H.G. Wells's The Time Machine: A Reference Guide

(Hardback)

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Description

The Time Machine is one of the most important works of science fiction. It greatly influenced the genre and continues to be widely read at all levels. This reference guide overviews the novel for students and general readers. Written by a leading scholar on H.G. Wells, the volume covers all aspects of the work, including its plot, textual history, historical and intellectual contexts, themes, style, and reception. Written more than 100 years ago, H.G. Wells' first novel forever shaped the course of science fiction. Of all his vast writings, The Time Machine seems most likely to ensure his permanent place in literary history. But more than a literary work, it is now widely recognized as a key text in the history of ideas, for the notion of time travel has profoundly influenced human thought. So too, with its bleak view of the future, The Time Machine has made a seminal contribution to the ongoing debate concerning the future course of evolution. Though The Time Machine is widely read and studied, there is relatively little written about it. Prepared by a leading authority on H.G. Wells, this reference is a convenient introductory guide to the novel. It examines all aspects of the work, including its textual history, historical and intellectual contexts, themes, literary style, and critical reception. The volume also includes a detailed plot summary and an extensive bibliographic essay.

Reviews

[I]informative and occasionally engaging. It is useful for both literary critics and teachers of science fiction....[H]ammond's book is a welcome addition to the scholarship that already exists in this area.-SFRA Science Fiction Research Association
Hammond has produced a fine accompaniment to the novel which must surely be read by anyone studying The Time Machine (or indeed any of Wells's early scientific romances) and deserves a place on all university libraries' shelves, and in the libraries of all Wellsians.-The Wellsian
"Iinformative and occasionally engaging. It is useful for both literary critics and teachers of science fiction....Hammond's book is a welcome addition to the scholarship that already exists in this area."-SFRA Science Fiction Research Association
"[I]informative and occasionally engaging. It is useful for both literary critics and teachers of science fiction....[H]ammond's book is a welcome addition to the scholarship that already exists in this area."-SFRA Science Fiction Research Association
"Hammond has produced a fine accompaniment to the novel which must surely be read by anyone studying The Time Machine (or indeed any of Wells's early scientific romances) and deserves a place on all university libraries' shelves, and in the libraries of all Wellsians."-The Wellsian

Author Bio

JOHN R. HAMMOND is a Research Fellow at Nottingham Trent University. His previous books include H.G. Wells and the Modern Novel (1988) and H.G. Wells and the Short Story (1992). He has also edited The Complete Short Stories of H.G. Wells (1998).