Lorsque, le 20 juillet 1969, les astronautes américains de la mission Apollo 11, Neil Armstrong et Buzz Aldrin, posent le pied sur la Lune, ils réalisent un vieux rêve de l'humanité qui a déjà inspiré quelques auteurs, et notamment Herbert George Wells. En effet, dès 1901, ce dernier imagine deux personnages bien différents, le savant Cavor et l'homme d'affaires Bedford, qui, ayant accompli presque secrètement cet exploit, rencontrent les habitants de la Lune et découvrent un nouveau mode de société...C'est dans ce roman qui invite au voyage et à la réflexion qu'apparaît la fameuse « cavorite », ce matériau imaginaire libéré des lois de la gravité qui va permettre aux deux héros de propulser leur engin spatial jusqu'à la Lune. La lecture de récits d'anticipation consacrés, notamment, aux « voyages lunaires » est recommandée dans les programmes en classe de 5e pour illustrer l'entrée « Imaginer des univers nouveaux ». 12/13 ans.
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''For a time I believed that mankind had been swept out of existence, and that I stood there alone, the last man left alive.'' When a strange, meteor-like object lands in the heart of England, the inhabitants of Earth find themselves victims of a terrible attack. A ruthless race of Martians, armed with heat rays and poisonous smoke, is intent on destroying everything that stands in its way. As the unnamed hero struggles to find his way across decimated wastelands, the fate of the planet hangs in the balance . . .
H. G. Wells was a pioneer of modern science fiction. First serialised in the UK in 1897, The War of the Worlds is one of the earliest stories to depict conflict with an extraterrestrial race, and has influenced countless adaptations and sequels.
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''I beheld, unclouded by doubt, a magnificent vision of all that invisibility might mean to a man - the mystery, the power, the freedom.'' Griffin, a stranger, arrives at the local inn of an English village, entirely shrouded in bandages. Forbidding and unfriendly, he confines himself to his room. Driven away by the villagers and turning to an old friend for help, Griffin reveals that he has discovered how to make himself invisible, and plans to use his condition for treacherous ends. But when his friend refuses to join his quest, Griffin turns murderous, threatening to seek revenge on all who have betrayed him.
H. G. Wells'' controversial works are considered modern classics of the science fiction genre. Originally serialised in 1897, The Invisible Man is a fascinating exploration of power, corruption and science.
In The Time Machine by H. G. Wells - a hugely influential, groundbreaking work of science fiction - a brilliant scientist constructs a machine, which, with the pull of a lever, propels him to the year AD 802,701. The Time Traveller finds himself in a verdant, seemingly idyllic landscape where he is greeted by the diminutive Eloi people. The Eloi are beautiful but weak and indolent, and the explorer is perplexed by their fear of the dark. He soon discovers the reason for their fear - the Eloi are not the only race to have inherited the earth. When his time machine disappears, the Time Traveller must descend alone into the subterranean tunnels of the Morlocks - a terrifying, carnivorous people who toil in darkness - to reclaim it.This beautiful Macmillan Collector's Library edition of The Time Machine features an introduction by Dr Mark Bould.Designed to appeal to the booklover, the Macmillan Collector's Library is a series of beautiful gift editions of much loved classic titles. Macmillan Collector's Library are books to love and treasure.
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Alors qu?il a décidé de prendre de la distance avec son travail et sa famille qui, tous deux, l?ennuie profondément, Mr Barnstaple, suite à un accident de la route, se trouve projeté dans un parallèle U: topia, Terre jumelle de la nôtre, mais 3 000 ans dans le futur? Il y découvre une utopie sociale, politique et scientifique en équilibre avec la nature à laquelle il trouve toutes les qualités d?une société idéale. Malheureusement, ce n?est pas le cas de tous les compagnons qui ont subi le même sort que lui et qui refusent obstinément de s?y adapter, tentant même de la remodeler au gré de leurs préjugés tout droits issus de l?ancien monde?
Bien qu?occulté par des textes plus célèbres d?H. G. Wells,D es Hommes comme des Dieux (Men like Gods), publié en 1923, reste un des meilleurs romans sur l?utopie sociale qui a toujours fasciné l?auteur mais aussi, et peut-être surtout, une fantastique vision prophétique sur l'avenir de nos sociétés malades?
