A Modern Utopia by H. G. Wells

Category: Science Fiction

A Modern Utopia is a classic science fiction novel by H.G. Wells. Because of the complexity and sophistication of its narrative structure, H.G. Wells's A Modern Utopia (1905) has been called not so much a modern as a postmodern utopia. The novel is best known for its notion that a voluntary order of nob A Modern Utopia is a classic science fiction novel by H.G. Wells. Because of the complexity and sophistication of its narrative structure, H.G. Wells's A Modern Utopia (1905) has been called not so much a modern as a postmodern utopia. The novel is best known for its notion that a voluntary order of nobility known as the Samurai could effectively rule a "kinetic and not static" world state so as to solve "the problem of combining progress with political stability. In his preface, Wells forecasts (incorrectly) that A Modern Utopia would be the last of a series of volumes on social problems that began in 1901 with Anticipations and included Mankind in the Making (1903). But unlike those non-fictional works, A Modern Utopia is presented as a tale told by a sketchily described character known only as the Owner of the Voice. This character "is not to be taken as the Voice of the ostensible author who fathers these pages," Wells warns. 4] He is accompanied by another character known as "the botanist." Interspersed in the narrative are discursive remarks on various matters, creating what Wells called in his preface "a sort of shot-silk texture between philosophical discussion on the one hand and imaginative narrative on the other.." 5] In addition, there are frequent comparisons to and discussions of previous utopian literature. 6] In terms of Northrop Frye's classification of literary genres, A Modern Utopia is not a novel but an anatomy. 1] In his later Experiment in Autobiography (1934) Wells said: 'It was the first approach I made to the dialogue form', adding 'the trend towards dialogue like the basal notion of the Samurai, marks my debt to Plato. A Modern Utopia, quite as much as that of More, derives frankly from the Republic.' The premise of the novel is that there is a planet (for "No less than a planet will serve the purpose of a modern Utopia" 8]) exactly like Earth, with the same geography and biology. Moreover, on that planet "all the men and women that you know and I" exist "in duplicate." 9] They have, however, "different habits, different traditions, different knowledge, different ideas, different clothing, and different appliances." 10] (Not however, a different language: "Indeed, should we be in Utopia at all, if we could not talk to everyone?"). ...Show more

A Short History of the World by H.G. Wells

Category: History | Series: Penguin Modern Classics

An attempt to synthesize what is known of the immensity of world history, in a form that can be grasped by the layman. Well's view of "the great adventure of mankind" is presented in the same format as when it was first published in 1922.

A Short History of the World by H. G. Wells

Category: Fiction | Series: Penguin Classics | Reading Level: very good

Of the more than one hundred books that H. G. Wells published in his lifetime, this is one of the most ambitious. Spanning the origins of the Earth to the outcome of World War I, A Short History of the World is an engrossing account of the evolution of life and the development of the human race. Wells b Of the more than one hundred books that H. G. Wells published in his lifetime, this is one of the most ambitious. Spanning the origins of the Earth to the outcome of World War I, A Short History of the World is an engrossing account of the evolution of life and the development of the human race. Wells brings his monumental learning and penetrating historical insight to bear on the Neolithic era, the rise of Judaism, the Golden Age of Athens, the life of Christ, the rise of Islam, the discovery of America, the Industrial Revolution, and a host of other subjects. Breathtaking in scope, this thought-provoking masterwork remains one of the most readable and rewarding of its kind.   For more than seventy years, Penguin has been the leading publisher of classic literature in the English-speaking world. With more than 1,700 titles, Penguin Classics represents a global bookshelf of the best works throughout history and across genres and disciplines. Readers trust the series to provide authoritative texts enhanced by introductions and notes by distinguished scholars and contemporary authors, as well as up-to-date translations by award-winning translators. ...Show more

Classic Tales of Science Fiction & Fantasy (Leatherbound Classics) by Jules Verne, H. G. Wells, Edgar Rice Burroughs, Jack London, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

Category: Science Fiction | Series: Leather-Bound Classics Ser.

