The War of the Worlds.

London: William Heinemann, 1898. First edition, first issue of this science fiction cornerstone. Octavo, original gray cloth lettered in black. Currey's state (A) with 16 pages publisher's advertisements at end dated Autumn 1897. In fine condition. Accompanied by an autograph letter signed by and entirely in the hand of H.G. Wells. On Wells; Spade House Sandgate letterhead, the letter is addressed to Frank Harris and reads in part, "My dear Frank, This is much more to my taste. I think there's the making of a very amusing play here. It's a slight 'play' as plays are usually considered, buy the great thing is that the interest keeps on... Yours, H.G." The recipient, Frank Harris, was an Irish-American editor, novelist, short story writer, journalist and publisher, who was friendly with many well-known figures of his day including H.G. Wells, Oscar Wilde and George Bernard Shaw. Housed in a custom half morocco clamshell box. An exceptional example. "The War of the Worlds is a tour de force whose innumerable fictional offspring include numerous adaptations and homages, by far the most effective of which was Orson Welles’ Mercury Theater radio broadcast of 1938" (Anatomy of Wonder II-1234). Filmed several times, the first in 1953, starring Gene Barry and Ann Robinson and most recently in 2005 film directed by Steven Spielberg, starring Tom Cruise and Dakota Fanning.