
H. G. Wells
Chapter the First - Beginnings, and the Bazaar - I
Chapter the Second - The Dismissal of Parsons - I
Chapter the Third - Cribs - I
Chapter the Fourth - Mr. Polly an Orphan - I
Chapter the Fifth - Mr. Polly Takes a Vacation - I
Chapter the Sixth - Miriam - I
Chapter the Seventh - The Little Shop at Fishbourne - I
Chapter the Eighth - Making an End to Things - I
Chapter the Ninth - The Potwell Inn - I
In a sleepy English town, a modest draper named Mr. Polly spends his afternoons wrestling with a relentless sense of dissatisfaction. Between a demanding wife, a cramped shop, and a perpetual bout of indigestion, he watches the world through a lens of bitterness and humor. His daily routine feels like a trap, and even the promise of spring cannot lift the weight of his gloom.
One ordinary morning a simple mishap with a hat erupts into a full‑blown tantrum, revealing just how fragile his composure has become. The incident sparks a sudden, reckless impulse to abandon his predictable life and seek a fresh start, however vague that notion may be. As he stands on the edge of his modest garden, the reader is invited to follow his inner battle between resignation and the desperate desire for change.
Language
en
Duration
~6 hours (390K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Credits
Produced by Curtis A. Weyant, Charles Franks, and the Distributed Proofreading Team
Release date
2005-01-01
Rights
Public domain in the USA.
Subjects

1866–1946
A pioneer of modern science fiction, this English writer imagined time travel, alien invasion, and invisible men with a mix of adventure and sharp social insight. His stories still feel lively because they pair big ideas with very human fears and hopes.
View all books
by H. G. (Herbert George) Wells

by H. G. (Herbert George) Wells

by H. G. (Herbert George) Wells

by H. G. (Herbert George) Wells

by H. G. (Herbert George) Wells

by H. G. (Herbert George) Wells

by H. G. (Herbert George) Wells

by H. G. (Herbert George) Wells