H.G. Wells

Personal life

Herbert George Wells (1866-1946) was born in Kent, England, the fourth child of a professional cricketer and shop owner.

In 1874 the young Wells suffered an accident where he broke his leg. This left him bedridden for a time, and it was at this point that his strong fascination with literature began.

Wells’ family eventually began to struggle financially, forcing them to send out their sons as apprentices in various positions. Wells did not thrive in the harsh conditions of these jobs, but eventually he found a position as a teacher. In between teaching, he completed his formal education and at this time also became interested in politics, particularly in how society could be reformed to become more free and equal - this interest would later inspire some of Wells’ utopian works.

Left without a job at the end of his education, Wells started to write short texts for various publications to earn an income, and eventually moved on to produce his first full-length novel in 1895 - The Time Machine. From this point on, Wells made his living as a writer.

Later in life, Wells also...