About the Author

Visionary writer H.G. Wells was born Herbert George Wells on September 21, 1866, in Bromley, England. Wells came from a working class background. His father played professional cricket and ran a hardware store for a time. Wells's parents were often worried about his poor health. They were afraid that he might die young, as his older sister had. At the age of 7, Wells had an accident that left him bedridden for several months. During this time, the avid young reader went through many books, including some by Washington Irving and Charles Dickens. Wells devoted much of his time to becoming a writer. During college, he published a short story about time travel called "The Chronic Argonauts," which foreshadowed his future literary success. In 1895, Wells became an overnight literary sensation with the publication of the novel The Time Machine. He was also a prolific writer in many other genres, including contemporary novels, history, politics and social commentary, even writing textbooks and rules for war games. Wells, along with Jules Verne and Hugo Gernsback are considered "The Fathers of Science Fiction." His most notable works include The War of the Worlds, The Time Machine, The Invisible Man and The Island of Doctor Moreau.