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Experiment in Autobiography

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father broke his leg in a fall—another "cardinal stroke of good fortune," Wells thought, because it forced his mother into employment and, as a result, the young Wells became a resident apprentice, a placement against which he rebelled. Had his father not broken his leg, he wrote, "I have no doubt I should have followed in the footsteps of Frank and Freddy and gone on living at home under my mother's care, while I went daily to some shop, some draper's shop, to which I was bound apprentice. This would have seemed so natural and necessary that I should not have resisted."
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rest of his life to the "faith and service of constructive world revolution." "n 1900 I had already grasped the inevitability of a World State and the complete insufficiency of the current parliamentary methods of democratic government," and Wells's devotion to "the great civilization of the future" is the dominant motif of the book.
277:, Wales, one of his kidneys was crushed in a football injury. A few weeks later he was coughing up blood, and tuberculosis was (probably mistakenly) diagnosed. Wells had to give up his job. Later, back in London, a dramatic relapse forced him to abandon teaching altogether in 1893, and to devote himself instead to writing. 269:
Wells emphasises his humble origins and the fortuitousness of his escape from the milieu in which he was born. Two broken legs were crucial. Wells's tibia was broken in an accident in 1874 when he was seven. During his weeks of recuperation he discovered the world of books. Three years later his
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In the introductory section, Wells describes himself as a "mental worker" whose "thoughts and work are encumbered by claims and vexations and I cannot see any hope of release from them"; in the conclusion, he says that he has " himself out of that mood of discontent" and is resolved to devote the
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describes in some detail Wells's early sexual development, his first marriage to his cousin Isabel Mary Wells, and the beginning of his second marriage to Amy Catherine Robbins (whom Wells and others called "Jane"), but omits discussion of the intimate life of his later years.
131: 353:"by far the best of later books," and biographer David C. Smith called it "ne of the great autobiographies of this century" and "one of the best testaments to the human condition and its possibility" ( 1236: 1159: 455:
Even mentioning "a very slight slant toward homosexuality," which is remarkable given the almost total silence on this theme in Wells's dozens of novels. H.G. Wells,
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was well received by friends and reviewers, many of whom regarded the work as a masterpiece. It also earned the appreciation of some who were portrayed in it, like
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A posthumous volume of Wells's unpublished writings on the sexual aspect of his life, which he began to write in the fall of 1934 and regarded as a "Postscript" to
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The work contains an abundant selection of the humorous sketches Wells called "picshuas" and produced mostly to amuse his second wife on an almost daily basis.
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into 56 sections. Some sections are narrative, while others include long digressions into matters philosophical, political, sociological, or biographical.
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Wells presents his career as a writer as the result of another happenstance: in 1887, when he was teaching at the Holt Academy in
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is divided into eight "chapters" (the last two of which are more than 100 pages long) which are divided
