive political views. In The Wife of Sir Isaac Harman, Wells takes a hard look at gender inequality in the early twentieth century and the havoc it wreaked in marital relationships.
Tales of Space and Time collects together two novellas and three short stories by the great science fiction writer H. G. Wells. First published in 1899, this absorbing and stimulating read contains The Crystal Egg (short story), The Star (short story), A Story of the Stone Age (novella), A Story of the Days To Come (novella), and The Man Who Could Work Miracles (short story).
One of H. G. Wells' first ventures outside of the science fiction realm, the novel Love and Mr. Lewisham was published in the year 1900. Seeking love rather than his youthful hopes of fame and glory, Mr. Lewisham moves to the city of London where he becomes convinced of the merits of socialism and gets involved in the spiritual charlatanism of that later Victorian era.
The World Set Free is H. G. Wells' prophetic 1914 novel, telling of world war and the advent of nuclear weapons. Although Wells' atomic bombs only have a limited power of explosion, they keep on exploding for days on end. "Never before in the history of warfare had there been a continuing explosive; indeed, up to the middle of the twentieth century the only explosives known were combustibles whose explosiveness was due entirely to their
...