Abstract

HG Wells' future history novel looks back from the year 2106. Halfway through the novel's time span, Sean Street explores what the author got almost right - or terribly wrong.

In 1933, Wells published a novel which purported to be a history of the years 1929 to 2105, received from the future in dreams. He called his book The Shape of Things to Come, a phrase that has since become a part of the English language. Now, 84 years into the time scale of this prophetic book and with 88 more to go to complete the story - poet and professor of radio Sean Street goes back to the text and explores what Wells got right, what he got wrong - and what may be yet to come.

From predicting another world war to a utopian world government, he navigates a journey through Wells' future past using audio archives and contemporary news bulletins, with expert help from Christopher Frayling, Andy Sawyer and Orson Wells.

Reader: Jenny Lane
Producer: Andy Cartwright
A Soundscape production for BBC Radio 4.