{"product_id":"book-j9qy","title":"The War in the Air","description":"\u003cp\u003eBert Smallways, a \"kind of bicycle engineer,\" is creatively trying to avoid bankruptcy when he meets by chance a certain Mr. Butteridge-the inventor of a new form of aircraft. Butteridge, Bert discovers, has plans to sell his invention either to British Government-or to the Germans, if the British won't have it.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eWhen one of Butteridge's aircrafts is shot down whilst Bert is aboard, Bert stumbles across a secret German plot to destroy the United States.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAs the story unfolds, Bert finds himself in an unexpected position, called upon to perform tasks he never could have foreseen.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eH. G. Wells' prophetic ideas, images and concepts are featured in this novel. His military science fiction anticipates World War I and the use of aircraft. As ever, H. G. Wells writes with both humor and a well described dystopia. The story was written in 1907 and was serialized in 1908 issues of \u003cem\u003eThe Pall Mall Magazine\u003c\/em\u003e. At that time, the existence of the airplane was \"merely a rumor\" for many. Whilst Wells' predictions can now be corrected at various points, his central message is that if humankind goes on with war, \"the smash-up of civilization is inevitable. This remains essentially right.\" (Excerpt from Preface to the reprint edition).\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Gregory Dwyer","offers":[{"title":"Audiobook","offer_id":49350930563376,"sku":"BDj9qy","price":24.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Audio CD","offer_id":49350930596144,"sku":"ZEj9qy","price":45.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Audio MP3-CD","offer_id":49350930661680,"sku":"ZMj9qy","price":35.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0879\/2784\/9264\/files\/j9qy-Square-cover.jpg?v=1776014274","url":"https:\/\/downpour.com\/products\/book-j9qy","provider":"Downpour","version":"1.0","type":"link"}