Kipps
The most successful mainstream novel of H.G. Wells, now finally back in print. Kipps The Story of a Simple Soul Until he reached manhood, it was not clear to Kipps how he came to be under the care of an aunt and uncle, instead of having a father and mother like other little boys. But the elusive memories of his phantom mother that plagued him began to fade away over time. His life’s memories begin to be filled with childhood friendship and love, until that too was taken away. Now, after coming into an unsuspected inheritance, Kipps tries to adapt to a new social life, one that challenges him in a way he didn’t expect. With money and newfound love, one might think that Kipps would be on top of the world, but he soon finds out that he was better off without it… Long unavailable to readers, Kipps is a classic rags-to-riches story that addresses the moral and emotional difficulties that come with wealth and a change of social station. It will make you think, have you laughing, and capture your heart.
H.G. Wells, Sheila Williams
H.G. Wells (1866-1946): Herbert George Wells was born on September 21st, 1866, in Bromley, England to working class parents. He struggled with poor health, and at age seven a broken leg left him bedridden. During this time, he read numerous books that introduced him to different worlds and stoked in him a desire to write. In his early teens, he was employed as a draper’s assistant, but he disliked the work and quit three years later. Deciding to teach, Wells struggled to continue school, ultimately winning a scholarship to the Normal School of Science. He continued to write. In 1895, he became an overnight literary sensation with the publication of The Time Machine, followed by such classics as The War of the Worlds, The Island of Doctor Moreau, The Invisible Man, and The First Men in the Moon. For roughly 50 years, Wells was a prolific writer whose visionary works reflected his interests in social class and reform, economic disparity, and progressive ideas such as evolution. Wells held tolerant ideas about sexuality and love. He married twice, was involved in many affairs, and had children with four women across his lifetime.Many of his concepts for the future came to pass, such as the advent of aircraft, tanks, space travel, nuclear weapons, satellite television, and even the World Wide Web. Some call him “the Father of Futurism,” though he is more commonly known as “the Father of Science Fiction.” Wells died of unspecified causes on August 13, 1946 in his home at age 79. In his preface to The War in the Air (1941 edition), Wells stated that his epitaph should read, “I told you so. You damned fools.”
