In the Fourth Year

‘In the Fourth Year’ is a collection of essays devoted to the post-war world by H.G. Wells. The eleven essays revolve around the idea of a League of Free Nations, ‘the most creative and hopeful of political ideas’, and comprise Wells’ beliefs on what has to be done for world peace to be achieved. The ideas presented in this book may be even more interesting to read now than when they were written as Wells’ goal of a democratic Germany did not take place after the First World War but his notions of fair international trade and a peaceful Middle East are still debated today. ‘In the Fourth Year’ is an interesting, hopeful, and at times controversial book, and the concepts put forth in it remain influential to this day. It should be read by fans of Wells to garner a deeper understanding of the ideas that influenced his other work and by people interested in international relations.
H. G. Wells (1866-1946) was a celebrated English writer, remembered mostly for his science fiction works. Often described as a futurist, H. G. Wells’ influence cannot be overstated for his works foresaw many technological innovations such as space travel, the atomic bomb, and the Internet. A four-time Nobel Prize in Literature nominee, Wells explored a wide array of themes in his works, from religion to social criticism and beyond. Some of his best works include the time-travel novel ‘The Time Machine’, the sci-fi adventure novel ‘The Island of Dr. Moreau’, and the mankind-versus-aliens novel ‘The War of the Worlds’. Wells occupies one of the central seats in the canon of science-fiction literature and his writing inspired other celebrated authors such as Ray Bradbury and Philip K. Dick. Wells’ stories are still widely read to this day and have had numerous cinematic adaptations including ‘The Invisible Man’ starring Elisabeth Moss.