Join us on a literary world trip!
Add this book to bookshelf
Grey
Write a new comment Default profile 50px
Grey
Subscribe to read the full book or read the first pages for free!
I want to read the book!
All characters reduced
The Wheels of Chance (Unabridged) - cover

The Wheels of Chance (Unabridged)

H. G. Wells

Publisher: DigiCat

  • 0
  • 0
  • 0

Summary

H. G. Wells' "The Wheels of Chance" is a delightful exploration of chance, fate, and the seductive idea of liberation through travel. Set against the backdrop of Edwardian England, the narrative follows a hapless draper, the protagonist, who stumbles upon adventure when he trades his mundane existence for a bicycle journey. Wells employs a whimsical yet acerbic literary style, blending humor with social commentary, reflecting the anxieties and aspirations of a society on the cusp of modernity. The novel's rich descriptive passages transport readers through the lush countryside while its dialogues capture the eccentricity of diverse characters, underscoring the randomness of life's encounters. Wells, a pioneer of science fiction, was profoundly influenced by the social and political milieu of his time, advocating for progressive ideals. His background in social reform and his deep engagement with the politics of technology likely inspired this novel, where the bicycle symbolizes both freedom and the folly of human ambition. Through this work, Wells critiques the stratifications of class while celebrating the exhilaration that accompanies change and spontaneous adventure. Readers are encouraged to delve into "The Wheels of Chance" not only for its humorous narrative but also for its insightful reflections on the human condition. This unabridged edition serves as an excellent introduction for those new to Wells and a charming reminder to seasoned readers of the author's ability to entertain while inviting contemplation about life's serendipities.
Available since: 12/04/2023.
Print length: 332 pages.

Other books that might interest you

  • Chaos in a Coupe - Travelling across India with Three Dogs - cover

    Chaos in a Coupe - Travelling...

    Divya Dugar

    • 0
    • 0
    • 0 
    Once upon a time, there was a family: Divya Dugar, her partner Olivier, their tiny hooman Marius, and their three rescue streeties-Tigress, Marcopolo and Pari. They lived in Delhi. And they wanted to go to other places. 
So they booked a first-class coupe with the Indian Railways that allowed them to travel with their dogs. The sixsome went on many, many train journeys. It was not just about getting to a place, be it Goa, Rajasthan or Madhya Pradesh, but about seeing it with new eyes-and ears and noses, which is inevitable when half your touring party is canine. As they faced uncanny, hilarious situations and tried their best to grapple with systems designed for human convenience, the high point of the trips was often the adventures in the train compartment, which the dogs made their very own. 
A witty, whimsical, wry account of those journeys, accompanied by some stunning photographs, Chaos in a Coupe is a book that travellers, pet parents and anyone who likes a good read will enjoy.
    Show book
  • Undertaking of Billy Buffone The (Unabridged) - cover

    Undertaking of Billy Buffone The...

    David Giuliano

    • 0
    • 0
    • 0 
    IN THE SPIRIT OF THE BOYS OF ST. VINCENT, award winning author David Giuliano creates a story of trauma, humour and redemption. Catherine, a newly minted preacher, moves to Twenty-Six Mile House, an isolated community in northern Ontario and befriends the quirky undertaker Billy Buffone who has a disturbing secret he has carried for almost two decades. A story inspired by true events. Billy's best friend, now deceased, leads the reader through the traumatic events of today and those from the never-forgotten past.
    Show book
  • Olive Grove at the Edge of the World An - How two American city boys built a new life in rural New Zealand - cover

    Olive Grove at the Edge of the...

    Jared Gulian

    • 0
    • 0
    • 0 
    The hilarious and endearing true tale of two urban Americans who escaped to a tiny olive farm in rural New Zealand. 
For Jared Gulian, leaving the United States and coming to tiny Wellington, New Zealand, was a big enough switch from the bright lights of big cities. So when his partner CJ decided they just had to buy a rundown olive grove in the Wairarapa Valley, it was almost too much to cope with. 
First they'd have to drive over the dangerous Remutaka ranges to get there, and Jared was terrified of heights. Then they'd have to figure out what on earth you do with 500 olive trees that hadn't been pruned for years, a geriatric rooster, warring hens, an obese kunekune pig, cast sheep, marauding cattle, and understanding your neighbors when they said "yiece" but meant "yes." 
In this delightful memoir, Jared Gulian describes the first four years of their new life in the country, its disasters and small triumphs, its surprises and pleasures. But most of all he describes the warmth of the local community that welcomed them, saved them from certain peril, taught them how to cook, how to care for animals, and how to understand and love the land. 
If you love Peter Mayle, David Sedaris, Frances Mayes, or James Herriot, this charming adventure is for you. 
Buy now for a story that will feed your heart and make you smile.
    Show book
  • Londst - A Short Story - cover

