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Herbert George Wells has been referred to as “The Father of Science Fiction,” although his mid to late period novels were all tales of suffering suffragists and sad arsonists. He was born on September 21st, 1866, the same year that transatlantic telegraphs were possible, and much of his childhood was spent reading library books and daydreaming. To celebrate his birthday, we’ve decided to compile a list of our favorite science fiction novels, philosophical treatises, and novellas by the esteemed author. As always, let us know in the comments section which sci-fi stories changed your view of the world.

The Invisible Man

Where: A village in southeast England

What happens: A masked stranger enters the town, and the residents become highly suspicious of his activities. The stranger is a desperately poor scientist who has experimented on himself, and is now completely invisible, which was cool at first, but then became kind of depressing when it didn’t wear off. The subtitle is “A Grotesque Romance,” by the way. Take from that what you will.

What we learn: Invisibility is a drag, especially for a prolonged period of time.