Blast off into the unknown with this collection of ten classical works of science fiction and fantasy.   Long before we ventured into outer space or explored the most remote regions of the planet, writers have spun stories of what might lie in those unknown worlds, or what awaits humanity in the fu Blast off into the unknown with this collection of ten classical works of science fiction and fantasy.   Long before we ventured into outer space or explored the most remote regions of the planet, writers have spun stories of what might lie in those unknown worlds, or what awaits humanity in the future. Classic Tales of Science Fiction & Fantasy is a collection of ten novels and short stories that blazed the trail for the popular genre. Works by acclaimed authors such as Jules Verne, H. G. Wells, Edgar Rice Burroughs, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Jack London, and H. P. Lovecraft will transport the reader to distant places and times--and set the imagination ablaze ...Show more

First Men in the Moon by H. G. WELLS

Category: Science Fiction

Of the enormous body of work produced by H. G. Wells - more than a book a year over the course of half a century - the early science fiction novels that first made him famous have proved to be the most enduring and have earned him the sobriquet "the father of modern science fiction." In the 1901 classic Of the enormous body of work produced by H. G. Wells - more than a book a year over the course of half a century - the early science fiction novels that first made him famous have proved to be the most enduring and have earned him the sobriquet "the father of modern science fiction." In the 1901 classic The First Men in the Moon, Wells reveals not only a fertile imagination at ease with biological and astronomical phenomena, but also a passionate concern for man and society. His "first men in the moon" prove to be the eccentric Mr. Cavor and his traveling companion, Mr. Bedford, who navigate a gravity-defying sphere through space before executing a rough landing on the moon. As castaways from earth, they practice lunar locomotion, get lost in the wilds of a moon jungle, and confront intelligent life forms living in lunar caverns. Through the adventures of these two earthlings, the author is able to look at mankind from a distance and, in his words, "burlesque the effects of specialization." The result is a delightful tale filled with adventure, romance, and fantasy that is still capable of stirring the imagination of readers in the 21st century. "[Wells's science-fiction novels] achieve a near poetry which makes them part of the popular mythology of their age the best of his work has a vitality, a verve, an imaginative compulsion unsurpassed by any of his contemporaries." - N. C. Nicholson, author of H. G. Wells. ...Show more

First Men in the Moon by H. G. Wells

Category: General Fiction | Series: Wordsworth Classics Ser.

When penniless businessman Mr Bedford retreats to Kent to write a play, he encounters Dr Cavor, an absent-minded scientist who has invented a material that counteracts gravity. This discovery enables the two men to set off on a fantastic journey to the Moon. But they are not prepared for what they find When penniless businessman Mr Bedford retreats to Kent to write a play, he encounters Dr Cavor, an absent-minded scientist who has invented a material that counteracts gravity. This discovery enables the two men to set off on a fantastic journey to the Moon. But they are not prepared for what they find there - a world of freezing nights, boiling days and danger from a sinister alien lifeform, the selenites, creatures who have developed an intricate hierarchical society beneath the lunar surface. The First Men in the Moon ignited speculation in nineteenth century society concerning what lies on and beneath the surface of the Moon. By turns amusing, thrilling and stimulating, the novel is a classic of its genre. This volume also contains another of Wells’s fascinating thought-provoking fantasies: A Modern Utopia in which two travellers fall into a space-warp and find themselves upon a Utopian Earth controlled by a single World Government. ...Show more

H. G. Wells by H. G. Wells

Category: Fiction | Series: Leather-Bound Classics Ser.

No home library is complete without the classics H. G. Wells is a keepsake collection of the author's greatest work to be read and treasured.   He was the first to popularize the concept of time travel. He disturbed--and fascinated--us with a frightening doctor's island. He wrote of an invisible ma No home library is complete without the classics H. G. Wells is a keepsake collection of the author's greatest work to be read and treasured.   He was the first to popularize the concept of time travel. He disturbed--and fascinated--us with a frightening doctor's island. He wrote of an invisible man, of men on the moon, and of a war of the worlds. He has influenced countless other writers, artists, and even scientists. H. G. Wells is one of the most acclaimed science fiction writers who ever lived, and five of his classic tales are collected in this book for readers to treasure.     H. G. Wells includes The Time Machine, The Island of Dr Moreau, The Invisble Man, The War of the Worlds, The First Men in the Moon, and The Food of the Gods. Readers new to this remarkable author will delight in these amazing stories, while fans of Wells will enjoy the insightful introduction by an expert on the author's life and work. All will appreciate the leather cover, gilded edges, printed endpapers, ribbon bookmark, and other features on this unique gift book.     No library is complete without the works of H. G. Wells, the father of science fiction ...Show more

