The Time Machine
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Overview
About the AuthorHerbert George Wells was born into a decidedly middle-class family on September 21, 1866, in the London borough of Bromley. His father was a tradesman and his mother a Lady’s maid. Central to the experiences of his youth was an acute awareness of class structure that was emphasized by the position of his family in the class-conscious English society of the time.
After a basic education he became a pupil-teacher at the Midhurst Grammar School and secured a scholarship that allowed him to study with T.H. Huxley, the champion of Darwinism in England. After completing his studies with Huxley, Wells worked in a number of professions including journalism until 1895 when The Time Machine was published.
From that point on, Wells became a full-time writer. The Island of Dr. Moreau was published in the following year and War of the Worlds two years later. Wells produced a significant corpus of journalistic, philosophical, and political writing as well as fiction.
Two works in particular, The Discovery of the Future (1902) and Mankind in the Making (1903) caught the attention of George Bernard Shaw and Wells was invited to join the Fabian Society.
In 1920 Wells wrote an immensely popular historical work, The Outline of History. As evidenced by his involvement in the establishment of the League of Nations, Wells was continually involved with questions of social reform. During the Second World War he created the first draft of what would become the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. He died in London on August 13, 1946.
A scientist invents a time machine and uses it to travel hundreds of thousands of years into the future, where he discovers the childlike Eloi and the hideous underground Morlocks.
Synopsis
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Published in 1895, The Time Machine was the first novel to suggest the theme of time travel by machine, and along with other books by Wells, it was a forerunner of the contemporary science fiction genre, then known as scientific romances.
Wells wrote mainly speculative fiction concerned with the contemporary problems of human society and its possible futures. While his works express a hope in human technology and progress, this is tempered by a realization of the possible extinction of humanity through the very same technology and the predilections of human nature.
There is a strong ethical component to his work and this relates to the ambivalence that he often expressed about the potentialities of human nature. One of the central issues that concerned him was the disparity between the elite and the masses. The Time Machine explores these concerns in a setting 800,000 years into the future.
Children's Literature
The "Classic Starts" series are hard bound, handsomely-illustrated, inexpensive abridgements of classic literature for younger readers. The concept is exemplary, but the execution is problematic. Yes, the bare bones of Wells' proto-science fiction story have been faithfully recounted in Chris Sasaki's smooth-reading, simplified adaptation, yet in the process its soul has gone missing. Abridging is one thing; bowdlerizing is another. What's lost is the late Victorian world of 1895 so marvelously conjured up by words and phrases such as "cadge," "chap," "I'd give a shilling-" and "What's the game?" Gone is the comfort of the returned Time Traveler's glass of champagne, mutton dinner, and pipe by the fire—all replaced by a quickly-chugged glass of water! As a child, I relished British editions of books precisely because of the exoticism of previously-unknown turns of phrases. They made the universe richer, fuller, more mysterious. It is a pity this edition of Wells' story will never leave its readers with that enchantment. Reviewer: Kathleen Karr
Editorials
Children's Literature -
The "Classic Starts" series are hard bound, handsomely-illustrated, inexpensive abridgements of classic literature for younger readers. The concept is exemplary, but the execution is problematic. Yes, the bare bones of Wells' proto-science fiction story have been faithfully recounted in Chris Sasaki's smooth-reading, simplified adaptation, yet in the process its soul has gone missing. Abridging is one thing; bowdlerizing is another. What's lost is the late Victorian world of 1895 so marvelously conjured up by words and phrases such as "cadge," "chap," "I'd give a shilling-" and "What's the game?" Gone is the comfort of the returned Time Traveler's glass of champagne, mutton dinner, and pipe by the fire—all replaced by a quickly-chugged glass of water! As a child, I relished British editions of books precisely because of the exoticism of previously-unknown turns of phrases. They made the universe richer, fuller, more mysterious. It is a pity this edition of Wells' story will never leave its readers with that enchantment. Reviewer: Kathleen KarrLibrary Journal
Two of Wells's sf masterpieces get the red carpet treatment here. These "critical text" editions contain the full text plus annotations, indexes, appendixes, and bibliographies. Though these editions are pricey, Wells's works deserve serious consideration. Libraries should at least stock up on a few extra budget paperback copies of Doctor Moreau to meet demand generated by a forthcoming film remake starring Marlon Brando and Val Kilmer.School Library Journal
Gr 4-7-The St. Charles Players perform this readers' theatre-style rendition of H.G. Wells' classic story. Using appropriate sound effects and alternating readers allows listeners to differentiate between characters and to develop a sense of place and time. The lively narration will hold listeners' attention from beginning to end. The story begins with a revolutionary Victorian scientist who claims to have invented a machine that allows him to travel through time. Using flashbacks, he recounts his adventures in the futurist world he visits in his time machine to a group of skeptical friends. This abridged version will work well as an introduction to classic literature in elementary grade classes, but omits too much of the original text for older students. Consider adding this title to audiobook collections that focus on classic, time-tested literature.-Sarah Prielipp, Chippewa River District Library System, Mt Pleasant, MI Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information.School Library Journal
Gr 7 Up -Wells's simple stories are surefire hits. Is time travel possible? What would it be like to be invisible? These slim versions of the classics provide both the mind-bending plots-although slightly edited, such as a twist ending in The Time Machine -and also some discussion questions and writing prompts. The artwork and paneling are slightly oversize, hinting at a younger audience, but the coloring and lettering have that familiar computer-enhanced sleekness comic readers know well by now. Because of the simplified texts and the slimness of the volumes, these titles are great choices for boosting the reading interests and skills of reluctant readers.-John Leighton, Brooklyn Public Library, NY
Copyright 2008 Reed Business Information.