H. G. Wells

T. H. Huxley taught and inspired him. The Webbs involved him in socialist activities. Though he quarrelled with Shaw, they stayed lifelong friends, writing and sending each other copies of their new books. West and Richardson were among his lovers; Buchan, Bennett, Conrad, Jung, Stein and Gissing (a valued friend) among his correspondents. Tagore met him in Switzerland, while Henry James was a neighbour in Sussex (whom he rather cruelly parodied). In love with Gellhorn, he pocketed the fee for an article of hers. He disapproved of Welles’ ‘War of the Worlds’ broadcast, and fell out with Russell over pacifism.