Stefen’s Bookclub – October

The October book club book will be H.G.Wells ‘The Time Machine’.

This is one of those books that just about everyone knows, or thinks they know. In most cases however, they’re probably wrong. The truth is that for many books, what people think is the plot and premise of a classic book is in fact a mash-up of movies and television, often with very little reference to the original book in terms of intent and message.

This was very clear when the book club read ‘Frankenstiein’. Many of us were surprised that what we read was very different from the various films it inspired. ‘The Time Machine’ is in a similar position. Almost all of the speculation about the future and society that Wells, through his characters, engages in is usually absent from media productions of the book.

Wells’ political and social views were atypical for one of his class and education. He was a Darwinian biologist, a socialist, a pacifist, a firm opponant of racism and belived in and practiced polyamory. Many of his views manifest in the musings of ‘The Time Traveller’, which is the only way the progatonist of the book is referred to. I think it’s going to be an interesting discussion.