H.G. Wells: Timeless Adventures from the Father of Science Fiction

by H.G. Wells

A superb collection of the most famous works by H.G. Wells, the father of science fiction.

Few can claim a literary legacy to match that of H.G. Wells, who conjured fantastic tales that continue to stir both wonder and terror in readers after more than a century. His messages remain strikingly relevant today, with cutting social critiques and almost visionary portrayals of the future. This collection contains Wells’s most notable science fiction works, including his four most popular   the eerily prescient The Time Machine ; The War of the Worlds , with its paranoia of an alien invasion; The Invisible Man ; and The Island of Dr. Moreau . In addition, the book includes ten of his very best short stories, making this an essential addition to every sci-fi fan’s library.

656 pages, Paperback

Published October 1, 2019

About the author

Herbert George Wells was born to a working class family in Kent, England. Young Wells received a spotty education, interrupted by several illnesses and family difficulties, and became a draper's apprentice as a teenager. The headmaster of Midhurst Grammar School, where he had spent a year, arranged for him to return as an "usher," or student teacher. Wells earned a government scholarship in 1884, to study biology under Thomas Henry Huxley at the Normal School of Science. Wells earned his bachelor of science and doctor of science degrees at the University of London. After marrying his cousin, Isabel, Wells began to supplement his teaching salary with short stories and freelance articles, then books, including The Time Machine (1895), The Island of Dr. Moreau (1896), The Invisible Man (1897), and The War of the Worlds (1898).

Wells created a mild scandal when he divorced his cousin to marry one of his best students, Amy Catherine Robbins. Although his second marriage was lasting and produced two sons, Wells was an unabashed advocate of free (as opposed to "indiscriminate") love. He continued to openly have extra-marital liaisons, most famously with Margaret Sanger, and a ten-year relationship with the author Rebecca West, who had one of his two out-of-wedlock children. A one-time member of the Fabian Society, Wells sought active change. His 100 books included many novels, as well as nonfiction, such as A Modern Utopia (1905), The Outline of History (1920), A Short History of the World (1922), The Shape of Things to Come (1933), and The Work, Wealth and Happiness of Mankind (1932). One of his booklets was Crux Ansata, An Indictment of the Roman Catholic Church. Although Wells toyed briefly with the idea of a "divine will" in his book, God the Invisible King (1917), it was a temporary aberration. Wells used his international fame to promote his favorite causes, including the prevention of war, and was received by government officials around the world. He is best-remembered as an early writer of science fiction and futurism.

He was also an outspoken socialist. Wells and Jules Verne are each sometimes referred to as "The Fathers of Science Fiction". D. 1946.

More: http://philosopedia.org/index.php/H._...

http://www.online-literature.com/well...

http://www.hgwellsusa.50megs.com/

http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/t...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/H._G._Wells

Reviews

[Kris Tyler · Rating 5 out of 5]

Finally!! This is not a book that you can just fly through. I love the 1960 movie The Time Machine. The story and the movie both have their merits. The Island of Dr Moreau was creepier than I expected. War of the Worlds was incredible. And his lesser known stories, The Cone, Lord of the Dynamos, Country of the Blind… it’s hard to believe that these stories are over 100 years old.

[Mike Correll · Rating 4 out of 5]

It is difficult to rate this sprawling book, which includes four H.G. Wells classic novels and ten short stories. Wells was both prolific and brilliant, and his works continue to stand the test of time, as evidenced by this incredible compilation! If I had to select two favorites they would be The Island of Doctor Moreau and The Country of the Blind, followed closely by The Time Machine. I am not a long-standing Wells fan, though I was aware of his many achievements (namely through popular films like The Island of Dr. Moreau, and of course, the famed Orson Welles radio broadcast of 1938) when I picked this book up. Surprisingly, I thought that The Invisible Man and The War of the Worlds would have topped my list given their fame. The Island of Dr. Moreau provides a multi-layered plotline with allegorical overtones that resonate even in today's world of classism, and a protagonist stuck in an untenable position (something most of us can relate to). The Counry of the Blind concerns a protagonist who literally stumbles into a figurative parallel dimension where everyone is without eyes, and he is the only one with eyes. This perception-bending story, much like The Time Machine, provides us an opportunity to see our situational, human customs from new and strange vantage points. Whether you are an old-school fan or a newcomer, these stories will captivate your imagination and provide insightful reflections on the conditions of life in the Universe.