"THIS HERE PROGRESS… IT KEEPS ON": FIRST EDITION OF H.G. WELLS' THE WAR IN THE AIR, 1908

WELLS, H.G. The War in the Air and Particularly How Mr. Bert Smallways Fared While It Lasted. London: George Bell and Sons, 1908. Octavo, original blue cloth gilt, uncut. $1750.

First edition, first state, of Wells' "fusion of comedy and satirical melodrama" (Anatomy of Wonder) anticipating the airplane's role in modern warfare.

Wells wrote this novel in 1907, when tensions between England and Germany were on the rise, making war seem increasingly likely—and the airplane was barely four years old. Connecting these two realities, Wells speculates on how manned flight will change warfare. He envisions a true world war, dogfights and large "aerial navies," with destructive capabilities never before seen. The airplane's role in warfare "proved as apocalyptically destructive as he prophesied" (Benet, 1082). In sharp contrast to the "enthusiastic jingoism" of other authors in the "future-war subgenre" of the time, Wells warns that, unless nations make different and better choices, their imperialistic, militaristic paths will lead to the world's destruction (Anatomy of Wonder II-1233). This novel is also notable for introducing the phrase "the war in the air" to refer to this new military front. Illustrated with black-and-white frontispiece and 15 black-and-white plates by A.C. Michael. In first state binding, with gilt-stamped blue cloth. Without scarce dust jacket. Currey, 425. Hammond B11. Weinstein, 31. Cutler & Stiles, 155.

Just a few instances of foxing to text, all along bottom margin or to last few leaves; cloth with very faint staining to rear board and fore-edge of front board, gilt bright. An extremely good copy.