The Time Machine

🤷‍♀️ does it count if I just read the chat gpt summarised version idk…

One of the formative texts of the Sci Fi genre.

Easy to read in this edition; the appendices suggest the original text is a bit less rewarding to a modern reader.

Good story, keeps you emotionally and intellectually invested. Way ahead of it's time, naturally.

This is a pleasant fiction that I'm sure was absolutely jarring at the time of its publishing. But it is difficult to place such a seminal work into the context of the past when our entire lives have been surrounded by the results of its influence. That's why it's hard to say that in the modern era it's anything more than a pleasant fiction.

This work by H.G. Wells has been credited in popularizing the concept of time travel with the use of a machine. Despite the fact that it was originally published in 1895, the book dove into time travel concept very well. Due to the age of this novel, the sentences are sometimes hard to read, but that’s okay. In this novel, the main character, only referred to as The Time Traveller, construct a time machine and subsequently used it to travel to the year 80,271 A.D. There, he finds two kinds of society namely the Enoi and the Morlocks. The social commentary on class and how technological advancements affect humanity are more central to the story than it is on how The Time Traveller manages to time travel. I find this to be an interesting, quick, read, and even though it’s thin, you got to experience emotions of friendship in this novel. If you’re looking for a classic that’s quick and entertaining, this may be it. I give this book 4 hither and tither. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

istg if i have to read one more book about colonizers meeting indigenous populations...

Brilliant.

Reading time machine was very enjoyable and refreshing, though I liked Back to the Future's time travelling mechanism better. The thought-provoking story which was mostly scientifically accurate encourages one to look forward into the future and ponder about the fate of humanity. The fate of humanity in 802, 701 A.D. presents a bifurcated civilization, the above ones drunk with pleasure and ease, live happy and peaceful lives — an idyllic and utopian world many dream of. In contrast, the underground creatures lives in the dark and haunts the ones above at night for survival. Reading the story impressed upon me the chilling imagery of a society divided into two distinct bubbles, one constituting the rich and powerful, the other the poor and destitute. This inequality and divide is already present today, where the tech giants and billionares hold appalling amounts of capital, while millions of others suffer in the dark. The story also conjured up an idea I heard from Jordan Peterson, something about humanity's inability to be content with abundant pleasure and ease, in other words, even if a utopian world where all suffering and trials that plagues the world today were to become reality, a life that is blissfully perfect would have troubling effects on our psyche. It's theorised that we would start causing destruction and mayhem to espace the banality and mundaneness of a life without suffering. Thus, a utopian world that is described in the book seems contradictory to our biological nature that works best under an optimum balance between suffering and pleasure. Not to mention that AGI or climate change (something that's much nearer and real) will wipe us out by then.

Disclaimer: this is not a review.

Sowa's gift for my 32nd birthday. Small book that fit into my purse and was read during moments in between. I finished it on the train from Prague to Rijeka. The book is a short glimpse. And, apart from little creatures, it was the trusting narrator (not the Time Traveller) that was most intriguing. Maybe because of his familiarity.

Reading time machine was very enjoyable and refreshing, though I liked Back to the Future's time travelling mechanism better. The thought-provoking story which was mostly scientifically accurate encourages one to look forward into the future and ponder about the fate of humanity. The fate of humanity in 802, 701 A.D. presents a bifurcated civilization, the above ones drunk with pleasure and ease, live happy and peaceful lives — an idyllic and utopian world many dream of. In contrast, the underground creatures lives in the dark and haunts the ones above at night for survival. Reading the story impressed upon me the chilling imagery of a society divided into two distinct bubbles, one constituting the rich and powerful, the other the poor and destitute. This inequality and divide is already present today, where the tech giants and billionares hold appalling amounts of capital, while millions of others suffer in the dark. The story also conjured up an idea I heard from Jordan Peterson, something about humanity's inability to be content with abundant pleasure and ease, in other words, even if a utopian world where all suffering and trials that plagues the world today were to become reality, a life that is blissfully perfect would have troubling effects on our psyche. It's theorised that we would start causing destruction and mayhem to espace the banality and mundaneness of a life without suffering. Thus, a utopian world that is described in the book seems contradictory to our biological nature that works best under an optimum balance between suffering and pleasure. Not to mention that AGI or climate change (something that's much nearer and real) will wipe us out by then.

I never get tired of H G Wells imagination. An English Scientist recounts to his friends his journey into 802,701 AD when he sees the future of two warring species of humans. Here is is stuck for a period of time and must find his way to his current time period.

I remember reading this freshman year of college. Really enjoyed it.

I never get tired of H G Wells imagination. An English Scientist recounts to his friends his journey into 802,701 AD when he sees the future of two warring species of humans. Here is is stuck for a period of time and must find his way to his current time period.

A much quicker pace than I expected and pretty enjoyable!

This is a very interesting book because aside from being a good sci-fi read, it also clearly illustrates and comments on the social philosophies and ideas of the author's time, as all worthwhile alternate universe fiction tends to do.

Beautifully readable and entertaining even 127 years after original publication. Architectural ideas later picked up in Gibson (Agency) and Liu (Remembrance of Earth’s Past).

Striking, abysmal images near the end. Cannot help but remember something about giant crabs and red sea--seeming like a fever dream.

This is a very interesting book because aside from being a good sci-fi read, it also clearly illustrates and comments on the social philosophies and ideas of the author's time, as all worthwhile alternate universe fiction tends to do.

communism! yay!

short and wild. love a good reflection on humanity 😍

3.5-4

The first half was exactly what I wanted from a time-travel science fiction. Unexpected events, new ideas, not too verbose, the logic was solid. However, the second half felt like an average episode of Rick and Morty.

this did not age well

3.5-4