Essential Stories III: Experiments, Satires, and Possible Worlds – H. G. Wells

In this third volume of Essential Stories, H. G. Wells showcases tales where science blends with irony, adventure collides with the improbable, and imagination ventures into new realms. A collection that combines narrative experimentation, biting satire, and speculative wonder, offering a varied portrait of Wells’s talent.

Includes:

1. Mr. Ledbetter’s Vacation – A moral satire with an unexpected twist of adventure.
2. A Deal in Ostriches – Humour and economic speculation around a curious ostrich business.
3. Davidson’s Story – Underwater exploration with mounting dramatic tension.
4. In the Avu Observatory – Scientific mystery and danger in a remote observatory.
5. The Haunted Chamber – An enigma mixing science and superstition.
6. Jimmy Goggles the God – Underwater discovery and cultural clash.
7. The Apple – A satirical fable about ambition and forbidden knowledge.
8. Mr. Brisher’s Treasure – Greed and humour in the search for treasure.
9. A Dream of Armageddon – A political vision of a catastrophic future.