Mr Polly is an ordinary middle-aged man who is tired of his wife's nagging and his dreary job as the owner of a regional gentleman's outfitters. Faced with the threat of bankruptcy, he concludes that the only way to escape his frustrating existence is by burning his shop to the ground, and killing himself. Unexpected events, however, conspire at the last moment to lead the bewildered Mr Polly to a bright new future - after he saves a life, fakes his death, and escapes to a life of heroism, hope and ultimate happiness.

Herbert George Wells, better known as H. G. Wells, was an English writer best known for such science fiction novels as The Time Machine, The War of the Worlds, The Invisible Man and The Island of Doctor Moreau.

A Story of the Stone Age 1. Ugh-lomi and Uya 2. The Cave Bear 3. The First Horseman 4. Uya the Lion 5. The Fight in the Lion's Thicket A Story of the Days to Come 1. The Cure for Love 2. The Vacant Country 3. The Ways of the City 4. Underneath 5. Bindon Intervenes The Man Who Could Work Miracles Greatly astonished, he lifted it out of the light ray and carried it to the darkest part of the shop. It remained bright for some four or five minutes, when it slowly faded and went out. He placed it in the thin streak of daylight, and its luminousness was almost immediately restored. So far, at...

"The World Set Free" is a novel by H. G. Wells, written in 1913 and first published in 1914. The plot concerns the advent and use of terrible and immensely-powerful nuclear weapons the likes of which the world has never seen before, exploring the idea of technological advance as a means of human progress. A fascinating and prophetic novel, "The World Set Free" is highly recommended for fans of vintage speculative fiction. Herbert George Wells (1866 - 1946) was a prolific English writer who wrote in a variety of genres, including the novel, politics, history, and social commentary. Today, he...

"War and the Future: Italy, France and Britain at War" is a 1917 treatise written H. G. Wells on the First World War, exploring its causes, military technology, ramifications, possible outcomes, and more. This fascinating thesis is highly recommended for those with an interest in WWI and is not to be missed by fans and collectors of Wells' work. Contents include: "The Passing Of The Effigy," "The War In Italy (August, 1916)," "The Isonzo Front," "The Mountain War," "Behind The Front," "The Western War (September, 1916)," "Ruins," "The Grades Of War," "The War Landscape," "New Arms For Old...

This is H. G. Wells' 1910 dystopian novel, "When the Sleeper Awakes." A man sleeps for 200 years and wakes up in a transformed London to find that, due to the compound interest of his bank account, he is the richest man in the world. However, with his wildest dreams also come his gravest nightmares. A fantastic science fiction novel from the father of the genre, "The Sleeper Awakes" is highly recommended for those with a love of dystopian fiction and is not to be missed by fans of Wells' fantastic work. Herbert George Wells (1866 - 1946) was a prolific English writer who wrote in a variety of...

"World Brain" is an article written by H. G. Wells and first contributed to the new "Encyclopedie Francaise" in 1937. It explores the idea of a "permanent world encyclopaedia" that would contain "the whole human memory" and that would be "a world synthesis of bibliography and documentation with the indexed archives of the world." Fascinating and arguably prophetic reading, "World Brain" will appeal to fan Wells' work. Herbert George Wells (1866 - 1946) was a prolific English writer who wrote in a variety of genres, including the novel, politics, history, and social commentary. Today, he is...

"The World Set Free" is a novel by H. G. Wells, written in 1913 and first published in 1914. The plot concerns the advent and use of terrible and immensely-powerful nuclear weapons the likes of which the world has never seen before, exploring the idea of technological advance as a means of human progress. A fascinating and prophetic novel, "The World Set Free" is highly recommended for fans of vintage speculative fiction. Herbert George Wells (1866 - 1946) was a prolific English writer who wrote in a variety of genres, including the novel, politics, history, and social commentary. Today, he...

This book contains a fascinating essay presented by Wells to the Fabian Society in December 1905. The "unwearable boots" represent the unnecessary suffering caused by a system of privately owned capital-an imagine inspired by Wells' youth spent in an underground kitchen, the only view of the outside glimpses of people's feet on the pavement above. "This Misery of Boots" offers a fascinating insight into Wells' political beliefs and is not to be missed by collectors of his work. Herbert George Wells (1866 - 1946) was a prolific English writer who wrote in a variety of genres, including the...