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First British edition of the author's debut novel. The work's popularization of time machines in science fiction was "so striking as to constitute a historical break and a great inspiration" (SFE). The budding novelist pinned his future hopes to the book, predicting that "I shall know my place for the rest of my career" (ODNB) following its public reception. After its immediate success, Wells produced a succession of further novels, including The Island of Doctor Moreau (1896), The Invisible Man (1897), and The War of the Worlds (1898). The Time Machine's origins were in "The Chronic Argonauts", a series of articles concerning time travel Wells wrote in 1888 for the Science Schools Journal, a magazine he founded while a student. Some six years later, he revised them for the National Observer and then rewrote them as the serial "The Time Traveler's Story" for the New Review. The editor of both journals, W. E. Henley, then persuaded Heinemann to publish the entire story as a book. The first edition in book form was published earlier the same month in America by Henry Holt & Co., who substantially altered the text, mixing together different stages of Wells's drafts, making stylistic changes and using American spelling, and introducing errors such as crediting the author as "H. S. Wells". The British edition therefore represents the first accurate appearance of the text in book form. Copies were bound in buckram and wrappers in varying states. This copy is First British edition of the author's debut novel. The work's popularization of time machines in science fiction was "so striking as to constitute a historical break and a great inspiration" (SFE). The budding novelist pinned his future hopes to the book, predicting that "I shall know my place for the rest of my career" (ODNB) following its public reception. After its immediate success, Wells produced a succession of further novels, including The Island of Doctor Moreau (1896), The Invisible Man (1897), and The War of the Worlds (1898). The Time Machine's origins were in "The Chronic Argonauts", a series of articles concerning time travel Wells wrote in 1888 for the Science Schools Journal, a magazine he founded while a student. Some six years later, he revised them for the National Observer and then rewrote them as the serial "The Time Traveler's Story" for the New Review. The editor of both journals, W. E. Henley, then persuaded Heinemann to publish the entire story as a book. The first edition in book form was published earlier the same month in America by Henry Holt & Co., who substantially altered the text, mixing together different stages of Wells's drafts, making stylistic changes and using American spelling, and introducing errors such as crediting the author as "H. S. Wells". The British edition therefore represents the first accurate appearance of the text in book form. Copies were bound in buckram and wrappers in varying states. This copy is in an early issue buckram binding unrecorded by Currey. The adverts in this copy have the correct points for first issue, numbered 16 pages and with the list of titles headed by The Manxman. READ MORE Octavo. Original tan buckram, spine lettered in blue, front cover lettered in purple, sphinx motif to front cover and publisher's monogram to rear cover in purple, top edge untrimmed, fore and bottom edge rough cut. Ownership inscription, dated 1907, of one H. C. Laird on front free endpaper. Spine lightly toned, front cover gently washed, trivial split to inner hinges, foxing to endpapers, contents clean. A very good copy. Bleiler 2325; Currey, p. 525; Chappell, p. 4; Locke I, p. 227; Wells 4.