Books

London: C. Arthur Pearson, 1897. 2 pp undated ads. Original red cloth with invisible man in black. First Edition of Wells's classic tale (he later pointed out that the title is a misnomer: the protagonist is actually The Transparent Man). As with THE ISLAND OF DOCTOR MOREAU, this is a grim tale about a mad scientist who degenerates into a homicidal maniac, possessed by the illusion of omnipotence. As Smith points out, THE INVISIBLE MAN sold well for a month, after which sales collapsed entirely; yet it kept royalty checks coming Wells's way for the rest of his life. Wells also made a lot of money from this book in Hollywood (starring Claude Rains in 1933); actually, there had been an earlier version, titled "The Invisible Thief," produced by Path� in 1909, of which today only a few fuzzy stills survive. THE INVISIBLE MAN was Wells's only book published by Pearson -- fortunately, as Pearson's books today are notable for the poor quality of bindings and paper employed. This is a very good copy, exhibiting the usual Pearson problems (fragile rear endpaper cracked, poor-quality paper browned mainly in the margins, spine darkened) -- though there is very little external wear. We have never seen a truly fine copy of THE INVISIBLE MAN. Wells Soc. 11; Hammond B4; Currey p. 520.

H.G. Wells's "The Invisible Man" tells the story of a scientist named Griffin who discovers the secret to becoming invisible. With themes of unchecked scientific ambition and the consequences of isolation, this novel remains one of Wells's most enduring and thought-provoking works.