This is a novel that deserves to be read more. Wells turns his sociologist's eye to the modern social structure and shows the absurdity and ruthlessness at the heart of modern society. A real novel of its moment, Tono-Bungay covers the opening days of modern advertising, the "bubble" and then the financial crash of 1908, exploitation of colonial mineral resources, the invention of airplanes, and a whole host of other things. If you thought Wells was only about science-fiction, give this book a try and see what everyone has been missing.

For a high school English class assignment, I was supposed to review a book by H. G. Wells, and I happened to find this one, and I never heard of it so I decided to try it out. Reportedly Wells's own favorite work of fiction, it is certainly ambitious, but it feels like several disparate stories cobbled together rather than a unified whole.

The story starts with young George being banished from his family home by his mother after a feud between him and another relative turns violent, and he is sent to live with relatives he could not stand, so he goes back to his shocked mother, who then sends him to his chemist uncle Walter, who takes him in, though he ends up developing the title patent medication with George's help. This medication does not really do any good but it proves enormously popular and makes Walter a fortune.

But George, wanting to marry, finds himself falling in love with a girl and marrying her, only to discover they are ill-suited to one another, and they have to go through a rigamarole to get divorced. Soon after, Walter is starting to face financial difficulties and has his nephew go on a ship to Africa to pick up a load of radioactive "quap", which supposedly would rescue the uncle from his problems. But that does not go well either.

The book tries to cover a number of social and economic issues of the era, and it is essentially a period piece. Some critics call it a critique of capitalism; this is more a critique of marketing a product which is appealing but not of value, and the fallout from that. The book does criticize the class structure of Britain, which was already falling apart at the time. The "quap" episode does not even much relate to the rest of the story. Wells tried too much in one book and it would fall apart in the end.

Starts and ends a bit trite. 1/4 of the book holds you pretty well. The attack on capitalism is weak and leaves you wanting more; a death blow rather than a sentimental rebuke.

I gave up on this book after having read a third of the narrative that didn't work for me.

“Women in Love stands as one of the central monuments of literary modernism, while Tono-Bungay has remained on the sidelines. Wells himself, with some of the blindness of his narrator, seems to have regarded his novel as more conventional than it is. In his preface to a 1925 reissue he called it a ‘novel upon the accepted lines’, and in his Experiment in Autobiography he said he planned it to be ‘a novel, as I imagined it, on Dickens–Thackeray lines’. But a century after its publication, it seems less dated, less limited by its era, than many modernist classics. Its picture of a world shadowed in by anxiety and change in the midst of apparent normality remains vivid and urgent, as does its vision of a society whose wealth is built partly on the imagery of advertising, partly on the exploitation of technology, partly on piratical commerce on an international scale. The ambiguities and uncertainties of its narrative technique retain their unsettling power because Wells never insisted that he was writing in a way that was radically new – and that must therefore grow old when its moment of newness passes. Tono-Bungay is a book that defined its century, while its century scarcely noticed it.” [Introduction to Tono-Bungay -- Edward Mendelson]

Three principal symbols in the book exemplify the theme:

**The first is Bladesover, the great estate on which George is raised. The estate comes to us as a representation of the narrow-minded, stuck-up England of the late 19th century. Bladesover, and the whole system of life implied by its existence, nevertheless has its good points, George realizes. At least it is rooted in tradition and an ordered way of life, not on exploitation and advertising. Lady Drew belonged there, but after her death the estate is taken over by members of the nouveau riche class — unschooled, unrefined people who care about its traditions only since they enhance their own status.

**The second major symbol is the patent medicine, Tono-Bungay. Utterly inconsequential, through saturation advertising it makes a fortune for George and his uncle. Scientific experiment, which Wells felt should be subsidized by the government, is dependent on the financial success or failure of such goods. As the first major satire on modern, advertising techniques, Tono-Bungay is still an effective novel.

