Mr. Hoopdriver, an unhappy draper’s assistant, takes a ten-day holiday: a bicycle tour of the English countryside. His repeated encounters with a pretty young woman cyclist in bloomers leads to flights of fancy that make this not only one of Well’s funniest novels but also gives an early glimpse of the “New Woman.” Wells’s delightful comedy also documents the bicycle’s liberating impact on social mores.
About the author
H. G. Wells (1866–1946), is often called the “Father of Science Fiction.” While science fiction was his most popular genre, Wells also wrote on history, politics, and made social commentary. His “scientific romances” speculated about the future, scientific advancements, and outer space. His works include The Time Machine, and The War of the Worlds