Island of Doctor Moreau and Other Stories by H. G. Wells

Category: General Fiction | Series: Wordsworth Classics

With an Introduction and Notes by Dr Emily Alder, Lecturer in Literature and Culture at Edinburgh Napier University 'Each time I dip a living creature into the bath of burning pain, I say: this time I will burn out all the animal, this time I will make a rational creature of my own!' declares Doctor Mor With an Introduction and Notes by Dr Emily Alder, Lecturer in Literature and Culture at Edinburgh Napier University 'Each time I dip a living creature into the bath of burning pain, I say: this time I will burn out all the animal, this time I will make a rational creature of my own!' declares Doctor Moreau to hapless narrator Edward Prendick. Moreau's highly controversial methods and ambitions conflict with the religious, moral and scientific norms of his day and Wells later called The Island of Doctor Moreau 'a youthful exercise in blasphemy'. Today his vivid depictions of the Beast People still strike modern readers with an uncanny glimpse of the animal in the human, while the behaviour of humans leave us wondering who is the most monstrous after all. This volume unites four of Wells' liveliest and most engaging tales of the strange evolution and behaviour of animals - including human beings. The Island of Doctor Moreau is followed by three fantastic yet chillingly plausible short stories of human-animal encounters. The Empire of the Ants is a darkly humorous account of intelligent Amazonian ants threatening to displace humans as 'the lords of the future and masters of the earth'. In The Sea Raiders, the south coast of England is terrorized by an unwelcome visit from deep-sea predator Haploteuthis ferox, while AEpyornis Island provides a marooned egg collector with an unusual companion. ...Show more

Kipps and the History of MR Polly by H. G. Wells

Category: General Fiction | Series: Wordsworth Classics Ser.

These comic novels will resonate with anyone who has ever felt trapped by circumstance.  Their central characters, Artie Kipps and Alfred Polly, are prisoners of their modest social class, limited education, dull work, and sterile relationships.  In Wells' hands they break out of the cages tha These comic novels will resonate with anyone who has ever felt trapped by circumstance.  Their central characters, Artie Kipps and Alfred Polly, are prisoners of their modest social class, limited education, dull work, and sterile relationships.  In Wells' hands they break out of the cages that society has constructed for them, learning after bitter experience the truth that 'if the world does not please you, you can change it'.  This message, a revolutionary one in its day for the growing army of Edwardian clerks and drapers, is handled with a rich comedy and freshness that belies its deadly seriousness.  Wells is at his very best here in exposing and satirising the unequal nature of British society while preparing the ground for its reformation. ...Show more

Magic Shop by H. G. Wells

Category: Children & Young Adult

Selected Works of H. G. Wells (Word Cloud Classics) by H. G. Wells

Category: Classic Fiction | Series: Word Cloud Classics Ser.

Three captivating novels from a pioneer in the genre of science fiction: The Time Machine, The Invisible Man, and The War in the Air. The stories of H. G. Wells have engrossed readers for more than a century by incorporating fantastic, otherworldly elements into the lives of ordinary people. Selected Wo Three captivating novels from a pioneer in the genre of science fiction: The Time Machine, The Invisible Man, and The War in the Air. The stories of H. G. Wells have engrossed readers for more than a century by incorporating fantastic, otherworldly elements into the lives of ordinary people. Selected Works of H. G. Wells includes three of the author’s most notable works: The Time Machine, The Invisible Man, and The War in the Air. As one of the earliest masters of science fiction, Wells was well known for blending futuristic plots with relevant social commentary, endearing him to readers across many generations. ...Show more

The "Country of the Blind" and Other Selected Stories by H.G. Wells

Category: Science Fiction | Series: Black Classics Ser.

Herbert George Wells was perhaps best known as the author of such classic works of science fiction as "The Time Machine and War of the Worlds". But it was in his short stories, written when he was a young man embarking on a literary career, that he first explored the enormous potential of the scientific Herbert George Wells was perhaps best known as the author of such classic works of science fiction as "The Time Machine and War of the Worlds". But it was in his short stories, written when he was a young man embarking on a literary career, that he first explored the enormous potential of the scientific discoveries of the day. He described his stories as "a miscellany of inventions," yet his enthusiasm for science was tempered by an awareness of its horrifying destructive powers and the threat it could pose to the human race. A consummate storyteller, he made fantastic creatures and machines entirely believable; and, by placing ordinary men and women in extraordinary situations, he explored, with humor, what it means to be alive in a century of rapid scientific progress. This selection first published 2007. ...Show more