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Experiment in Autobiography: Discoveries and Conclusions of a Very Ordinary Brain (since 1866)
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H. G. Wells in Love: Postscript to an Experiment in Autobiography
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Travels of a Republican Radical in Search of Hot Water
329:. Sales, though, fell short of Wells's expectations. 1582: 1555: 1334: 1281: 1046: 627: 228: 212: 208:
840 (707 in Macmillan's 1934 one-volume US edition)
204: 196: 186: 176: 168: 160: 150: 140: 433:(New York: Macmillan, 1934), Ch. 2, §5, pp. 53–58. 299:, was published in 1984 by his son G.P. Wells as 1160:Mr. Belloc Objects to "The Outline of History" 716:The Food of the Gods and How It Came to Earth 596: 407:(New York: Macmillan, 1934), pp. 1 & 705. 16:1932-1934 autobiographical work by H.G. Wells 8: 123: 1290:The Country of the Blind and Other Stories 603: 589: 581: 555:(Yale University Press, 1986), pp. 418–21. 122: 1258:The Work, Wealth and Happiness of Mankind 470:"The secret loves of H.G. Wells unmasked" 109:Learn how and when to remove this message 533:"A Man of Parts by David Lodge – review" 420:(New York: Macmillan, 1934), pp. 556–58. 1483:The Queer Story of Brownlow's Newspaper 1311:The Stolen Bacillus and Other Incidents 446:(New York: Macmillan, 1934), pp. 80–82. 338: 366:These include remarkable estimates of 45:Please improve this article by adding 7: 459:(New York: Macmillan, 1934), p. 350. 1304:Select Conversations with an Uncle 932:Mr. Blettsworthy on Rampole Island 14: 1223:The Story of a Great Schoolmaster 1083:An Englishman Looks at the World 347:H.G. Wells: Another Kind of Life 129: 23: 1572:The Man Who Could Work Miracles 1455:The Man Who Could Work Miracles 306:This and other material inform 248:is an autobiographical work by 884:The Secret Places of the Heart 553:H.G. Wells: Desperately Mortal 355:H.G. Wells: Desperately Mortal 345:Biographer Michael Sherborne ( 234:The New America: The New World 1: 1297:The Plattner Story and Others 1153:Mind at the End of Its Tether 916:The World of William Clissold 58:"Experiment in Autobiography" 47:secondary or tertiary sources 1610:Simon Wells (great-grandson) 1216:A Short History of the World 852:Mr. Britling Sees It Through 812:The Wife of Sir Isaac Harman 124:Experiment in Autobiography 1518:A Story of the Days to Come 1090:Experiment in Autobiography 1076:The Discovery of the Future 956:The Shape of Things to Come 940:The Autocracy of Mr. Parham 652:The Island of Doctor Moreau 570:Experiment in Autobiography 457:Experiment in Autobiography 444:Experiment in Autobiography 431:Experiment in Autobiography 418:Experiment in Autobiography 405:Experiment in Autobiography 351:Experiment in Autobiography 323:Experiment in Autobiography 297:Experiment in Autobiography 289:Experiment in Autobiography 256:Experiment in Autobiography 245:Experiment in Autobiography 1680: 1325:Twelve Stories and a Dream 1251:The Way the World Is Going 1020:Babes in the Darkling Wood 908:Christina Alberta's Father 499:MFS Modern Fiction Studies 1664:Victor Gollancz Ltd books 1532:Triumphs of a Taxidermist 700:The First Men in the Moon 618: 489:Huntington, John (1985). 327:Franklin Delano Roosevelt 128: 1659:Literary autobiographies 1539:The Truth About Pyecraft 1525:A Story of the Stone Age 1441:Mr. Ledbetter's Vacation 1378:The Country of the Blind 1350:The Argonauts of the Air 1062:Certain Personal Matters 1036:You Can't Be Too Careful 844:The Research Magnificent 740:In the Days of the Comet 314:(Viking Penguin, 2011). 