Reading the 20th Century discussion

I've only read one book by H.G. Wells and I loved it. I'm inspired to read more of his work.


The book I read (in July 2017) was 'The History of Mr. Polly'

Here's some more information....

'The History of Mr. Polly' is a 1910 comic novel by H.G. Wells...

Mr Polly is an ordinary middle-aged man who is tired of his wife's nagging and his dreary job as the owner of a regional gentleman's outfitters. Faced with the threat of bankruptcy, he concludes that the only way to escape his frustrating existence is by burning his shop to the ground, and killing himself. Unexpected events, however, conspire at the last moment to lead the bewildered Mr Polly to a bright new future - after he saves a life, fakes his death, and escapes to a life of heroism, hope and ultimate happiness.



'The History of Mr. Polly' by H.G. Wells

H.G. Wells is often cataloged as a pioneer of science fiction (which he was) . . . but he was also a great Edwardian writer of immense fame and influence who deserves to be remembered as a major literary figure (Guardian)

A delightful comedy of everyday Edwardian England that draws inspiration from its author's own life . . . The story - still strikingly modern - is a comedy about a midlife crisis . . . a comedy of ordinary, provincial life, rooted in the everyday, with countless brilliantly observed details . . . The History of Mr Polly has a special charm as a novel in which, for once, Wells became carefree and relaxed, and described the thing he could never find for himself - peace of mind (Robert McCrum Guardian)

'The History of Mr Polly (1910) is a disturbing comic masterpiece . . . a more gently satirical and masculine counterpart to Flaubert's Madame Bovary . . . a classic of radical existentialism, and, after 100 years, still amusing, unsettling and powerfully contemporary ' (Washington Post)

It's number 39 in the Guardian's 100 best novels

A link to the full article is below. It includes this bit...

For me, there are three elements to The History of Mr Polly that unite to give the book an enduring appeal, and to place it at the top of Wells's extraordinary output. First, Wells's picture of Mr Polly – an ironic self-portrait – is deliciously appealing. In the literary tradition of Mrs Malaprop, and many minor Dickens characters, Mr Polly has an "innate sense of epithet" that inspires a teeming vocabulary: "intrudacious", "jawbacious" and "retrospectatiousness".

Second, Mr Polly (who could have stepped from the pages of Dickens) is a "little man" of a kind typical of late Victorian and Edwardian England, a man painfully, even doggedly, liberating himself from an oppressive class-ridden society. The debt to Dickens is unequivocal. Alfred Polly is descended from Joe Gargery, Bob Cratchit and Mr Wemmick. He's also related, as it were, to Mr Pooter, is contemporary with EM Forster's Leonard Bast, and will subsequently inspire many Kingsley Amis protagonists, as well as Billy Liar.

Finally, The History of Mr Polly is a comedy of ordinary, provincial life, rooted in the everyday, with countless brilliantly observed details. In part of the long flashback that composes the middle part of Mr Polly's "history", there's a hilarious wedding which commits him to Miriam, an event that inspires one of Wells's best lines: "He had a curious feeling that it would be very satisfying to marry and have a wife – only somehow he wished it wasn't Miriam."

https://www.theguardian.com/books/201...

This is the lovely cover of the 1963 Pan edition that read....

And here is is the back cover of the 1963 Pan edition of The History of Mr. Polly that I read.....




Wonderful is it not?

Here's my review of The History of Mr. Polly (1910).....


The History of Mr. Polly (1910) is a wonderful little novel

H.G. Wells (1866-1946) is now most remembered as a pioneer of science fiction (e.g. The Time Machine (1895), The Island of Dr. Moreau (1896), The Invisible Man (1897), and The War of the Worlds (1897)) however in his Edwardian era heyday he was also known for a wide variety of different genres, including as a writer of major social novels of the period.

Today’s readers are probably only vaguely aware of such titles as Kipps (1905), Tono-Bungay (1909), Love and Mr. Lewisham (1900), Ann Veronica (1909), and this one, The History of Mr. Polly (1910).

