H. G. Wells in early French editions

H. G. Wells in a few words

Born in Bromley, Kent, to a shopkeeper, Wells studied biology in London under Thomas Henry Huxley before turning to journalism. His “scientific romances” appeared within a few years: The Time Machine, The Island of Doctor Moreau, The Invisible Man, The War of the Worlds, The First Men in the Moon, The Food of the Gods. He later wrote novels of manners (Kipps, Tono-Bungay, The History of Mr Polly), essays on social anticipation (Anticipations, A Modern Utopia) and a vast Outline of History. A tireless socialist and polemicist, he was one of the most widely read writers of his time.

What we offer

The collection brings together old French translations of Wells: volumes from the Mercure de France in the translations by Henry-D. Davray, sometimes with Bronisław Kozakiewicz, who introduced the author to France, paperback reprints from the interwar period, a few bound copies and, more rarely, illustrated editions. A Modern Utopia, often requested, is included whenever a copy becomes available. The grid above shows the titles currently in stock, from the most recently acquired to the oldest.

Identifying a fine French edition of Wells

The earliest French translations are modest paperbacks; their interest lies in the date of their first appearance in French, which can be verified on the title page, in the colophon and in the publisher’s catalogue often printed at the end of the volume. Uncut copies with clean covers and no edition statement are preferable. Among the illustrated editions, the War of the Worlds illustrated by Alvim Corrêa is the most famous and sought-after. A period binding with the original covers intact protects these books well without detracting from their character.

Buying and conservation advice

The paper used in common editions of Wells is often acidic: it yellows and becomes brittle. Avoid copies with broken spines or detached sections if you intend to read them. Store them away from light and heat, upright and without crowding. For the curious reader rather than the collector, a carefully produced interwar reprint offers the complete text at a reasonable price; for the collector, the first translation in good condition remains the goal. Our records specify the publisher, edition statement and condition.

To go further

The page Jules Verne features the great French forerunner of science fiction, and the page Albert Robida his visionary illustrator. Rudyard Kipling, a contemporary of Wells, is also represented in our French editions. The ancient sciences and techniques that inspired Wells are gathered in the Sciences, Techniques and Law section, while novels can be found in the Literature and Original Editions section.