The War of the Wheels
H. G. Wells and the Bicycle
Published on 30. April 2017
Book
Hardback
264 pages
978-0-8156-3503-1 (ISBN)
Description
Amid apocalyptic invasions and time travel, one common machine continually appears in H. G. Wells's works: the bicycle. From his scientific romances and social comedies, to utopias, futurological speculations, and letters, Wells's texts brim with bicycles. In The War of the Wheels, Withers examines this mode of transportation as both something that played a significant role in Wells's personal life and as a literary device for creating elaborate characters and exploring complex themes.
Withers traces Wells's ambivalent relationship with the bicycle throughout his writing. While Wells celebrated it as a singular and astonishing piece of technology, and continued to do so long after his contemporaries abandoned their enthusiasm for the bicycle, he was not an unwavering promoter of this machine. Wells acknowledged the complex nature of cycling, its contribution to a growing dependence on and fetishization of technology, and its role in humanity's increasing sense of superiority. Moving into the twenty-first century, Withers reflects on how the works of H. G. Wells can serve as a valuable locus for thinking through many of our current issues and problems related to transportation, mobility, and sustainability.
Withers traces Wells's ambivalent relationship with the bicycle throughout his writing. While Wells celebrated it as a singular and astonishing piece of technology, and continued to do so long after his contemporaries abandoned their enthusiasm for the bicycle, he was not an unwavering promoter of this machine. Wells acknowledged the complex nature of cycling, its contribution to a growing dependence on and fetishization of technology, and its role in humanity's increasing sense of superiority. Moving into the twenty-first century, Withers reflects on how the works of H. G. Wells can serve as a valuable locus for thinking through many of our current issues and problems related to transportation, mobility, and sustainability.
Reviews / Votes
"A fascinating read: not just about one author and one mode of transport, but about modernity, ecology, and technology more broadly." - Simon J. James, Department of English Studies, Durham University"Apart from the works mentioned here, the book includes several references to lesser-known writings, which makes it valuable for all those whose interest reaches beyond Wells's best known works. Another advantage is that all the works discussed are constantly considered against a wider literary background [...] In all, The War of the Wheels represents a fascinating study, not only for Wellsians and cycling enthusiasts, but also for all those who are interested in a hitherto largely neglected area of modern literary and cultural history." - The Wellsian Journal, 41 (2018)
More details
Series
Language
English
Place of publication
New York
United States
Target group
Professional and scholarly
Illustrations
17 black & white illustrations
Dimensions
Height: 229 mm
Width: 152 mm
Thickness: 17 mm
Weight
500 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-8156-3503-1 (9780815635031)
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Schweitzer Classification
Person
Jeremy Withers is assistant professor of English at Iowa State University. He is the coeditor of Culture on Two Wheels: The Bicycle in Literature and Film.