In 1895, Wells became an overnight literary sensation with the publication of the novel The Time Machine. Literary Success: 'The Time Machine' and 'War of the Worlds' During college, he published a short story about time travel called 'The Chronic Argonauts,' which foreshadowed his future literary success. Wells also devoted much of his time to becoming a writer. He won a scholarship to the Normal School of Science where he learned about physics, chemistry, astronomy and biology, among other subjects. Turning to teaching, Wells soon found a way to continue his own studies.

He hated the job and eventually quit, much to his mother's dismay. In his early teens, Wells also went to work as a draper's assistant. He read the works of Jonathan Swift and some of the important figures of the Enlightenment, including Voltaire. At his mother's workplace, Wells discovered the owner's extensive library. The boys were apprenticed to a draper, and his mother went to work on an estate as a housekeeper. During this time, the avid young reader went through many books, including some by Washington Irving and Charles Dickens.Īfter Wells' father's shop failed, his family, which included two older brothers, struggled financially. At the age of 7, Wells had an accident that left him bedridden for several months. They were afraid that he might die young, as his older sister had. Wells's parents were often worried about his poor health. His father played professional cricket and ran a hardware store for a time. Wells came from a working class background. Wells was born Herbert George Wells on September 21, 1866, in Bromley, England. Wells laid out his socialist views of human history in his Outline of History. His later work focused on satire and social criticism.

His first novel, The Time Machine was an instant success and Wells produced a series of science fiction novels which pioneered our ideas of the future. Wells' parents were shopkeepers in Kent, England.

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