Tono-Bungay by H.G. Wells

This novel might well have been written in 1909, but it certainly has a relevance today. Think of the way in which the power of advertising has a profound influence over a willingly gullible public, especially in the field of so called 'health products'. Think what George's uncle might have achieved by way of today's mass media, especially tv advertising! On this theme alone (and there are many others in the book, such as various kinds of 'love ' and 'desire'), this book has as much meaning for the 21st century, as it had for the beginning of the twentieth.<br>There is an excellent edition, in hardback, in the 'House of Stratus' series, for the reasonable price of 9.99 (pounds sterling). Read it!!

[PASOB]

I completely agree with Mr. Jasper in regard to Wells' Tono-Bungay. The book is completely modern, maybe because Wells always seemed to have one foot in the future and one in the past. He had a good feel for the scope of history past and history to be made. But it should also be pointed out what a fine writer and stylist Wells was. The book is beautifully written. The prose flows. I always loved this about his works of Science Fiction, the ones most people know about, but it is even more apparent in this mature work of literature. Read Tono Bungay for the music of his words, as well as the truth of the emotions, and the intelligence of the ideas. Like Jules Verne, who also wrote more than his well-known Science Fiction works, Wells really needs to be re-discovered as a fine general novelist. Reading Tono Bungay was my first step in that re-discovery. Now I'm off to read others. So I join Mr. Jasper is saying, Read it!

Steven Paul Leiva
stevenpaulleiva.com