IN THE SCARCE DUSTWRAPPER.

WELLS, H. G. ~ The Fate of Homo Sapiens. An unemotional Statement of the Things that are happening to him now, and of the immediate Possibilities confronting him.

FIRST UK PRINTING. Secker and Warburg, London: 1939.

Thick 8vo., oatmeal-coloured cloth lettered direct in gilt to spine, as well as to red painted label; upper edge stained red; together with the blue, black and white illustrated dustwrapper (priced 7s. 6d. net to front flap), signed 'K' [William Kermode]; THE BOOK a very good ++ to near fine copy, the boards a touch stained in places with a little browning to foot of spine; very light offsetting to endleaves and with mild evening toning to the text block; THE WRAPPER very good, creased and rubbed in places with a little loss to the colour particularly along the folds and spine tips; lower panel a little shelf darkened; a little more heavily rubbed at head, with some creasing and a couple of chips; unrestored. The wrapper is protected in a removable Brodart archival cover. FIRST UK PRINTING. This copy complete with a publisher's advertising postcard. A sobering examination of the challenges facing humanity in the modern world, 'The Fate of Homo Sapiens' assesses the political, social, and economic forces at play, taking as portraits figures such as Roosevelt, Stalin, Hitler and Chamberlain. Although not a work of fiction, Wells was known for his predictions concerning the trajectory of humans and world events, with this work published in the same year as the outbreak of the Second World War, one of the greatest periods of change, horror and uncertainty for humanity within the 20th century. Appealing to intelligence, adaptability and plain common sense, Wells argues that the only antidote to totalitarian dictatorship is a scientifically-directed democracy. "The most closely reasoned and most comprehensive book that even H. G. Wells has ever produced" declares the dustwrapper, "Tautly written, passionately concieved under the stimulus of present-day realities...[it] makes a tremendous and decisive appeal to the intelligence of the world". Scarce with the dustwrapper.

BINDING: Hardcover
CONDITION: Very Good ++
JACKET: Very Good