Never too Late to Read Classics discussion

Wells sends a brave explorer to face a future burdened with our greatest hopes...and our darkest fears. A pull of the Time Machine’s lever propels him to the age of a slowly dying Earth. There he discovers two bizarre races—the ethereal Eloi and the subterranean Morlocks—who not only symbolize the duality of human nature, but offer a terrifying portrait of the men of tomorrow as well.

Enjoy!!

Wow, I wonder if I could handle this book a second time? I wasn't particularly enamoured with it the first time around. But it really is a true classic.

This is pretty short so I'll reread it soon.

I'll be rereading it towards the end of this month.

I finished a reread couple of days ago. Waiting to comment :)

I’m hoping to read this book soon. I’ve been curious about it for a while.

In full disclosure, I am not a sci-fi reader but I saw the title and in my effort to read more classics I figured that I would give it a try. I am a historian by training so I was interested in the idea of how Wells may envisage future society (although am I the only one who would want to use a time machine to travel to the past?!). In graduate school we read part of Verne's Paris in the Twentieth Century so I was interested in it from that perspective.

I didn't love the story but I did like the framework of the narrative and found the ending to be interesting.

This book contains a lot of wells ideology concerning class struggle. The Eloi and Morlocks exemplify it well. I will not say more to not spoil it.

Rafael wrote: "This book contains a lot of wells ideology concerning class struggle. The Eloi and Morlocks exemplify it well. I will not say more to not spoil it."

Yeah definitely. (view spoiler)[But Wells is so clearly sympathetic to the Eloi rather than the Morlocks. I don't get it. (hide spoiler)]

Marie, I would also love to use a time machine to travel to the past. I am fond of modern conveniences like toilet paper and air conditioning, though, so those would have to be sacrificed.

A good point Samantha. May I recommend instead an alternative universe, with all mod cons, plus a selection of items from the past.

I thought the ending was quite fitting!

Glad you enjoyed it Annette!

Book Nerd wrote: "Rafael wrote: "This book contains a lot of wells ideology concerning class struggle. The Eloi and Morlocks exemplify it well. I will not say more to not spoil it."

Yeah definitely. [spoilers removed]"

(view spoiler)[I read it some years ago, so I maybe don't remember it well. Maybe he was not being sympathetic, but just showing the Morlocks beastified (this word exists?) by the circumstances. In the end we humans lean our sympathy towards the species alike ourselves. (hide spoiler)]

I'm re-reading it now!

Rafael wrote: "(view spoiler)[ In the end we humans lean our sympathy towards the species alike ourselves. (hide spoiler)]."
(view spoiler)[Meh, not really. I usually side with the aliens. (hide spoiler)]

Book Nerd wrote: "Rafael wrote: "[spoilers removed]."
[spoilers removed]"

Or with the underdogs. haha

This guy is a terrible planner especially for an engineer.
(view spoiler)[Doesn't seem to know how to make fire without matches or how to make a torch. Walks for miles to pick up a damn club! (hide spoiler)]

Ah but it's all a bit of good fun.

Book Nerd wrote: "This guy is a terrible planner especially for an engineer.
[spoilers removed]"

Although engineers are encouraged to be good planners, not all of them are good at it.

A timeless classic that cover subjects that I find are still relevant today. I enjoyed rereading this.

I did not know that he wrote a short story in 1888 that was to become the foundation for The Time Machine. Has anyone read it?

It is "The Chronic Argonauts", but I don't think I have read it.

Mikiko wrote: "I did not know that he wrote a short story in 1888 that was to become the foundation for The Time Machine. Has anyone read it?"

Interesting. I'll check it out.

I have just finished the book and thought it was okay, but not as developed as The War of the Worlds. His descriptions of the future, much later than the time of the Eloi and the Morlocks, are vivid. I'm glad I reread it, since I read it for the first time a long time ago and I had forgotten a lot of the details.

Marie wrote: "... (although am I the only one who would want to use a time machine to travel to the past?!) ..."

I would absolutely use the time machine to travel to the past. But I’m not interested in seeing history. I just want to go back to the 1970s and stay there.

I would love to visit the past, though I realise some battles might be dangerous to attend.

Bernard wrote: "I would love to visit the past, though I realise some battles might be dangerous to attend."

The only thing keeping me alive in this future are some medicines and technology that didn't exist in the past. I'd like to see the past if i had it with me :)

The dangers of past, present and future are different. Although I worry about many things in the present, I do not worry about being killed by a halberd or yobba rays.

I finished reading this short work this evening, and I really enjoyed it. The idyllic future reminded me a bit of Many Waters from the Wrinkle in Time quintet, except that was set in the past. I loved the descriptions of the futuristic world. The ending felt right with its openness, but I would’ve liked to see how the Time Traveler planned to prove his experience to the narrator.