The History of Mr. Polly

A comic novel about Alfred Polly, a draper's assistant with a lively imagination and little satisfaction in his life. Poorly educated, dyspeptic and stuck in a dull marriage and a failing shop, he dreams of a freer and more colourful existence. Eventually he decides to act on those dreams. Warm, funny and gently philosophical, the book draws on Wells's own early experiences and celebrates the small people who refuse to give up hope of a better life.