The H. G. Wells Collection

by H.G. Wells

This volume collects together several of H.G. Wells's most famous novels, including the Invisible Man, the War of the Worlds and The Island of Doctor Moreau. Wells was a pioneer of the science fiction genre and a man of boundless imagination. Whether he was describing marvellous new technologies, the vagaries of space flight or the risks of scientific development, he placed his characters at the heart of his stories. These carefully chosen novels illustrate the true breadth of his skills.

Genres: Classics, Science Fiction, Fiction, Collections, Science Fiction Fantasy, Audiobook, Horror

928 pages, Paperback

First published June 1, 1998

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

[Peter Topside · Rating 4 out of 5]

I never read HG Wells before this, but was quickly taken in by his style of writing.
It coincidentally mirrors my own books, in that each story jump right in, has shorter and easier to digest chapters, and I just absolutely enjoyed reading everything in this collection. I really did take a liking to The Island of Dr Moreau, The First Men in the Moon, and The Invisible Man. I enjoyed all of the works, but those aforementioned stories especially. They were all very original (For their time), entertaining and surprisingly action-packed! The characters pulled you right in and you truly felt for them in their unique situations. I found myself reading a few chapters at a time, but having to go back in several hours later to continue, as I couldn't wait to see what happened next. This is a must read for fans of horror, sci-fi and lovers of the classics!

[Milo · Rating 4 out of 5]

At least in his science fiction, Wells plays the line between pulp and hard science with aloof control. His better novels are completely absurd in premise, and often prosecution, but are lent a great deal of import by means of intellectual content. It matters less the ludicrous worlds Wells writes than the contemplation implicit to these worlds. Of especial frequency is the conflation between biological evolution and technological progress. ‘The War of the Worlds’ is perhaps the most compelling novel in this collection for that reason: Wells imagines an exchange, as it were, of biological imperative for technical prowess. The Martians have adapted to an artificial environment, and outsourced their physical development to their machines (described without recourse to familiar human devices – these tripods are positioned in the eerie middle-space between being and contrivance). But more prosaically, Wells sees this switch as metaphorically extant – the ‘reverse colonial’ anxiety that stalks ‘Worlds’ implies as much. ‘The Time Machine’ exists on a similar premise, and ‘The Invisible Man’ is a more exuberant, enmaddened variation on the theme of man meeting machine. The later novels of this collection – ‘The Sleeper Awakes’ and ‘The World Set Free’ – are decidedly weaker. While the former proffers a classic premise, and the latter some genuinely prescient predictions, both concern themselves too closely with ‘realistic’, ‘familiar’ probabilities. Wells is not so sharp a writer when it comes to the governmental subtleties, or new world orders. He requires the Unheimlich. ‘Moreau’ is so effective for this reason: it warps entirely any reasonable supposition of ‘reality’ (vivisecting beasts into men is grotesquely absurd), instead functioning at a step beyond the diegetic fiction. Wells’ social writing isn’t quite so exceptional as his scientific musing, but it is occasionally bold. ‘The Invisible Man’ is especially effective in this regard; a decoupage of Victorian angst: the forgotten man, the Superman, the creeping anarchist. How a single malcontent can throw the world’s greatest empire into complete disarray, by simple dint of his being unseen. A mixed selection of works, but a worthy writer.

[Sxperimental Mauritius · Rating 4 out of 5]

Got it as a gift. Really love it so far. It's crazy that we seemed to know those classic stories but never actually read them.

[Stuart · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good straight forwardly told sci fi stories. Studied many of the stories at school. Well written, uncomplicated stories that do not seem to age.

[Andrew · Rating 3 out of 5]

DNF. It's OK if you have been reading this 20+ years ago, but these days you can find a lot more interesting books.