1448:The Lord of the Dynamos 1318:Tales of Space and Time 772:The History of Mr Polly 1649:1934 non-fiction books 1420:The Empire of the Ants 1195:The Outline of History 1125:God the Invisible King 988:The Camford Visitation 948:The Bulpington of Blup 804:The Passionate Friends 684:When the Sleeper Wakes 349:, pp. 299–300) called 310:'s novel about Wells, 223:pamphlet (1934)]  34:relies excessively on 1605:Joseph Wells (father) 1413:A Dream of Armageddon 1364:The Chronic Argonauts 1272:A Year of Prophesying 1202:Russia in the Shadows 1146:Mankind in the Making 1118:The Future in America 1104:First and Last Things 1028:All Aboard for Ararat 676:The War of the Worlds 284:Posthumous Postscript 1654:Books by H. G. Wells 1546:A Vision of Judgment 1406:The Door in the Wall 1230:This Misery of Boots 860:The Soul of a Bishop 692:Love and Mr Lewisham 660:The Wheels of Chance 1615:H. G. Wells Society 1462:The New Accelerator 1392:A Deal in Ostriches 1209:The Science of Life 1188:The Open Conspiracy 1174:The New World Order 788:The New Machiavelli 644:The Wonderful Visit 388:George Bernard Shaw 181:Victor Gollancz Ltd 151:Original title 125: 1600:Anthony West (son) 1476:The Plattner Story 1434:The Land Ironclads 1357:The Beautiful Suit 1244:War and the Future 1181:New Worlds for Old 1132:In the Fourth Year 996:Apropos of Dolores 964:The Croquet Player 820:The World Set Free 780:The Sleeper Awakes 748:The War in the Air 511:10.1353/mfs.0.1132 301:H.G. Wells in Love 1636: 1635: 1469:The Pearl of Love 1399:The Diamond Maker 668:The Invisible Man 478:. 7 January 2001. 241: 240: 218:Stalin-Wells Talk 197:Publication place 119: 118: 111: 93: 1671: 876:The Undying Fire 636:The Time Machine 605: 598: 591: 582: 556: 551:David C. Smith, 549: 543: 542: 541:. 17 April 2011. 529: 523: 522: 486: 480: 479: 466: 460: 453: 447: 440: 434: 427: 421: 414: 408: 401: 395: 364: 358: 343: 229:Followed by 213:Preceded by 188:Publication date 135:First UK edition 133: 126: 114: 107: 103: 100: 94: 92: 51: 27: 19: 1679: 1678: 1674: 1673: 1672: 1670: 1669: 1668: 1639: 1638: 1637: 1632: 1626:Time After Time 1590:Political views 1578: 1551: 1511:The Stolen Body 1497:The Sea Raiders 1385:The Crystal Egg 1343:Æpyornis Island 1330: 1277: 1167:The New America 1097:The Fate of Man 1042: 1012:The Holy Terror 732:A Modern Utopia 623: 614: 609: 565: 560: 559: 550: 546: 531: 530: 526: 488: 487: 483: 468: 467: 463: 454: 450: 441: 437: 428: 424: 415: 411: 402: 398: 394:, among others. 365: 361: 344: 340: 335: 320: 286: 189: 136: 115: 104: 98: 95: 52: 50: 44: 40:primary sources 28: 17: 12: 11: 5: 1677: 1675: 1667: 1666: 1661: 1656: 1651: 1641: 1640: 1634: 1633: 1631: 1630: 1622: 1617: 1612: 1607: 1602: 1597: 1592: 1586: 1584: 1580: 1579: 1577: 1576: 1568: 1564:Things to Come 1559: 1557: 1553: 1552: 1550: 1549: 1542: 1535: 1528: 1521: 1514: 1507: 1500: 1493: 1486: 1479: 1472: 1465: 1458: 1451: 1444: 1437: 1430: 1423: 1416: 1409: 1402: 1395: 1388: 1381: 1374: 1367: 1360: 1353: 1346: 1338: 1336: 1332: 1331: 1329: 1328: 1321: 1314: 1307: 1300: 1293: 1285: 1283: 1279: 1278: 1276: 1275: 1268: 1261: 1254: 1247: 1240: 1233: 1226: 1219: 1212: 1205: 1198: 1191: 1184: 1177: 1170: 1163: 1156: 1149: 1142: 1135: 1128: 1121: 1114: 1107: 1100: 1093: 1086: 1079: 1072: 1065: 1058: 1050: 1048: 1044: 1043: 1041: 1040: 1032: 1024: 1016: 1008: 1000: 992: 984: 976: 968: 960: 952: 944: 936: 928: 920: 912: 904: 896: 888: 880: 872: 868:Joan and Peter 864: 856: 848: 840: 832: 824: 816: 808: 800: 792: 784: 776: 768: 760: 752: 744: 736: 728: 720: 712: 704: 696: 688: 680: 672: 664: 656: 648: 640: 631: 629: 625: 624: 619: 616: 615: 610: 608: 607: 600: 593: 585: 579: 578: 564: 563:External links 561: 558: 557: 544: 524: 505:(4): 804–805. 481: 461: 448: 435: 422: 409: 396: 392:Arnold Bennett 372:George Gissing 359: 357:, pp. 418–19). 337: 336: 334: 331: 319: 316: 312:A Man of Parts 285: 282: 239: 238: 230: 226: 225: 214: 210: 209: 206: 202: 201: 200:United Kingdom 198: 194: 193: 192:September 1934 190: 187: 184: 183: 178: 174: 173: 170: 166: 165: 162: 158: 157: 152: 148: 147: 142: 138: 137: 134: 117: 116: 99:September 2019 31: 29: 22: 15: 13: 10: 9: 6: 4: 3: 2: 1676: 1665: 1662: 1660: 1657: 1655: 1652: 1650: 1647: 1646: 1644: 1628: 1627: 1623: 1621: 1618: 1616: 1613: 1611: 1608: 1606: 1603: 1601: 1598: 1596: 1593: 1591: 1588: 1587: 1585: 1581: 1574: 1573: 1569: 1566: 1565: 1561: 1560: 1558: 1554: 1547: 1543: 1540: 1536: 1533: 1529: 1526: 1522: 1519: 1515: 1512: 1508: 1505: 1501: 1498: 1494: 1491: 1487: 1484: 1480: 1477: 1473: 1470: 1466: 1463: 1459: 1456: 1452: 1449: 1445: 1442: 1438: 1435: 1431: 1428: 1424: 1421: 