From distinguished British author H.G.
Wells of War of the Worlds
fame,
Anticipations of the Reaction of Mechanical and Scientific Progress upon Human Life and Thought
, better known as
Anticipations
, forecasts the evolution of 20th century society and the consequences of technology. Consisting of nine chapters, Wells first predicts the development of material forces such as transportation and urban distribution and gradually expands the discussion to societal and global forces. Many of his predictions were eerily accurate, while some are the worse for wear. An icon of 20th century intellectual thought, Wells' humanitarian side is forever colored by his espousal of socialism, statism, eugenics, and euthanasia.
is perhaps the most important non-fiction work which illustrates the common intellectual thinking at this critical juncture of human history.