The War of the Worlds
From H. G. Wells to Orson Welles, Jeff Wayne, Steven Spielberg and Beyond
- 384 pages
- English
- ePUB (mobile friendly)
- Available on iOS & Android
The War of the Worlds
From H. G. Wells to Orson Welles, Jeff Wayne, Steven Spielberg and Beyond
About This Book
First published in 1897, H.G. Wells's alien invasion narrative The War of the Worlds was a landmark work of science fiction and one that continues to be adapted and referenced in the 21st century. Chronicling the novel's contexts, its origins and its many multi-media adaptations, this book is a complete biography of the life â and the afterlives â of The War of the Worlds. Exploring the original text's compelling sense of place and vivid recreation of Wells's Woking home and the concerns of fin-de-siĂ©cle Britain, the book goes on to chart the novel's immediate international impact. Starting with the initial serialisations in US newspapers, Peter Beck goes on to examine Orson Welles's legendary 1938 radio adaptation, TV and film adaptations from George Pal to Steven Spielberg, Jeff Wayne's rock opera and the numerous other works that have taken their inspiration from Wells's original. Drawing on new archival research, this is a comprehensive account of the continuing impact of The War of the Worlds.
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Table of contents
- Also Available from Bloomsbury
- Dedication
- Title
- Contentsâ
- List of Tables
- List of Illustrations
- Acknowledgements
- Preface
- List of Abbreviations
- Herbert George Wells: Chronology
- H. G. Wells: Books Published, 1895â1900
- Map: H. G. Wells and The War of the Worlds
- Part IâIntroduction
- Chapter 1âH. G. Wellsâs The War of the Worlds: An enduring Present-Day Story
- Chapter 2âWellsâs Powerful Sense of Place
- Chapter 3âWellsâs Strong Sense of Time: Contextualizing The War of the Worlds
- Part IIâWriting and Publishing The War of the Worlds
- Chapter 4âWellsâs Personal Setting
- Chapter 5âStruggling for Recognition as a New Writer
- Chapter 6âWellsâs âLiterary Factoryâ in Woking
- Chapter 7âWriting The War of the Worlds
- Chapter 8âThe War of the Worlds: Storyline and Methodology
- Chapter 9âLeaving Woking for Worcester Park
- Part IIIâTaking Wellsâs The War of the Worlds to the World in an Ever-Expanding Range of Multimedia Adaptations
- Chapter 10âThe War of the Worldsâ Multimedia Afterlife
- Chapter 11âWellsâs Martians Invade Boston and New York: Serializing The War of the Worlds in American Newspapers, 1897â8
- Chapter 12âWellsâs Martians Invade the USA Yet Again: Orson Wellesâs 1938 the War of the Worlds Broadcast
- Chapter 13ââThose Men from Marsâ Invade the Americas and Europe Again and Again After 1938: The Power of Radio Drama
- Chapter 14âThe War of the Worlds Reaches Cinema and Television Screens Around the World: The Hollywood Films of 1953 and 2005
- Chapter 15âThe War of the Worlds Inspires Jeff Wayneâs Rock Opera and Reaches the Music Stage Around the World
- Part IVâThe War of the Worldsâ Literary Heritage
- Chapter 16âThe War of the Worldsâ Literary Heritage
- Part VâConclusion
- Chapter 17âWells and The War of the Worlds
- Bibliography
- Index
- Copyright