H. G. Wells's earlier works of science fiction have retained their popularity for nearly a century. In recent years they have also won academic regard for integrating the fantastic with the realistic to produce challenging alien perspectives. The influence of Wells's science fiction--virtually inescapable for writers who specialize in the genre--extends to such distinguished authors as Yevgeny Zamyatin, George Orwell, Jorge Luis Borges, and William Golding. Wells's two outstanding comic novels possess a vitality and social awareness akin to those of Dickens. His social novels, the most substantial of which is Tono-Bungay (1908), offer an ambitious account of their period, incorporating many imaginative and journalistic insights. In addition to works of fiction, he produced a large number of discursive books, pamphlets, and articles: notably, the best-selling Outline of History (1919-1920). He has been described as the most serious of the popular writers and the most popular of the...