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This is an old revision of this page, as edited by Chris-marsh-usa (talk | contribs) at 20:53, 5 November 2011 (HG Wells was a smart man). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

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No Bomb

"No bomb could "explode continuously" without destroying itself."

Well, the sun does it. Let's hope our grandchildren continue to remain as skeptical about this possibility. -- 3 january 2005


Explosions occur "on" the Sun. I mean when sun explodes chances are high our grandchildren won't be skeptical about it at all. However I personally loved Wells nuclear bomb, and wrongly intrepeted as releasing high doses of radiation instead of exploding. -- 20 1 06

Well and explosion is usually defined as a violent and rapid expansion, often including some sort of shock wave. The sun is continuously undergoing fusion, but I wouldn't describe it as continuously exploding. - tonyB, march 2008 —Preceding unsigned comment added by 207.47.143.136 (talk) 06:27, 12 March 2008 (UTC)[reply]

That cover image

Seems borderline-promotional to me. It's not contemporary with the book and the artwork reflects a modern interpretation of the subject matter. I guess I'll accept it as long as it's kept down to a reasonable size, and as long as we don't have an image of the original cover art. Dpbsmith (talk) 15:10, 16 April 2006 (UTC)[reply]

"Published in the U. S. as 'The Last War???'"

I don't think so. Used bookseller abebooks shows numerous listings of "The World Set Free," published by E. P. Dutton & Co, New York, 1914 [1]. It has no listings for any book by H. G. Wells entitled "The Last War."

A search of the Cornell University online catalog [2] shows 286 titles by H. G. Wells, none entitled "The Last War" or anything like it. "Labour Wars," "Last Books of H. G. Wells," "Little Wars."

The link to the University of Nebraska Press does not link to that book and currently the site appears to be giving nothing but error messages in response to searches. Seems to be working now.

Ah. OK, I've got it. This appears to be a modern reprint, published in 2001. The title is "The Last War: A World Set Free," not "The Last War." It does not seem to have been published in 1914 under that name. I can't determine, either from the Amazon or the UNP website, why the title was changed. Perhaps Bear explains it in the introduction. Anyone know? Did they just want a spiffier title, or was this title Wells wanted, or is this an earlier, previously-unpublished version, or what? Dpbsmith (talk) 15:52, 16 April 2006 (UTC)[reply]

Found it. Google Books search turns up the relevant introduction. Bear says without any additional explanation that "For this Bison Books edition, The World Set Free has been retitled. For this historical introduction, I will continue to use Wells's original title." Dpbsmith (talk) 15:59, 16 April 2006 (UTC)[reply]

POV Check

The tone in the article is needlessly conversational and, it seems to me, judgmental vis-a-vis the work. It would be one thing if we were citing published criticism of the work, but it reads to me like I'm reading the Opinion Of Wikipedia, which is inappropriate. Nandesuka 13:40, 22 February 2007 (UTC)[reply]

Leó Szilárd

Whoa, there! Did Szilard read the book or not? That's kind of important, don't you think? See Leó Szilárd. --Cbdorsett 08:34, 12 March 2007 (UTC)[reply]


According to Leo Szilard - Science as a Mode of Being he did read it (and An Open Conspiracy). -tonyB March 2008 —Preceding unsigned comment added by 207.47.143.136 (talk) 06:34, 12 March 2008 (UTC)[reply]

Modern State NOT cause of war in book?

In the book, is not the Modern State the worldwide state that arises on the wreckage after the Last War? The article says that the Modern State was the one that cause the war. Perhaps a better way to phrase that paragraph would be 'In his day, Wells viewed war as the inevitable result of modern technology combined with old ways of thinking." Komiksulo (talk) 16:38, 11 May 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Someone please do a plot summary

I think it rather odd that a book generate so much discussion of its influence, yet there is no summary of the plot. Pschroeter (talk) 22:04, 4 November 2009 (UTC)[reply]

HG Wells was a smart man

I think HG Wells figured out the only reason that would force world leaders to get together into a world government. When you got, one day, terrorist (malcontents) nuclear bombs going off a few at a time worldwide, that is when world leaders will soil themselves and demand a solution, no one will be safe. The cry will go out for peace and safety. And then one world government. Just the way it all fits to me, especially given that Russian uranium and plutonium isn't all secure yet.Chris-marsh-usa (talk) 06:11, 1 November 2011 (UTC) Chris-marsh-usa (talk) 20:53, 5 November 2011 (UTC)[reply]