The History of Mr Polly

Herbert George Wells

An intriguing HG Wells work, not of the sci-fi variety, which details a mans struggle to find himself and get along with his world. Published in 1910, this novel is the story of Alfred Polly, a generally non-descript member of the English lower middle class. The story begins when he is thirty-five years old, miserably unhappy with his life, both his circumstances and himself. In other words, he is a man with a badly muddled sense of reality who, sick of the life that he leads, burns down the outfitters shop that he has come to hate, gives his wife half of the insurance money, and disappears, exchanging his acceptable life as a shopkeeper for that of a wanderer. 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 Holy Terror

Herbert George Wells

A fictional biography of Rudolf Rud Whitlow, who builds a political party that slowly becomes a world dominant dictatorship. Wells wrote the work just before World War II as Hitler was consolidating his power in Germany. Rud, is a baby boy, and later, grew to be a young man who had a remarkable talent of oratory: the gift of gab. He is eventually encouraged to perform public speaking, lecturing and finally, revolutionary speeches. Through this character, Wells creates a platform for long discourses of his usual themes of social engineering. Rud eventually gets involved in socialist activism, and a group strategizing for world revolution. The revolution fails, revealing the cowardice underlying Ruds aggressiveness. The ability of new weapons to decapitate the command structure of any regional power becomes the plot device that allows Rud to make himself world leader, destroying parts of the world which do not submit to the most destructive superpower.

The Invisible Man. A Grotesque Romance

Herbert George Wells

Depicting one mans transformation and descent into brutality, H.G. Wellss The Invisible Man is a riveting exploration of sciences power to corrupt. In this tale of psychological terror, a young scientist must live in the personal hell created by his own experiments. Using himself as the subject, the scientist discovers the key to invisibility; yet, he is unable to reverse the results. He successfully carries out this procedure on himself, but begins to become mentally unstable as a result... Wells had created a gripping masterpiece on the destructive effects the invisibility has on the scientist and the insane and murderous chaos left in his malicious wake. Notable for its sheer invention, suspense, and psychological nuance, The Invisible Man continues to enthrall science-fiction fans today as it did the reading public nearly 100 years ago.

The Island of Doctor Moreau

Herbert George Wells

On a deceivingly beautiful island in the South Seas exists the sinister kingdom of Doctor Moreau. Edward Prendick is shipwrecked in the Pacific. Rescued by Doctor Moreaus assistant he is taken to the doctors island home where he discovers the doctor has been experimenting on the animal inhabitants of the island, creating bizarre proto-humans...The main plot, a shunned biologist, Dr. Moreau, attempting to create a new species of animals by combining biological elements of the original animal with human and other animal bloods and cells, is handled in both a dramatic, yet accessible sicentific manner. The Island of Doctor Moreau portrays the consequences of Science without ethics. In this case it is early twentieth century vivesection.

The King Who Was a King. The Book of a Film

Herbert George Wells

Herbert George Wells is a huge name in the world of literature. He is known as the king of Science Fiction stories. He was an accomplished teacher, a best-selling novelist, a historian and a journalist, however, he established his name in the world through his passion for writing and will be remembered forever as Father of Science Fiction. The King Who Was a King The Book of a Film is a fascinating treatise on the development of film written by H. G. Wells and first published in 1929. Writing at the when cinema was beginning to explode, Wells explores the emerging industrys history, future, and the elements of contemporary film. H. G. Wellss conception of a great film, as much a novel as it is a film scenario. Poses the issue Is one man justified in shedding the blood of another, in order to avert the greater catastrophe of war?

The New Machiavelli

Herbert George Wells

About a political idealist who changes his colours and engages in a sexual adventure. A successful author and Liberal MP Richard Remington appears to be a man to envy. But underneath his superficial contentment, he is far from happy with either his marriage or the politics of his party. The New Machiavelli describes the disarray into which his life is thrown when he meets the young and beautiful Isabel Rivers and becomes tormented by desire. At first, he struggles to resist and remain focused upon his familiar political, personal and social life. But as he soon learns, it is harder than he could have imagined to turn his back on love. In the character of Richard Remington, Wells created a damning portrait of an insufferable, egoistic, pontificating windbag whose attempts to set an agenda to improve society whether to uphold the British Empire or allow women to play a greater part in social life pays no attention to the effects on the people he is supposed to represent.

The Passionate Friends. A Novel

Herbert George Wells

Although most famous for his sci-fi, Wells best work often deals with ordinary people having big thoughts in picturesque settings. The Passionate Friends is a fine representative example of this. Wells uses the changing relationships among childhood friends as the media for his thoughts on human relations on personal and global scales, and of what it all means. On the death of his father, Stephen Stratton writes a long and deeply personal letter to his son, hoping that, as his son becomes a man, he can benefit from Stephens experience and wisdom. As Stephen sets down his lifes history, he tells the remarkable story of his former lover, Lady Mary. With a lust for freedom and a fierce desire not to be owned by a man, she is a woman living ahead of her time until marriage threatens to ruin her. First published in 1913, The Passionate Friends is an inspiring love story between father and son, and man and woman.

The Research Magnificent

Herbert George Wells

Mr. Wells builds novels out of ideas as other men build them of imagery and emotions. H. G. Wells takes us on a very entertaining and profound journey via a character named William who insists on living life nobly and thoroughly. Starting in his boyhood, and throughout his life, it produced profound adventures, yet also make him ridiculous, and even inspiring. It is a passion for courage, for personal nobility, for service to others, for self-sacrificing, all for the social betterment of the whole world. William gets into all sorts of hilarious trouble for living up to his ideals with a lot of it being ironic. The very people he seeks to defend or sacrifice himself for are the ones who take advantage of him, and often he finds himself subject to the logical consequences of adhering to his particular ideal. No matter what happens, he keeps pushing forward and sticking with his principles.