Today in History

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Sep. 21 - Wells, H. G. (Herbert George)
1866 -- 1946
Writer. Born Herbert George Wells, on September 21, 1866, in Bromley, England. Wells received a scholarship to the Normal School of Science in London. After school, he worked as a draper's apprentice and bookkeeper before becoming a freelance writer. His lively treatment of scientific topics quickly brought him success as a writer and earned him a reputation as a pioneer of science fiction.In 1895, Wells published his classic novel The Time Machine, about a man who journeys to the future. The book was a success, as were his subsequent science fiction books, The Invisible Man (1897) and The War of the Worlds (1898). He went on to publish a number of socially conscious comic novels which gained popularity as well, most notably Kipps (1905) and The History of Mr Polly (1910).
Passionately concerned about the fate of humanity, Wells joined the socialist Fabian Society, but quit after a quarrel with George Bernard Shaw, another prominent member. His controversial socio-political opinions served as the basis for several works dealing with the role of science in society and the need for world peace, including The Outline of History (1920) and The Work, Wealth and Happiness of Mankind (1932).
Wells was involved romantically for several years with Dorothy Richardson, pioneer of stream-of-consciousness writing. In 1912, the 19-year-old writer Rebecca West reviewed his book Marriage, calling him "the Old Maid among novelists." He asked to meet her, and the two soon embarked on an affair that lasted ten years and produced one son, Anthony. Wells died in 1946.