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La mayoria de la gente de este mundo parece vivir según un papel establecido; tienen un principio, un intermedio y un final, que son congruentes entre si y fieles a las reglas de su colectivo. Se puede decir que esas personas son de un tipo o de otro. Son, como diria la gente de teatro, ni mas ni menos que «actores de un papel». Tienen una clase, tienen un lugar, saben lo que son y lo que les corresponde, y el tamano de la lapida dice al final lo adecuadamente que han interpretado este papel. Pero hay también otro tipo de vida que no es tanto vivir como saborear una miscelanea de vidas. Uno es golpeado por alguna inesperada fuerza transversal, arrojado fuera de su estrato y vive de través durante el resto del tiempo, y, por decirlo asi, en una sucesión fragmentaria de experiencias. Este ha sido mi caso, y eso es lo que me ha impulsado a escribir algo de una naturaleza similar a una novela. He sido objeto de una inusual serie de impresiones que deseo contar sin mas dilación. He visto la vida desde niveles muy distintos, y en todos ellos la he observado con una especie de familiaridad y con buena fe.
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''That these man-like creatures were in truth only bestial monsters, mere grotesque travesties of men, filled me with a vague uncertainty of their possibilities far worse than any definite fear.'' Edward Prendick, the sole survivor of a shipwreck in the South Pacific, is set ashore on an island where he meets the mysterious Doctor Moreau. Horrified by the discovery that Moreau is performing vivisection on animals to form monstrous human hybrids, Prendick flees into the jungle. But he soon realises that the island is populated with Moreau''s terrible creations, and not all are divested of their savage habits . . .
H. G. Wells pioneered ideas of society, science and progress in his works, which are now considered modern classics. Written in 1896, The Island of Doctor Moreau is an imaginative exploration of the nature of cruelty and what it means to be human.
Le savant Griffin, après 15 ans de recherches et des dépenses qui l'ont ruiné, invente une formule pour devenir invisible. Après avoir fait l'expérience sur le chat de sa voisine, il décide d'expérimenter la formule sur lui même, notamment pour fuir ses créanciers (loyer non payé pour cause de manque d'argent et accusé de vivisection sur le chat de sa voisine ce qui est faux). Il devient alors totalement invisible.
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Hacia mediados del siglo XIX empezó a abundar en este extrano mundo nuestro cierta clase de hombres, hombres tendientes en su mayor parte, a envejecer prematuramente, a los que se denominó, y muy adecuadamente por cierto, aunque a ellos no les guste el término, «cientificos». Les desagrada tanto esa palabra, que en las columnas de Nature, que fue ya desde el principio su revista mas distintiva y caracteristica, ha quedado cuidadosamente excluida, como si fuera... aquella otra palabra que constituye la base del mal gusto en este pais. Pero el gran público y su Prensa lo saben mejor que nadie, y como «cientificos» quedan, ya que cuando de algún modo salen a la luz pública lo menos que se les llama es «distinguidos cientificos», y «cientificos eminentes», y «famosos cientificos». Y tal calificación merecieron por cierto tanto el senor Bensington como el profesor Redwood, aún mucho antes de dar con el maravilloso descubrimiento que relata esta historia. El senor Bensington era miembro de la Royal Society y expresidente de la Chemical Society. Redwood era profesor de Fisiologia en el Bond Street College de la Universidad de Londres, y habia sido groseramente calumniado por los antiviviseccionistas en diversas ocasiones. Ambos habian disfrutado en vida de la distinción académica, ya desde su juventud.
Los Ninos del Alimento siguieron creciendo ininterrumpidamente durante todos aquellos anos; fue el mayor acontecimiento de la época. Pero son las filtraciones lo que hace historia. Los ninos que lo habian comido crecieron, pero pronto hubo otros ninos creciendo asimismo; y las mejores intenciones del mundo no pudieron evitar mas filtraciones en lo sucesivo. El Alimento insistia en escaparse con la pertinacia de un ser viviente. La harina tratada con aquel producto se deshacia, en tiempo seco y casi como si fuera intencionadamente, en un polvo impalpable que volaba ante la brisa mas tenue. A veces un nuevo insecto se abria camino hacia un nuevo desarrollo, transitorio y fatal; otras veces era una nueva irrupción de grandes ratas desde las cloacas y de otras sabandijas del mismo estilo. Durante unos dias el pueblo de Pangbourne, en Berkshire, luchó contra hormigas gigantes. Tres hombres fueron mordidos y fallecieron. Hubo panico, hubo luchas y la calamidad resultante que ser combatida nuevamente, dejando siempre algo detras, en las cosas mas oscuras de la vida, completamente cambiado. Luego, otra vez, una nueva irrupción aguda y terrorifica, una rapida hipertrofia de monstruosos matorrales, una diseminación, a la deriva por todo el mundo, de unos cardos que crecian desorbitadamente, de cucarachas contra las que los hombres luchaban con escopetas o una plaga de enormes moscas.
