The Country of the Blind: and Other Science-Fiction Stories (Dover Thrift Editions) Paperback – May 19, 2011

I’ve enjoyed reading H.G. Wells for some time now and I think that “The Country of the Blind” is one example of the Wells’ brilliant and imaginative mind.There are several aspects that make this story so impressive. One being how Wells, through the viewpoint and perspective of Nunez, details the setting, landscape of this community in such a vivid and rich way that creates a picture of this place in the reader’s mind.Secondly, one of the powerful aspects of this story that both thematically and symbolically, a reader can take away multiple interpretations. This is definitely a story that one could reader at a later time and find a new insight or angle that they probably hadn’t perceived on a previous read. Wells incorporates themes such as the perceived limitations of individuals as the basis for this tale, among other issues thematically.And, finally, I think this is just a well written story and Wells exemplifies his ability to craft an engaging and thoughtful story through the lens of Nunez and his experience in “The Country of the Blind.” There are many layers of meaning, and I think this makes for an excellent read.As a sidebar, there are some wonderful and fabulous dramatizations for this story which also make for a rich reading experience.

We needed this for a school assignment and there is nothing wrong with it, but I cannot believe we had to pay $6.00 for 20 pieces of paper stapled and folded in half.

The standard answer to the question, "In the country of the blind what is the one eyed man?" The answer is always- "King". That is inexorably wrong. This is a VALLEY of blind people who have lived that way for generations. In that place the person with sight is not king, he is obviously insane. The valley people keep trying to cure him and finally accept his insanity. He falls in love with a girl and one day when he "sees" that the valley is about to be destroyed he rescues her against her will. She spends the rest of her life weaving baskets.In addition to this classic story by H. G. Wells the book includes "The Star", The New Accelerator", "The remarkable Case of Davidson's eyes", "Under the knife", and "The Queer story of Brownlow's Newspaper".

The stories were great. However, the book's font is small.

I was taking an online literature class, and almost all the books were in the public domain, but reading on screens strains my eyes, Dover was a life saver!

The title story is the most famous, but this is a variant version with a different and equally interesting ending. "Under the Knife" is one of my very favorites, brilliantly encapsulating Olaf Stapledon and anticipating--to some degree--Douglas Adams's Total Perspective Vortex. The other stories are pleasant but mostly unremarkable. Martin Gardner's commentary at the end of the book is chiefly useful for keeping track of when these were originally published. Bear in mind that H. G. Wells wrote prolifically, and this is just a very small sampling of his many short stories.

Glad to finally know where the story came from for a TV movie The Richest Man In Bogota came from. Very pleases with the book. Thanks

It was, however, unusual. I guess it was because it was written so long ago. Funny how time changes things.