Mr. Britling Sees it Through [Hardcover]

H. G. Wells (Author)

Product Details

• Hardcover
• Publisher: Macmillan (1918)
• ASIN: B000IAN3SS
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

26 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Not at all a bad book, March 31, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Mr. Britling Sees It Through (Hardcover)

The title says it all. "Mr. Britling Sees It Through" ... gosh, it's almost a parody of a H.G. Wells title. It's the story of how Mr. Britling makes it through World War One; although I should point out that he never once leaves England nor even, so far as I can remember, his study.

Look, I really liked this book, and I wish I could give it a higher rating; and Wells is a good enough writer to ensure that the book has some good things in it (Mr. Britling's "affair" with a theatrically emotional woman is hilarious); but in all fairness I must say that (a) Not all that much happens - I know Mr. Britling has a son at the front, but the resulting tension isn't enough to build a novel out of, and (b) There's something a touch self-indulgent about Mr. Britling's armchair angst, and so as a result (c) Wells sometimes misses the point of his own fable. But if anyone has any desire at all to read this book, I say, give in to it.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Wells was a wonderful writer and very talented at telling a great story..., February 6, 2010

By 

Felicity Barrington "Seeking Sunshine in Seattle" (The Wet Coast) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Mr. Britling Sees It Through (Paperback)

I'm a huge H.G Wells fan. On this one he steps outside the science fiction genre and gives us a compelling look into the mind of a man as he and his nation are pulled into war. It's actually very similar to the process I've seen the American psyche going through since 9-11, previously opposed to war, then whole-heartedly engaged, then questioning it.

I think this book would be a good choice for history buffs, since it does such an excellent job of showing us how things were during World War I and what the mood was like during that time.

Wells himself followed a similar course to his character. His leaned philosophically in the direction of pacifism, but when the First World War began he supported it at first, then after a while he gravitated back to his more pacifistic views.

This is an excellent book and I really enjoyed reading. Wells was a wonderful writer and very talented at telling a great story. I highly recommend this book.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Brilliant and sometimes hilarious!, January 26, 2010

By 

Always with an open mind - See all my reviews

This review is from: Mr. Britling Sees It Through (Paperback)

I got this book as a gift from my brother. I have always loved H.G. Wells' books, and though this one is not in the same genre that I'm used to, I really loved it. It's sad and brilliant and sometimes hilarious. The message is deep and timely. Even though it's about a different war, the sentiment is still the same. What war does to the psyches of individuals and nations does not change. It unites us for a time only to eventually leave us feeling dirty. H.G. Wells shows us this process works in this excellent book. I really enjoyed reading it, and I would recommend it to anyone.