The Time Machine (Penguin Classics)
Grade 7 Up-H.G. Welles' classic begins at an English dinner party where a group of gentlemen are discussing the device that one of them is making so he can explore the fourth dimension. No one is identified by name but when the men gather the following week, the device's inventor, referred to as Time Traveler, is strangely absent. When he arrives later, he recounts his amazing sojourn into the future. Most of this 1895 novella deals with Time Traveler's stay in a world where dark forces lurk behind an idyllic exterior. After narrowly escaping from a forest fire and hostile creatures, Time Traveler uses his invention to investigate other time periods before returning to share his story with his friends. Despite the fact that he has returned with never-before-seen flowers, most of his companions do not believe him. When one of the dinner guests stops by Time Traveler's home a few days later, he is the last one to see the inventor before he and his Time Machine disappear. Ralph Cosham narrates this science fiction standard bearer with a controlled intensity that gives the story the feel of a modern drama. Add to that Welles' ability to predict some contemporary scenarios, and this recording will interest 21st century listeners. With a sturdy case and continual tracking every three minutes, this production will be a useful addition to school and public libraries that want to add classics to their science fiction holdings.Barbara Wysocki, Cora J. Belden Library. Rocky Hill, CTCopyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.