Cover of A Deal In Ostriches by H. G. Wells Audiobook A Deal In Ostriches
Audiobook · Fantastica

A Deal In Ostriches

Author
H. G. Wells
Read by
Finian Silverwood
Language
English
Length
9 minutes
ISBN
9781802567496
Published
15 July 2025
Imprint
Fantastica
  • Science fiction
  • sci fi
  • h.g. wells
  • philosophy
  • adventure
  • action
  • fiction
  • fantasy
  • time travel
  • future

Description

In A Deal in Ostriches, H. G. Wells delivers a witty and satirical short story centered on the absurdities of human ambition, vanity, and the unpredictable nature of business ventures. The story follows two enterprising men who embark on a scheme to profit from ostrich farming, lured by the booming demand for ostrich feathers in late Victorian society. As their venture unfolds, what begins as a hopeful moneymaking enterprise quickly spirals into chaos, revealing the folly of their plans and the comic misadventures that follow. With sharp irony and keen social observation, Wells critiques the fads and economic illusions of his time, crafting a lighthearted yet insightful tale about human folly, the unpredictability of success, and the often-absurd nature of get-rich-quick schemes.

Author

H. G. Wells (1866–1946) was born in Bromley, trained in biology under Huxley, and turned that laboratory habit into fiction. The Time Machine sent a Victorian into deep time; The War of the Worlds brought the sky down on the Home Counties. He wrote as if the future were a social problem with monsters attached. The novels argue while they entertain. A draper's son who made scientific romance a public language.

Other editions