| Revision as of 13:50, 29 August 2002 editModemac (talk | contribs)Extended confirmed users5,840 editsmNo edit summary← Previous edit | Revision as of 16:46, 4 October 2002 edit undoMinimax (talk | contribs)123 edits Added a little bitmore info; tried to make it sound a little less biased - more work needed.Next edit → | ||
| Line 2: | Line 2: | ||
| The ] writer <b>Herbert George Wells</b> (] ] - ] ]) | The ] writer <b>Herbert George Wells</b> (] ] - ] ]) | ||
| Wells was born in Bromley, ]. In his youth he was |
The son of a professional cricketer, Wells was born in Bromley, ]. In his youth he was apprenticed as a draper. His experiences were later used when he wrote his novel ''Kipps: A Modern Utopia''. | ||
| In ], he became a teacher at ], until he won a scholarship to the ] in ], studying ] under ]. | In ], he became a teacher at ], until he won a scholarship to the ] (later the ], now part of ]) in ], studying ] under ]. As an alumnus, he helped to set up the ], of which he became the first president in 1909. | ||
| His early novels, called "]", invented a number of themes now classic in ] in such works as '']'', '']'', and '']''. | His early novels, called "]", invented a number of themes now classic in ] in such works as '']'', '']'', and '']'' and are often thought of as being influenced by the works of ]. He also wrote other, non-fantastic novels which have received critical acclaim, including the satire on Edwardian advertising '']'' and '']''. | ||
| In ''The War of the Worlds'', alien creatures invaded Earth. Wells was an admirer of ] writing, which influenced his decision to write science fiction; though unlike Verne he chose to add an element of horror and suspense to his writing. | |||
| Other, non-fantastic novels were well received, like the satire on Edwardian advertising '']'' and '']''. | |||
| From quite early in his career, he sought a better way to organize society, and wrote a number of ] novels. Usually starting with the world rushing to catastrophe, until people realize a better way of living: whether by mysterious gases from a ] causing people to behave rationally ('']''), or a world council of scientists taking over, as in '']'' (]), which he later adapted for the ] ] film, ]. This depicted, all too accurately, the impending ], with cities being destroyed by aerial bombs. | From quite early in his career, he sought a better way to organize society, and wrote a number of ] novels. Usually starting with the world rushing to catastrophe, until people realize a better way of living: whether by mysterious gases from a ] causing people to behave rationally ('']''), or a world council of scientists taking over, as in '']'' (]), which he later adapted for the ] ] film, ]. This depicted, all too accurately, the impending ], with cities being destroyed by aerial bombs. | ||
| Line 15: | Line 12: | ||
| Wells contemplates the ideas of Nature vs Nurture and questions humanity in books like ''].'' Not all his scientific romances ended in a happy Utopia, as the ] '']'' shows. ''The Island of Dr. Moreau'' is even darker. The narrator, having been trapped on an island of animals vivisected (unsuccessfully) into human beings, eventually returns to England; like ] on his return from the ]s he finds himself unable to shake off the perceptions of his fellow humans as barely civilised beasts, slowly reverting back to their animal natures. | Wells contemplates the ideas of Nature vs Nurture and questions humanity in books like ''].'' Not all his scientific romances ended in a happy Utopia, as the ] '']'' shows. ''The Island of Dr. Moreau'' is even darker. The narrator, having been trapped on an island of animals vivisected (unsuccessfully) into human beings, eventually returns to England; like ] on his return from the ]s he finds himself unable to shake off the perceptions of his fellow humans as barely civilised beasts, slowly reverting back to their animal natures. | ||
| He called his political views socialist, and with his fondness for Utopias, he was at first quite sympathetic to ]'s attempts at reconstructing the shattered ]n economy, as his account of a visit ('']'' ]) shows. But he grew disillusioned at the doctrinal rigidity of the ]s, and after meeting ] grew convinced the whole enterprise had gone horribly wrong. |
He called his political views socialist, and with his fondness for Utopias, he was at first quite sympathetic to ]'s attempts at reconstructing the shattered ]n economy, as his account of a visit ('']'' ]) shows. But he grew disillusioned at the doctrinal rigidity of the ]s, and after meeting ] grew convinced the whole enterprise had gone horribly wrong.<sup>1</sup> | ||
| In 1938, he published a collection of essays on the future organization of knowledge and education, titled '']'', including the essay ''The Idea of a Permanent World Encyclopaedia''. | In 1938, he published a collection of essays on the future organization of knowledge and education, titled '']'', including the essay ''The Idea of a Permanent World Encyclopaedia''. | ||
| In his later years, he grew increasingly pessimistic about the prospects for humanity, as the title of his last book, '']'' suggests. His later books |
In his later years, he grew increasingly pessimistic about the prospects for humanity, as the title of his last book, '']'' suggests. His later books are often thought to do more preaching than storytelling or lack the energy and invention of his earlier works. One critic aptly complained: "He sold his birthright for a pot of message" <sup>2</sup> | ||
| A partial listing of his novels: | A partial listing of his novels: | ||
Revision as of 16:46, 4 October 2002
The English writer Herbert George Wells (September 21 1866 - August 13 1946)
The son of a professional cricketer, Wells was born in Bromley, Kent. In his youth he was apprenticed as a draper. His experiences were later used when he wrote his novel Kipps: A Modern Utopia.
