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Select Conversations with an Uncle

H. G. Wells

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Select Conversations with an Uncle | H. G. Wells
2.77
13 ratings
Book Overview: 

H.G. Wells's first literary publication in book form. It consists of reports of twelve conversations between a fictional witty uncle who has returned to London from South Africa with "a certain affluence," as well as two other conversations (one on aestheticism that takes place in a train, titled "A Misunderstood Artist," and another on physiognomy, titled "The Man with a Nose")

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Book Excerpt: 
. . .Ideals!" said my uncle; "certainly Ideals. Of course one must have ideals, else life would be bare materialism. Bare fact alone, naked necessity, is impossible barren rock for a soul to root upon. Life, indeed, is an unfurnished house, an empty glass in a thirsty land—good and necessary for foundation, but insufficient for any satisfaction unless we have ideals. Or, again, ideals are the flesh upon the skeleton of reality, and it cannot live without them.

"It always appears to me," said my uncle, "that the comparison of ideals to furniture is particularly appropriate. They are the draperies of the mind, and they hide the nakedness of truth. Your fireplace is ugly, your mere necessary shelves and seats but planks and crudity, all your surroundings so much office furniture, until the skilful hand and the draperies come in. Then a few cunning loopings and foldings, and behold softness and delicacy, crudity gone, and life well worth the living. So t. . . Read More

Community Reviews

2.00
- Sue - May 18, 2022

Maybe 2.5 as these are very early writings

4.00
- Tom - Sep 01, 2020

3.5 Stars
rounded up to 4 Stars
The story is told by the nephew George (the narrator ) as a tribute to his uncle's memory. The uncle who recently arrived from South Africa has a desire to be a well recognized and well sought after conversationalist to dazzle society by partaking in social interco

2.00
- Dave - Aug 30, 2011

H. G. Wells published “Select Conversations With An Uncle (Now Extinct) And Two Other Reminiscences” is a collection of 14 pieces of short fiction in June of 1895, supposedly just one day prior to “The Time Machine” and before “The Wonderful Visit” (September), and “The Stolen Bacillus” (November) w

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