H. G. (Herbert George) Wells
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
...Dive into the scandalous roman à clef that shocked the world. Based in part on H. G. Wells' own alleged affair with a much-younger woman, the novel The New Machiavelli follows the rise to power of brilliant politician Richard Remington, whose ascendance is stopped in its tracks when his extramarital dalliance is revealed.
H. G. Wells, in his 1906 In the Days of the Comet uses the vapors of a comet to trigger a deep and lasting change in humanity's perspective on themselves and the world. In the build-up to a great war, poor student William Leadford struggles against the harsh conditions the lower-class live under. He also falls in love with a middle-class girl named Nettie. But when he discovers that Nettie has eloped with a man of upper-class standing, William
...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.
H. G. Wells' comic 1910 novel, The History of Mr. Polly, stars Alfred Polly, a timid man who is more successful at daydreaming than working in the local draper's shops. He marries a woman he's not really in love with, despite being in love with another, and together they attempt to create a success of their own shop while slowly making one another miserable. But on the night of a fire everything changes in Mr. Polly's life.
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'
...29) 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.
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.
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.
Widely recognized as one of the key figures in the development of the science fiction and fantasy genres, H.G. Wells was a prolific writer who produced hundreds of short and long works in these styles. The tales collected in The Door in the Wall and Other Stories span Wells' early career and offer a satisfying cross-section of his work.
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
...Today, the name H. G. Wells is synonymous with the genre of science fiction, and Wells is best remembered as the creator of masterpieces such as The War of the Worlds, The Time Machine, and The Island of Doctor Moreau. However, the prolific thinker and writer worked in many genres, and he was regarded as an important voice in social and political thought in his day. This collection brings together a series of essays in which
...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
...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.
Though he is today best remembered as an important early innovator in the field of science fiction who created such works as The War of the Worlds and The Time Machine, H. G. Wells was also an important political thinker who was deeply engaged in the events of his era. In this series of essays, Wells mounts a compelling argument in favor of socialism and sets forth a vision of a future in which such a system has been implemented.
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
...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).
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
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