H. G. B.

Born in England in 1866, Herbert George Wells became one of the most influential writers of modern speculative fiction. He is best known for novels such as The Time Machine, The Island of Doctor Moreau, The Invisible Man, and The War of the Worlds, works that helped define early science fiction.

Wells wrote far beyond fiction as well. Britannica describes him as a novelist, journalist, sociologist, and historian, and his wide-ranging work included social commentary, history, and political writing alongside his stories.

What keeps his writing fresh is the blend of imagination and argument: even at his wildest, he was usually asking what new inventions, social changes, or scientific discoveries might mean for ordinary human life. That mix of storytelling and big questions is a big part of why his work has lasted.