h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Entry: The Scientific Romances of H.G. Wells - A889392
Author: Nylarthotep - U200240

A giant of Enlgish literature.

Perhaps a wee subheading above each section dealing with each book?

Maybe, but I'm scared of the thought of too many sub-headings leading off into infinity like that effect you get when you stand two full-lenght mirrors facing each other and stare at the endless images and imagine yourself falling into oblivion...

Wow! Fantastic article! Really excellent synopses of each book, and I appreciate the way you suggest contemporary relevance without shoving it in our faces.

I agree with the subheaders comment, though. Why are you afraid of having too many? If you had one for each book that would be the perfect number!

Nice job, though!


Gubernatrix

What do you think of John Wyndam? On a par?

Haven't read him as he's not cannonical to English lit...but I caught the vide that I should from the references in The League of Extrodinary Gentleman...what did he write and what can you recommend?

Erm, I didn't think Wells was 'canonical' either - in as much as there is a defined canon at all.

Wyndam's most famous book is The Day of the Triffids. He also wrote The Kraken Wakes, The Midwich Cuckoos and Trouble With Lichen, amongst others.

He is interested in how humans react to catastrophic events, and in what ways they would attempt to rebuild society. In these situations, although the humans survive, they cease to become the dominant life-form on earth and the space and resources available to them are greatly lessened. Things on earth that have previously seemed harmless or at least easily controlled suddenly become extremely threatening.

Anyway, it's all good stuff!

Ah, I mean canonical in terms of being recognised as a part of the historical development of literature as a social phenomena.

I have read Day of the Triffids...The name just escaped me. I enjoyed the book. I found it more like Aldous Huxley than Wells in places.

A great article!

And a small point - it's the Eloi in Time Machine, not Eloy.


Geggs

I quite liked "Master of the World" by h g wells, with Robur the Conquerer myself, and I think it fits in this genre of his work.

Duly noted and amended.

As author of the guide entry on Harringay in North London, I feel compelled to ask... have you read the HG Wells short story called "The Temptation of Harringay"? I haven't yet, and I'm curious!

I have a paperback edition of his short stories that I haven't got round to reading yet. If it's in there I'll try to have a scan and get back to you on that one.

Ta.

Welcome.

Well. That blank posting wasn't supposed to happen. Oh well.

Having a book of HGW short stories as well, I thought I'd look Harringay up.

It's about a (very bad) painter R.M. Harringay who, while doing a portrait one day, find that the canvas is possessed by the Devil. The Devil offers Harringay the ability to create masterpieces in exchange for his soul - that being the temptation.

Does Harringay accept this offer?

No. He paints over the portrait.

The End

I thang you.


Geggs

further information about "Master of the World", it was made into a film with vincent price as the villain, and charles bronson as an american agent.

it covers the dramatisation of the superiority of airpower over vonventional navy, in a similar way to how 20,000 leagues under the sea covers the superiority of submarines.

A neat entry. Let us know when you've made the additions.

There's a small typo: - vouyeristic . voyeuristic.

Got the typo.

I would add a paragraph for "Master of the World" only I haven't read the book and thus I can't really offer commentary on it. If anyone else has or can tell me where I can get a copy then I'll be more than willing to add it to the entry.