Biography
Herbert George Wells is one of a few visionary minds to be produced in the 20th Century. Born in 1866 in Bromley England, Wells was the fourth son of two hard working, middle-class parents. Wells interest in reading and books in general happened when he was 8 years old. After an accident in which he broke his leg, he was laid up for a prolonged period and spent most of that time reading everything he could find.
After a stormy experience as an aprrentice to a draper and a short stint in college in which he wrote for various academic journals, Wells' hit success when he created one of the first War Strategy Gemes "Little Wars". Still, it was when Wells finally published his first few novels that he found his true calling.
He dubbed his stories "scientific romances", but we know consider them to be the first important tales in a new genre: Science Fiction. "The Time Machine", "The Invisible Man", and "The War of the Worlds" would be enough for any author to call it a day, assured that his or her legacy is cemented. Wells was not satisfied with such huge contributions to the new genre however, and thus his bibliography reads like a primer in where to begin with Science Fiction.
If one were to try to trace a common theme in his novels, the concept of Utopia, and the mad rush humans make toward self-destruction are common motifs that run through many of his plotlines. Wells was concerned with a radical retrofit of society, and it is worth noting that much of what fueled his ideas were socialist in nature. While Wells never gave up on his vision of a perfect society where technology could work to propel man's endless curiosity, he was ultimately practical given the world he actually lived in.
Wells died in 1946, just after the Second World War in Europe devastated his home country. He lived to see many of innovations he described in the 1890's come about and change the face of the human race, for both good and ill. While Wells never lived to see many of the scientific luxuries we enjoy today, he nevertheless was farsighted enough to realize it didn't matter if he lived to see them or not: man's increased reliance on high-technology was inevitable. LearnOutLoud.com is excited to share several audio books that share a vision of the future that is to this day unparalleled in scope and creative brilliance.
We Recommend
There is so much available on audio book by H.G. Wells that it is difficult to begin. We recomend starting with a classic like "The War of the Worlds", or "The Time Machine.
In particular you may find "The Invisible Man" the perfect place to begin, as it offers not only a classic story but a good introduction to Well's fear of the misapplication of Scientific breakthrough. Insane scientist Griffin invents a way to make his body transparent, but in doing so creates an unintentional nightmare for not only the people he terrifies, but also himself.
Next you'll want to hear another Wells Audio Book that can enrich your knowledge of the classics. We suggest something like "The Island of Dr. Moreau".
Finally, one would be remiss if they didn't mention Well's nonfiction work. To that end, We recomend the two volume edition of "The Outline of History". Here you will hear Well's impassioned plea for humanity to wake up, remember the lessons that history has taught us and do what we can to stop history from repeating itself. This book was written in direct response to World War I's peace accord. Prophetically, Wells knew these accords were insufficient, and history proved his reservations to be correct: the mishandling at the end of World War I led to a much more catastrophic Second world War.
Whether you want to hear stories of Martian invasion, listen to cautionary tales of science gone awry, or explore liberating visions of the future, the work of H.G. Wells on audio is the perfect vehicle for broadening your idea of reality. Remember, Wells was not concerned with baseless fantasy: everything you will hear by him has some basis in the fact. In the end, Wells showed that the future is only one inspiration away.
Check out our special Topic Page on the War of the Worlds, for in depth analysis of everything available for this H.G. Wells Classic on Audio Book format!