‘The War That Will End War’ is a collection of thought-provoking esssays, in which H. G. Wells examines the causes and effects of the First World War.

For the pacifist Wells, the First World War is an unredeemable atrocity, but he argues that it may be the only way to ‘exorcise a world madness and end an age’. Wells states the goal of the war should be to avoid future wars through a fair peace treaty and a global ‘Peace League’.

It is interesting now to see which of Wells’ unique prophecies were accurate or not, as an unsuccessful attempt was made to create peace after the First World War. This book was influential at the time and impressed U.S. President Woodrow Wilson, and it is still cited to this day about different wars.

Well-balanced, passionate, and creative, ‘The War That Will End War’ is recommended for those interested in the First World War.

H. G. Wells (1866-1946) was a celebrated English writer, remembered mostly for his science fiction works. Often described as a futurist, H. G. Wells’ influence cannot be overstated for his works foresaw many technological innovations such as space travel, the atomic bomb, and the Internet.

Nominated for a Nobel Prize in Literature four times, Wells explored a wide array of themes in his works, from religion to social criticism and beyond. Some of his best works include the time-travel novel ‘The Time Machine’, the sci-fi adventure novel ‘The Island of Dr. Moreau’, and the mankind-versus-aliens novel ‘The War of the Worlds’.

Wells occupies one of the central seats in the canon of science-fiction literature and his writing inspired other celebrated authors such as Ray Bradbury and Philip K. Dick. Wells’ stories are still widely read to this day and have had numerous cinematic adaptations including ‘The Invisible Man’ starring Elisabeth Moss.

The War That Will End War - e-kirja, Englanti, 2022