What is Coming? A Forecast of Things after the War

"What is Coming? A Forecast of Things after the War" by H. G. Wells is a thoughtful analytical work written during the early 20th century, specifically in the context of World War I. This book seeks to predict and explore the societal, political, and technological repercussions that may unfold in the years following the conflict, engaging with themes such as the quest for world peace and the economic reconstruction of nations. The author presents himself as a prophet of sorts, using his reputable background in science and sociology to make educated guesses about the future trajectory of humanity. At the start of the book, Wells lays the groundwork for his forecasts, contemplating the nature of prophecy itself and emphasizing the importance of scientific reasoning in predicting societal change. He reflects on the mental and material tolls of the ongoing war, asserting that the primary obstacles to peace will arise from the very structures that individuals and nations uphold. The opening portion highlights the complexities of human nature in the desire for peace, the failures of past international relations, and the necessity for a new world order that transcends national boundaries. Wells sketches a landscape marked by the anticipation of exhausting warfare and a chaotic socio-political environment, compelling readers to consider how a reshaped world might emerge from the ashes of conflict. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

Herbert George Wells was an English writer, prolific in many genres. He wrote more than fifty novels and dozens of short stories. His non-fiction output included works of social commentary, politics, history, popular science, satire, biography, and autobiography. Wells' science fiction novels are so well regarded that he has been called the "father of science fiction".