Mr. Bedford Meets Mr. Cavor at Lympne As I sit down to write here amidst the shadows of vine-leaves under the blue sky of southern Italy, it comes to me with a certain quality of astonishment that my participation in these amazing adventures of Mr. Cavor was, after all, the outcome of the purest accident. It might have been any one. I fell into these things at a time when I thought myself removed from the slightest possibility of disturbing experiences. I had gone to Lympne because I had imagined it the most uneventful place in the world. Here, at any rate, said I, I shall find peace and a chance to work!
And this book is the sequel. So utterly at variance is destiny with all the little plans of men. I may perhaps mention here that very recently I had come an ugly cropper in certain business enterprises. Sitting now surrounded by all the circumstances of wealth, there is a luxury in admitting my extremity. I can admit, even, that to a certain extent my disasters were conceivably of my own making. It may be there are directions in which I have some capacity, but the conduct of business operations is not among these. But in those days I was young, and my youth among other objectionable forms took that of a pride in my capacity for affairs. I am young still in years, but the things that have happened to me have rubbed something of the youth from my mind. Whether they have brought any wisdom to light below it is a more doubtful matter.
El excelente Mr. Morris era un inglés que vivió en la época de la buena reina Victoria. Era, un hombre próspero y muy sensato; leia el Times e iba a la iglesia. Al llegar a la edad madura, se fijó en su rostro una expresión de desdén tranquilo y satisfecho por todo lo que no era como él. Era Mr. Morris una de esas personas que hacen con una inevitable regularidad todo lo que esta bien, lo que es formal y racional. Llevaba siempre vestidos correctos y decentes, justo medio entre, lo elegante y lo mezquino. Contribuia regularmente a las obras caritativas de buen tono, transacción juiciosa entre la ostentación y la tacaneria, y nunca dejaba de hacerse cortar los cabellos de un largo que denotara una exacta decencia. Todo cuanto era correcto y decente que poseyera un hombre de su posición, lo poseia él, y lodo lo que no era ni correcto ni decente para un hombre de su posición, no lo poseia.
Entre esas posesiones correctas y decentes, el tal Mr.
This work by H. G. Wells was first published in 1910. In contrast to Wells' early speculative fiction works like The Time Machine, this is a comic novel set in the everyday world of the late Victorian and early Edwardian era in England. Despite the less than happy life-story of Mr. Polly, it is an amusing book, enlivened by Polly's inventive attitude towards the English language.
Alfred Polly's mother dies when he is only seven, and he is brought up by his father and a stern aunt. He is indifferently educated, and leaves school in his early teens to be employed as a draper's assistant. As the years pass, he finds himself more and more disenchanted with his occupation, but it is too late to change it. Eventually his father dies and leaves him a legacy which may be enough to set up in business for himself. He sets up his own shop in a small town and stumbles into an unhappy marriage. The business is not profitable, and in his middle-age, unhappy and dyspeptic, Mr. Polly comes up with an idea to bring an end to his troubles. Things, however, do not go as he planned, and lead to an unexpected result.
Wells' later work often displays his passion for social reform. Here, that passion is less obvious, but nevertheless he demonstrates his sympathy for middle-class people raised like Mr. Polly with but a poor education and trapped into either dead-end jobs or in failing retail businesses.
The History of Mr. Polly was well-received by critics at the time of publication and was subsequently made into both a film and two different BBC television serials.
He Sleeper Awakes is a dystopian science fiction novel about a man who sleeps for two hundred and three years, waking up in a completely transformed London, where, because of compound interest on his bank accounts, he has become the richest man in the world. The main character awakes to see his dreams realized, and the future revealed to him in all its horrors and malformities.
Herbert George Wells (1866-1946), known as H. G. Wells, was a prolific English writer in many genres, including the novel, history, politics, and social commentary, and textbooks and rules for war games.