Author H.G. Wells is probably best known today for his forays into science fiction. Indeed, many consider him the father of modern science fiction, and the influence of ground-breaking novels like The Time Machine, The War of the Worlds, The Invisible Man, and The Island of Doctor Moreau can be seen throughout the genre. The anniversary of The War of the Worlds saw the proliferation of books and films consciously nodding to Wells's work. But Wells was no mere writer of fantastic tales. In fact, science fiction made up but a fraction of his more than 80 published books. Wells worked also within the traditional forms of the novel and wrote extensive nonfiction, often with a sociological bent. Of all his work, none had the impact of The Outline of History. This massive project was first published serially in 1919, and as a...