内容简介
Althoughbestknownforhisscientificromancesthatpavedthewayforthemodernsciencefictiongenre,H.G.Wells(1866-1946)producedsignificantworksonpolitics,society,scienceandhistory.Thanksinparttohisteacher,T.H.Huxley,WellsbecamequiteinterestedintheworksofwellknownscientistslikeCharlesDarwin,andadmiredtheirabilitytoimagineandthinkbeyondtheirtimes.Whenwritinghis1905novel,"AModernUtopia",WellsdrewuponDarwinismtotracehumanity'sevolutionandcreatesomethinglikeaworldstateonadistantplanetthatisidenticaltoEarth.Thisnovel,whichblendsfictionandphilosophy,presentsasocialisticUtopiansociety,inwhichthewholeworldsharesacommonlanguage,capitalpunishmenthasbeenabolished,thereisgenderequality,andeveryindividualsharestheplanfor"comprehensiveonwarddevelopment".WhileacknowledgingthatamodernUtopiaisessentiallyimpossible,Wellscomesclosetosuchaworldinthisfascinatingandeerilypropheticnovel.
作者简介
HerbertGeorgeWellswasborninBromley,Kent,England,onSeptember21,1866.Hisfatherwasaprofessionalcricketerandsometimeshopkeeper,hismotheraformerlady’smaid.Although"Bertie"leftschoolatfourteentobecomeadraper’sapprentice(alifehedetested),helaterwonascholarshiptotheNormalSchoolofScienceinLondon,wherehestudiedwiththefamousThomasHenryHuxley.Hebegantosellarticlesandshortstoriesregularlyin1893.In1895,hisimmediatelysuccessfulnovelrescuedhimfromalifeofpenuryonaschoolteacher’ssalary.Hisother"scientificromances"—TheIslandofDr.Moreau(1896),TheInvisibleMan(1897),TheWaroftheWorlds(1898),TheFirstMenintheMoon(1901),andTheWarintheAir(1908)—wonhimdistinctionasthefatherofsciencefiction.HenryJamessawinWellsthemostgiftedwriteroftheage,butWells,havingcoinedthephrase"thewarthatwillendwar"todescribeWorldWarI,becameincreasinglydisillusionedandfocusedhisattentiononeducatingmankindwithhisbestsellingOutlineofHistory(1920)andhislaterutopianworks.Livinguntil1946,Wellswitnessedaworldmoreterriblethananyofhisimaginativevisions,andhebitterlyobserved:"Realityhastakenaleaffrommybookandsetitselftosupercedeme."
FrancisWheenisajournalist,author,andbroadcaster.
GregoryClaeysisahistorianattheUniversityofRoyalHolloway,London.
GregoryClaeysisahistorianattheUniversityofRoyalHolloway,London.
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