English, Scottish, & Welsh Fiction, Alternate Realities - Fiction, Social Science Fiction, Conflicts - Fiction

The Time Machine

Name: The Time Machine
Author: H. G. Wells
ISBN: 9781604240504

by H. G. Wells

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Overview

Written in 1895 the Time Machine is an early example of time travel. The Traveler uses his machine to visit many different eras. In 802,701 A.D he discovers a communistic community that is quite peaceful. The Eloi had no conflict and because of that there was no need for improvements thus their culture was stagnating. The Traveler discovers that under the surface things are not as they seem.

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

Note to Adobe eBook Customers: The Adobe Acrobat eBook Reader version is printable, but there is a known problem printing to printers that do not use the PostScript page description language. This problem occurs with some HP LaserJet, Epson Stylus inkjet, and Epson impact printers. Consult your printer s documentation to find out if it is PostScript compatible. This does not affect your ability to read the book on screen.

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.

Library 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.

About the Author, H. G. Wells

H.G. Wells (1866-1946) was a professional writer and journalist who published more than a hundred books, including novels, histories, essays, and programs for world regeneration.
Marina Warner is a prize-winning writer of fiction, criticism, and history.
Steven McLean is secretary of the H. G. Wells Society.
Patrick Parrinder has written on H. G. Wells, science fiction, and James Joyce.

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Editorials

Library Journal

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.