The Many Interest Of H.G. Wells...

I may have mentioned the fact before that I am an avid reader. In fact, everyone in my family is pretty passionate about reading.

When researching a particular writer or book, I occasionally run across some little tidbit of information about that writer that I feel I should share with you. The following piece of info might just surprise you, though.I know it caught me off-guard.

H.G. Wells

Little Wars

The author of War of the Worlds and The Time Machine, H.G. Wells is known today as the father of science fiction. While alive, however, Wells was a man of many interests. In addition to sci-fi, he wrote several books on history, politics, and . . . gaming.

One of Wells’s favorite pastimes was miniature wargaming, now a worldwide hobby. Wargaming seeks to reenact (or simply play through) military conflicts with model soldiers. Notable examples today include Black Powder and Warhammer 40,000. Most miniature wargames are dependent upon rulebooks for coherent play, and Wells penned one of the first: Little Wars.

Compared to modern wargaming tomes, Little Wars wasn’t much. But this attempt to establish a basic consistency in miniature wargames more or less caused the hobby to gain momentum. In fact, Wells is now considered the father of miniature wargaming in addition to science-fiction.

Somewhat ironically, Wells was a pacifist.

Who would have thunk it? Certainly not me! I wouldn't believe for a minute that Wells was an avid Wargamer, as well as an author. Then to top it off, I find out he was a pacifist...? Way too much info for me, I think.

Coffee in the kitchen this morning. Raining again outside.