In 1883, he became a teacher at Midhurst Grammar school, until he won a scholarship to the Normal School of Science (later the Royal College of Science, now part of Imperial College) in London, studying biology under T. H. Huxley. As an alumnus, he helped to set up the Royal College of Science Association, of which he became the first president in 1909.
His early novels, called "scientific romances", invented a number of themes now classic in science fiction in such works as The Time Machine, The Invisible Man, and The War of the Worlds and are often thought of as being influenced by the works of Jules Verne. He also wrote other, non-fantastic novels which have received critical acclaim, including the satire on Edwardian advertising Tono-Bungay and Kipps.
From quite early in his career, he sought a better way to organize society, and wrote a number of Utopian novels. Usually starting with the world rushing to catastrophe, until people realize a better way of living: whether by mysterious gases from a comet causing people to behave rationally (In the Days of the Comet), or a world council of scientists taking over, as in The Shape of Things to Come (1933), which he later adapted for the 1938 Alexander Korda film, Things to Come. This depicted, all too accurately, the impending World War, with cities being destroyed by aerial bombs.
Wells contemplates the ideas of Nature vs Nurture and questions humanity in books like The Island of Dr. Moreau. Not all his scientific romances ended in a happy Utopia, as the dystopian When the Sleeper Awakes shows. The Island of Dr. Moreau is even darker. The narrator, having been trapped on an island of animals vivisected (unsuccessfully) into human beings, eventually returns to England; like Gulliver on his return from the Houyhnhnms he finds himself unable to shake off the perceptions of his fellow humans as barely civilised beasts, slowly reverting back to their animal natures.
He called his political views socialist, and with his fondness for Utopias, he was at first quite sympathetic to Lenin's attempts at reconstructing the shattered Russian economy, as his account of a visit (Russia in the Shadows 1920) shows. But he grew disillusioned at the doctrinal rigidity of the Bolsheviks, and after meeting Stalin grew convinced the whole enterprise had gone horribly wrong.
In 1938, he published a collection of essays on the future organization of knowledge and education, titled World Brain, including the essay The Idea of a Permanent World Encyclopaedia.
In his later years, he grew increasingly pessimistic about the prospects for humanity, as the title of his last book, Mind at the End of its Tether suggests. His later books are often thought to do more preaching than storytelling or lack the energy and invention of his earlier works. One critic aptly complained: "He sold his birthright for a pot of message"
A partial listing of his novels:
- The Time Machine (1896)
- The Island of Dr. Moreau (1896)
- The Invisible Man (1897)
- The War of the Worlds (1898)
- Love and Mr Lewisham (1900)
- The Food of the Gods (1904)
- Kipps (1905)
- A Modern Utopia (1905)
- In the Days of the Comet (1906)
- Ann Veronica (1909)
- Tono-Bungay (1909)
- The History of Mr Polly (1910)
- The New Machiavelli (1911)
- Marriage (1912)
- The World Set Free (1914)
- The Outline of History ,I,II 1920, 1931, 1940 (1949, 1956, 1961)History of Life and Mankind
- Men Like Gods (1923)
- The World of William Clissold (1926)
- Mr Blettsworthy on Rampole Island (1928)
- The Shape of Things to Come (1933)
His autobiography was published in 1934, as An Experiment in Autobiography
For examples of his contemporaries' wilful disregard of the failings of the Soviet Union, see the book Political Pilgrims by Paul Hollander.
I thought Theodore Sturgeon had coined the "pot of message" remark, but on rereading the source (a Sturgeon short story from 1948 entitled Unite and Conquer) find that a character in the story was quoting a "Dr. Pierce" with that remark. Wherever it came from, it's a perfect description of why his later books weren't as good as the early ones.
This needs a lot more yet....