1417: 1414: 1410: 1407: 1403: 1400: 1396: 1393: 1389: 1386: 1382: 1379: 1375: 1372: 1368: 1365: 1361: 1358: 1354: 1351: 1347: 1344: 1340: 1339: 1337: 1335:Short stories 1333: 1327: 1326: 1322: 1320: 1319: 1315: 1313: 1312: 1308: 1306: 1305: 1301: 1299: 1298: 1294: 1292: 1291: 1287: 1286: 1284: 1280: 1274: 1273: 1269: 1267: 1266: 1262: 1260: 1259: 1255: 1253: 1252: 1248: 1246: 1245: 1241: 1239: 1238: 1234: 1232: 1231: 1227: 1225: 1224: 1220: 1218: 1217: 1213: 1211: 1210: 1206: 1204: 1203: 1199: 1197: 1196: 1192: 1190: 1189: 1185: 1183: 1182: 1178: 1176: 1175: 1171: 1169: 1168: 1164: 1162: 1161: 1157: 1155: 1154: 1150: 1148: 1147: 1143: 1141: 1140: 1136: 1134: 1133: 1129: 1127: 1126: 1122: 1120: 1119: 1115: 1113: 1112: 1108: 1106: 1105: 1101: 1099: 1098: 1094: 1092: 1091: 1087: 1085: 1084: 1080: 1078: 1077: 1073: 1071: 1070: 1066: 1064: 1063: 1059: 1057: 1056: 1055:Anticipations 1052: 1051: 1049: 1045: 1038: 1037: 1033: 1030: 1029: 1025: 1022: 1021: 1017: 1014: 1013: 1009: 1006: 1005: 1001: 998: 997: 993: 990: 989: 985: 982: 981: 980:Star Begotten 977: 974: 973: 969: 966: 965: 961: 958: 957: 953: 950: 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762: 754: 746: 738: 730: 722: 714: 708:The Sea Lady 706: 698: 690: 682: 674: 666: 658: 650: 642: 634: 621:Bibliography 569: 552: 547: 538:The Guardian 536: 527: 502: 498: 492: 484: 475:The Guardian 473: 464: 456: 451: 443: 442:H.G. Wells, 438: 430: 429:H.G. Wells, 425: 417: 416:H.G. Wells, 412: 404: 403:H.G. Wells, 399: 362: 354: 350: 346: 341: 322: 321: 311: 305: 300: 296: 294: 288: 287: 279: 272: 268: 264: 259: 255: 254: 244: 243: 242: 232: 216: 154: 120: 105: 96: 86: 79: 72: 65: 53: 33: 1629:(1979 film) 1595:G. P. Wells 1556:Screenplays 1282:Collections 1265:World Brain 1139:Little Wars 1111:Floor Games 1069:Crux Ansata 756:Tono-Bungay 612:H. G. Wells 368:Henry James 308:David Lodge 250:H. G. Wells 145:H. G. Wells 1643:Categories 1047:Nonfiction 575:Faded Page 333:References 69:newspapers 36:references 924:Meanwhile 900:The Dream 519:162337751 495:(Review)" 318:Reception 177:Publisher 1504:The Star 1371:The Cone 972:Brynhild 796:Marriage 577:(Canada) 161:Language 1583:Related 275:Wrexham 260:in toto 164:English 83:scholar 1575:(1937) 1567:(1936) 1039:(1941) 1031:(1940) 1023:(1940) 1015:(1939) 1007:(1938) 999:(1938) 991:(1937) 983:(1937) 975:(1937) 967:(1936) 959:(1933) 951:(1932) 943:(1930) 935:(1928) 927:(1927) 919:(1926) 911:(1925) 903:(1924) 895:(1923) 887:(1922) 879:(1919) 871:(1918) 863:(1917) 855:(1916) 847:(1915) 839:(1915) 831:(1915) 828:Bealby 823:(1914) 815:(1914) 807:(1913) 799:(1912) 791:(1911) 783:(1910) 775:(1910) 767:(1909) 759:(1909) 751:(1908) 743:(1906) 735:(1905) 727:(1905) 719:(1904) 711:(1902) 703:(1901) 695:(1900) 687:(1899) 679:(1898) 671:(1897) 663:(1896) 655:(1896) 647:(1895) 639:(1895) 628:Novels 517:  390:, and 236:  141:Author 85:  78:  71:  64:  56:  724:Kipps 515:S2CID 205:Pages 169:Genre 90:JSTOR 76:books 836:Boon 62:news 573:at 507:doi 38:to 1645:: 535:. 513:. 503:31 501:. 497:. 472:. 386:, 382:, 378:, 374:, 370:, 303:. 49:. 1548:" 1544:" 1541:" 1537:" 1534:" 1530:" 1527:" 1523:" 1520:" 1516:" 1513:" 1509:" 1506:" 1502:" 1499:" 1495:" 1492:" 1488:" 1485:" 1481:" 1478:" 1474:" 1471:" 1467:" 1464:" 1460:" 1457:" 1453:" 1450:" 1446:" 1443:" 1439:" 1436:" 1432:" 1429:" 1425:" 1422:" 1418:" 1415:" 1411:" 1408:" 1404:" 1401:" 1397:" 1394:" 1390:" 1387:" 1383:" 1380:" 1376:" 1373:" 1369:" 1366:" 1362:" 1359:" 1355:" 1352:" 1348:" 1345:" 1341:" 604:e 597:t 590:v 521:. 509:: 491:" 112:) 106:( 101:) 97:( 87:· 80:· 73:· 66:· 43:.

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"Experiment in Autobiography"
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H. G. Wells
Victor Gollancz Ltd
Stalin-Wells Talk
New Statesman
The New America: The New World
H. G. Wells
Wrexham
David Lodge
Franklin Delano Roosevelt
Henry James
George Gissing
Joseph Conrad
Stephen Crane
Graham Wallas
George Bernard Shaw
Arnold Bennett
"The secret loves of H.G. Wells unmasked"
The Guardian

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