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Herbert George Wells was born in 1866 in Bromly, a small town near London. He attended college and graduated with a degree in biology. His lower-middle-class background and his knowledge of science influenced his writings. He thought that science would make a better world. He also thought that that humans would destroy their own race by having a big atomic war and eventually kill each other off. Some of the books Wells wrote were The Time Machine, The Invisible Man The War of the Worlds and The Island of Doctor Moreau. He was very famous in his lifetime, and his books sold well. His book War of the Worlds was a radio drama, performed on Halloween night in 1938. Many people tuned in after they said "This is only a story", so they thought that Martian aliens were attacking Earth. So people grabbed their rifles and jumped in their cars and took off. H.G. Wells died in his sleep on August 13, 1946.
Wells's enduring fame is shown in the things he tried to do. Wells used his wealth and respect to write and influence people to change society. Wells attempted and succeeded in outlining history from the day man began, when other authors did not think of undertaking this challenge. His books told of futures of humankind evolving into smarter beings through science. His books also predicted humankind would destroy itself. Some times Wells had readers that liked his books and told everybody about them, sometimes he had people that would hold riots trying to persuade people not to buy his books because of issues like women's rights and his criticism of the slums. H.G. Wells was sometimes scorned and ridiculed. His actions took courage. During that time if anybody supported of women's rights he would be laughed and ridiculed. Wells was frustrated with society while other people didn't even care to see how and why it should be changed. Wells was a humanitarian, he wanted to help people out. H.G. Wells had initiative which means he did the right thing on impulse. Initiative makes good people. He did what was right, not what was accepted. H.G. Wells was a person that knew what it was like to be living in less-than-decent places and stood up and earned the influence to try to stop it. His enduring fame is found in the messages in his books. Society never got it while he was writing it, but after that we knew he was saying "Shape up or suffer."