    Londst - A Short Story

    Del Elle

    • 0
    • 0
    • 0 
    Just a nice, quiet, early afternoon's walk.  
Or it would be if a giant talking lemon wasn't coming down the road.  
Herdgewick's a bit of an expert. Crime-fighting, maze-cracking, bird-spotting; he's on it. Only he might want to have brushed up on his tree species this morning. Getting them wrong is not a good idea in the not-so-quiet county of Londst... 
    Show book
  • Go Back to Where You Came From - And Other Helpful Recommendations on How to Become an American - cover

    Go Back to Where You Came From -...

    Wajahat Ali

    • 0
    • 0
    • 0 
    Go back to where you came from, you terrorist! 
 
This is just one of the many warm, lovely, and helpful tips that Wajahat Ali and other children of immigrants receive on a daily basis. Go back where, exactly? Fremont, California, where he grew up, but now an unaffordable place to live? Or  
Pakistan, the country his parents left behind a half-century ago? 
 
While living the American Dream, young Wajahat devoured comic books (devoid of brown superheroes) and fielded well-intentioned advice from uncles and aunties (“Become a doctor!”). He had turmeric stains under his fingernails, was  
accident-prone, suffered from OCD, and wore Husky pants. That is, he was as American as his neighbors, with roots all over the world. Then, while Ali was studying at University of California, Berkeley, 9/11 happened. Muslims replaced  
Communists as America’s enemy #1, and he became an accidental spokesman and ambassador of all ordinary, unthreatening things Muslim-y. 
 
Now a middle-aged dad, Ali has become one of the foremost and funniest public intellectuals in America. In Go Back to Where You Came From, he tackles the dangers of Islamophobia, white supremacy, and chocolate hummus, peppering  
personal stories with astute insights into national security, immigration, and pop culture. In this refreshingly bold, hopeful, and uproarious memoir, Ali offers indispensable lessons for cultivating a more compassionate, inclusive, and delicious America.
    Show book
  • The Tyranny of Desire - cover

    The Tyranny of Desire

    Morty Shallman

    • 0
    • 0
    • 0 
    #1 AMAZON BESTSELLER (Absurdist Fiction, Kindle Store) • #1 AMAZON NEW RELEASE (Humorous Dark Comedy, Kindle Store) • #1 AMAZON NEW RELEASE (Absurdist Fiction, Kindle Store) •Meet Puchy Mushkin, the hero of this “fast-paced phantasmagoric satire of a debauched contemporary LA…” (1) who “vows to live a life devoid of want…” (2) while thrusting himself into “the wildest situations and transgressions in a carnivalesque Los Angeles.” (2) This novel is “often uproarious,“(2) “delightfully wicked, outrageous…" (3) “brilliantly written and very funny.” (1) 
Puchy Mushkin is a big dreamer and an even bigger loser whose spectacular failure as a human being is exceeded only by the enormity of his penis.   
In the depths of his despair, Puchy has an epiphany: could the endless series of screw-ups that define his existence be the result of his overwhelming desire for success—the success he believes is his birthright? 
To test his theory and, hopefully, change his fate, Puchy vows to banish all dreams, goals, aims, ambitions, and obsessions from his life except one: to assassinate desire itself and hang it by its feet like Mussolini. 
What follows is the hilariously dark, raunchy, and irreverent tale of one man’s twisted war with himself—an anti-story about an anti-hero whose only motivation is to have no motivation at all. 
Will Puchy succeed in his quest to conquer desire? Or will desire get him first? Grab your copy of The Tyranny of Desire TODAY to find out.
    Show book