H. G. Wells Society
There have been two groups called the H. G. Wells Society, both set up to support the ideas of Herbert George Wells (1866–1946).
1930s group
The first H. G. Wells Society was set up in 1934 to promote Wells's political ideas. Its members included Gerald Heard, Olaf Stapledon, Sylvia Pankhurst, Eden Paul[1] and Vera Brittain.[2] The group later changed its name to Cosmopolis, then the Open Conspiracy. In 1936, it merged with the Federation of Progressive Societies and Individuals.[2]
Later group
The later H. G. Wells Society, founded in 1960, is an international association composed of people interested in the life, work and thought of Wells and encouraging a wider interest in his writings and ideas.[2] The Society has published a comprehensive bibliography of Wells's published works, and has printed the following other publications, several of which were works by Wells which had previously been out of print for many years:
- H. G. Wells, The Last Books of H. G. Wells: The Happy Turning and Mind at the End of its Tether, ed. G. P. Wells (1982).
- H. G. Wells Society, A Comprehensive Bibliography, foreword by Kingsley Martin (1985).
- H. G. Wells, The Discovery of the Future with The Commonsense of World Peace and The Human Adventure, ed. Patrick Parrinder (1989).
- H. G. Wells, Select Conversations with an Uncle (Now Extinct) with Two Hitherto Unreprinted Conversations, ed. David C. Smith and Patrick Parrinder, foreword by Michael Foot (1992).
- John Hammond, The H. G. Wells Society: A Short History (2000).
- H. G. Wells, The Betterave Papers, ed. John Hammond (2001).
- James Dilloway, Human Rights and World Order, 2nd edn (1998).
The Society's objective is "to promote and encourage universally an active interest in, and appreciation of, the life, work and thought of Herbert George Wells".
Its specific aims are:
- To encourage a greater interest in the works of H. G. Wells on the part of publishing, press and broadcasting organisations.
- To promote a wider knowledge of the ideas and ideals of H. G. Wells and to assist in promoting their understanding and dissemination.
- To organise lectures, meetings and conferences, to issue publications, and to engage in such other educational work as will assist towards the realisation of the Society's aims.
Each year the Society organises a conference, either in-person or on Zoom, where aspects of Wells's life and work are discussed. All members receive a biannual newsletter, edited by Eric Jukes and an annual journal, entitled The Wellsian edited by Dr. Bill Cooke.
Over the years, the Society has accumulated a substantial collection of books and pamphlets by Wells, and an archive of press cuttings relating to Wells. In 2012 the Society donated 160 volumes from its collection to enhance the H. G. Wells Collection at Senate House Library, University of London. The Society is also closely associated with the Wells Collections at the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign and Bromley Central Library, South London, the former being the repository of the Wells papers.
The Society was founded by the late Dr. John Hammond, who served as president for many years. It has also boasted a number of distinguished vice-presidents through the years including Arthur C. Clarke, Michael Foot, Brian Aldiss, Christopher Priest, Stephen Baxter, and Claire Tomalin.
See also
References
- ^ David C. Smith, H. G. Wells: Desperately Mortal: A Biography. Yale University Press, 1988 (p. 332–333)
- ^ a b c John S. Partington, The Wellsian: selected essays on H. G. Wells. Equilibris Publishing, 2003. ISBN 9059760018, (p. 10–12).
Sources
- Information leaflets & Newsletters published by the H. G. Wells Society
- The Wellsian, official journal, annually published by the H. G. Wells Society
External links
H. G. Wells
- H. G. Wells Society
- The Wellsian, the journal of the H. G. Wells Society
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- The Time Machine (1895)
- The Wonderful Visit (1895)
- The Island of Doctor Moreau (1896)
- The Wheels of Chance (1896)
- The Invisible Man (1897)
- The War of the Worlds (1898)
- When the Sleeper Wakes (1899)
- Love and Mr Lewisham (1900)
- The First Men in the Moon (1901)
- The Sea Lady (1902)
- The Food of the Gods and How It Came to Earth (1904)
- Kipps (1905)
- A Modern Utopia (1905)
- In the Days of the Comet (1906)
- The War in the Air (1908)
- Tono-Bungay (1909)
- Ann Veronica (1909)
- The History of Mr Polly (1910)
- The Sleeper Awakes (1910)
- The New Machiavelli (1911)
- Marriage (1912)
- The Passionate Friends (1913)
- The Wife of Sir Isaac Harman (1914)
- The World Set Free (1914)
- Bealby (1915)
- Boon (1915)
- The Research Magnificent (1915)
- Mr. Britling Sees It Through (1916)
- The Soul of a Bishop (1917)
- Joan and Peter (1918)
- The Undying Fire (1919)
- The Secret Places of the Heart (1922)
- Men Like Gods (1923)
- The Dream (1924)
- Christina Alberta's Father (1925)
- The World of William Clissold (1926)
- Meanwhile (1927)
- Mr. Blettsworthy on Rampole Island (1928)
- The Autocracy of Mr. Parham (1930)
- The Bulpington of Blup (1932)
- The Shape of Things to Come (1933)
- The Croquet Player (1936)
- Brynhild (1937)
- Star Begotten (1937)
- The Camford Visitation (1937)
- Apropos of Dolores (1938)
- The Brothers (1938)
- The Holy Terror (1939)
- Babes in the Darkling Wood (1940)
- All Aboard for Ararat (1940)
- You Can't Be Too Careful (1941)
- Anticipations
- Certain Personal Matters
- Crux Ansata
- The Discovery of the Future
- An Englishman Looks at the World
- Experiment in Autobiography
- The Fate of Man
- First and Last Things
- Floor Games
- The Future in America
- God the Invisible King
- In the Fourth Year
- Little Wars
- Mankind in the Making
- Mind at the End of Its Tether
- Mr. Belloc Objects to "The Outline of History"
- The New America
- The New World Order
- New Worlds for Old
- The Open Conspiracy
- The Outline of History
- Russia in the Shadows
- The Science of Life
- A Short History of the World
- The Story of a Great Schoolmaster
- This Misery of Boots
- Travels of a Republican Radical in Search of Hot Water
- War and the Future
- The Way the World Is Going
- The Work, Wealth and Happiness of Mankind
- World Brain
- A Year of Prophesying
- "Æpyornis Island"
- "The Argonauts of the Air"
- "The Beautiful Suit"
- "The Chronic Argonauts"
- "The Cone"
- "The Country of the Blind"
- "The Crystal Egg"
- "A Deal in Ostriches"
- "The Diamond Maker"
- "The Door in the Wall"
- "A Dream of Armageddon"
- "The Empire of the Ants"
- "In the Abyss"
- "The Land Ironclads"
- "Mr. Ledbetter's Vacation"
- "The Lord of the Dynamos"
- "The Man Who Could Work Miracles"
- "The New Accelerator"
- "The Pearl of Love"
- "The Plattner Story"
- "The Queer Story of Brownlow's Newspaper"
- "The Red Room"
- "The Sea Raiders"
- "The Star"
- "The Stolen Body"
- "A Story of the Days to Come"
- "A Story of the Stone Age"
- "Triumphs of a Taxidermist"
- "The Truth About Pyecraft"
- "A Vision of Judgment"
- Things to Come (1936)
- The Man Who Could Work Miracles (1937)
- Political views
- G. P. Wells
- Anthony West (son)
- Joseph Wells (father)
- Simon Wells (great-grandson)
- H. G. Wells Society
- Lunar crater
- Time After Time (1979 film)