Everyman: The History of Mr. Polly - Paperback Classics

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Fans of H.G. Wells's science fiction may be surprised by his lesser-known but once-popular work, which features a comically vibrant narrative voice, contrasting sharply with the somber tone of his more famous novels. The story revolves around Mr. Alfred Polly, a disgruntled shopkeeper in the dreary town of Fishbourne, England, who stirs up chaos and slapstick mishaps wherever he goes. Having left school at 14, Polly's education has left him in a state of confusion, akin to a botched surgical operation. Despite this, his mind brims with eccentric creativity, and his thwarted romantic aspirations lead to a hilariously misguided suicide attempt. While we won't reveal the outcome, it's worth noting that Polly's blunders make him an unwitting hero in his community, only to disappear for more misadventures. Critics often draw parallels between Polly's social satire and the works of Dickens, yet it also resonates with the humor of Mark Twain and Finley Peter Dunne's Mr. Dooley. Wells himself regarded it as one of his better works, highlighting Polly's heroic incompetence, his challenge to Edwardian norms, and his obliviousness to his revolutionary potential.