This is the first book I have read by H.G. Wells (until now my only exposure to him in print came when I read Rebecca West: A Modern Sibyl by Carl Rollyson). Rebecca West and H.G. Wells had a long term relationship - and a child together - Anthony West.

The History of Mr. Polly is an absolute gem with Mr. Polly an unlikely hero. Mr. Polly, loosely based on Wells himself, cleverly subverts Edwardian propriety and society's expectations. There’s a plethora of lovely period insights however this is also a timeless and surprisingly modern tale. Mr. Polly might lack self-awareness however, in his own quiet way, he is a revolutionary with life lessons to impart that still ring true.

There are so wonderful scenes to enjoy: a superbly written funeral scene capturing the confusion, claustrophobia, pettiness etc of the occasion. There’s also a wedding, a dramatic fire, and a dangerous, life threatening conflict. The plot packs a lot into its modest 216 pages.

It’s amusing too. Mr Polly has an idiosyncratic and unique vocabulary which is very funny, and often confusing to those he encounters, and there are some funny set pieces.

The History of Mr. Polly (1910) is a wonderful little novel. I will be reading more literary novels by H.G. Wells soon.

5/5

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Has anyone read...?



Ann Veronica (1909)

.....apparently it's a proto feminist novel, out of the library today - after the success of this book I am keen to sample more H.G. Wells, and Ann Veronica looks like another good one.

Apparently at the time of publication it was considered shocking and scandalous (questions and eyebrows were resolutely raised in the press and the pulpit alike) exploring female politics, the life and psyche of a strong willed young woman confronting gender constraints and expectations of the era.....

Twenty-one, passionate and headstrong, Ann Veronica Stanley is determined to live her own life. When her father forbids her attending a fashionable ball, she decides she has no choice but to leave her family home and make a fresh start in London. There, she finds a world of intellectuals, socialists and suffragettes — a place where, as a student in biology at Imperial College, she can be truly free. But when she meets the brilliant Capes, a married academic, and quickly falls in love, she soon finds that freedom comes at a price.

A fascinating description of the women's suffrage movement, Ann Veronica offers an optimistic depiction of one woman's sexual awakening and search for independence.

Anyway, what do you recommend by H.G. Wells? I'm less drawn to the science fiction stuff, but would give it a go if someone here is very effusive and positive about it.

If you want to try one of his science fiction novels, I think you might like The Invisible Man. It is more rooted in the real world than some of the others and quite funny in places. (It is also not too long if you don't like it.)

Thanks Val - I know I can always rely on your impeccable taste

I think his science fiction is great, although it is a very long time since I read any of it, but if it is not a genre which appeals to you then that is the one to start with.

I quite enjoyed The History of Mr Polly, especially the earlier sections where Mr Polly is an apprentice, but I found the main character very chauvinist, so would be interested to read Ann Veronica and see how it compares. It's a book I've been meaning to read for ages, but haven't got to yet.

Still reading The History of Mr. Polly and Mr. Britling Sees it Through. Parts of Mr. Britling are okay, so far, but maybe I'm not yet far enough into Mr. Polly. I await both of them perking up.

I've also read Mr Britling Sees It Through - this was set in my part of the world, and I liked some parts, but didn't feel it really hung together. I think I've read Kipps and liked it but that was a long time ago - I've also seen the musical Half a Sixpence, which is based on it, several times!

Judy wrote: "I've also read Mr Britling Sees It Through - this was set in my part of the world, and I liked some parts, but didn't feel it really hung together. I think I've read Kipps and liked it but that was..."

I did see Half a Sixpence many moons ago.

I struggled through The War of the Worlds a few years ago. To my surprise, quite a lot of it was set where I currently live, but, apart from that, I wasn't overly excited.

Judy wrote: "There is a long article about HG Wells in the New Statesman:


https://www.newstatesman.com/culture/..."

Thanks so much for posting this Judy. It looks fascinating.

I'll be reading it later today when I have some time

Thanks, Nigeyb - hope you enjoy it.