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A review by apechild
The History Of Mr. Polly by H.G. Wells
3.0
It was all right although not the most engaging story I've ever read, and certainly very different from the other HG Wells books I've read up until now.
Mr Polly is an Englishman at the turn of the century - just going into the 1900s. We first meet him aged thirty seven - apparently at forty there's nothing before you except old age and death: happy thoughts, eh? He's having a moment, realising his life has been an utter waste: he owes money on this shop he's been running for fifteen years, he and his wife don't like each other etc etc... so he decides to burn the shop to the ground and do himself in. Except that things don't work out quite like that.
Mr Polly is a bit of a bimbler, who has pottered through life without any major goals or drives, no interest in creating a great business or career, and is mostly happy with his books or going out for walks or bike rides in the countryside. Well, I can relate to that. He kind of falls through the various stages of life without taking anything too seriously. Marries cousin Miriam without being in love but because it just seemed like something to do. Sets himself up in a shop with a little money he inherited from his father, because he didn't really know what else to do with himself. A very ordinary story of a very ordinary guy - so there's a story to be told in everyone's life?
After his bungled suicide attempt, he takes it as a fresh start and leaves everything behind to do what he wants to do in life. And he's happy. But it's not particularly dramatic, and doesn't make for the most of exciting books. Certainly randomly walking around the countryside in the UK appeals to me.
Anyway, here's a thought from the book: "There is only one sort of man who is absolutely to blame for his own misery, and that is the man who finds life dull and dreary. There are no circumstances in the world that determined action cannot alter, unless, perhaps, they are the walls of a prison cell, and even those will dissolve and change..." (p167). Life is short, and you can make changes, however small, if they make you happy, then do it.
Mr Polly is an Englishman at the turn of the century - just going into the 1900s. We first meet him aged thirty seven - apparently at forty there's nothing before you except old age and death: happy thoughts, eh? He's having a moment, realising his life has been an utter waste: he owes money on this shop he's been running for fifteen years, he and his wife don't like each other etc etc... so he decides to burn the shop to the ground and do himself in. Except that things don't work out quite like that.
Mr Polly is a bit of a bimbler, who has pottered through life without any major goals or drives, no interest in creating a great business or career, and is mostly happy with his books or going out for walks or bike rides in the countryside. Well, I can relate to that. He kind of falls through the various stages of life without taking anything too seriously. Marries cousin Miriam without being in love but because it just seemed like something to do. Sets himself up in a shop with a little money he inherited from his father, because he didn't really know what else to do with himself. A very ordinary story of a very ordinary guy - so there's a story to be told in everyone's life?
After his bungled suicide attempt, he takes it as a fresh start and leaves everything behind to do what he wants to do in life. And he's happy. But it's not particularly dramatic, and doesn't make for the most of exciting books. Certainly randomly walking around the countryside in the UK appeals to me.
Anyway, here's a thought from the book: "There is only one sort of man who is absolutely to blame for his own misery, and that is the man who finds life dull and dreary. There are no circumstances in the world that determined action cannot alter, unless, perhaps, they are the walls of a prison cell, and even those will dissolve and change..." (p167). Life is short, and you can make changes, however small, if they make you happy, then do it.