**Third and lastly, the mysterious radioactive quap symbolizes the recklessness of imperialism and industrialism, and the plunder of the natural resources of the earth to gratify men’s gluttony. With the purpose of getting this substance, which is nauseating to smell and unsafe to hold, George, who is normally decent and honest, must lie, steal, and even kill. The quap is in conclusion lost — refunded to nature where it always belonged.

Although Wells never preaches and harangues in Tono-Bungay, it is clear that he is abruptly criticizing the vulgar commercialism in the England of his day. Neither the self-destructive snobbery of Bladesover, symbolized by Beatrice’s refusal to marry neither George, nor the aggressive unscrupulousness of the middle class, tradition less and socially unsure of itself, strikes Wells as good.

The aristocracy perishes since it is feeble, blinkered, and self-indulgent. The middle class is rising to take the aristocracy’s place, but its only structure of values is a persistent materialism.

At first, science seems to be the only genuine human concern in the book. But it is science that has taught the world the uses of quap, and we last see George putting his scientific training to use in designing destroyers. Essentially only the good-humored endurance and courage of George’s Aunt Susan, like the spirit of Weena in The Time Machine, is worth anything. Underneath its ebullient humor and Dickensian high spirits, Tono-Bungay is a darkly prophetic book, richer in detail and human warmth than The Time Machine but every bit as pessimistic about the future.

To conclude, although Tono-Bungay is often amusing, it is a profoundly thoughtful analysis of the breakdown of values in pre-World War I England. The character of George Ponderous is much like Wells’ own, down to the details of being a housekeeper’s son and receiving a scientific, technical education rather than the classical education of the upper class.

Give it a go. It is a classic of sorts.

The novel satirizes the gullibility of the public and the morally dubious methods of the burgeoning advertising industry. George is aware of the dubious nature of the enterprise but is swept up in the excitement and financial success. He helps his uncle expand the business, and they create a vast commercial empire based on deception.

As the Tono-Bungay business grows, Edward becomes increasingly erratic and reckless. He embarks on various ill-fated ventures, including building a huge mansion and speculating on the stock market. George becomes disillusioned with the morally corrupt world of business, feeling trapped by the very wealth and success he has helped create.

Eventually, the fraudulent nature of Tono-Bungay catches up with them. The product's sales begin to decline as the public loses interest, and Edward's investments fail. The company faces legal challenges and financial ruin.

Despite his scientific pursuits, George remains disillusioned with the world. The novel ends with George embarking on a solo flight in his aeroplane, leaving behind the failures of his past and uncertain about his future. He reflects on the meaning of his life and the society he lives in, recognizing the destructive nature of unchecked capitalism and the hollowness of success built on deception.

really cool book on the precipice of british modernism. genuinely very funny and has a lot of nuance in its criticism of british capitalism. the quap portion could've had more to it but still works well as a seeming riff on HoD. while i did enjoy significant portions of this, it made me much more interested in rereading HoD and The Good Soldier than interested in the book itself.

Although more well-known for his science fiction novels, Wells has written some contemporary novels worth revisiting. What is Tono-Bungay? It’s not a name of a foreign bloke, like Tony, as exotic as it sounds. It is simply a wellness tonic, just as the names Haagen Däsz or Starbucks are synonymous for trashy premium coffee and overpriced ice cream. Tono-Bungay is mere placebo sold as tonic which would save all your lives' problems, just as South East Asian aunties use tiger balm as medicine for any physical and mental complaints they have. It is an invigorating tonic, something to battle hair loss, make you younger and more attractive.

Tono-Bungay is the marketer’s novel. The tonic after all, is a product of people’s perception, even though there is no substance to it. Teddy Ponderevo is a model of the American Dream (even though this is an English novel), as he snaked his way from his humble beginnings into wealth. Through clever advertising, the understanding and willingness to abuse people’s needs, Teddy was able to create demand where there was none. Some of the techniques are even relevant for today’s day and age, as he leverages ambiguity to create a believable fiction:

“What I want to know is, in the Middle Ages, did they do anything for Housemaid’s Knee? What did they put in their hot baths after jousting?”

It was through the eyes of George Ponderevo that we see this rise and fall of capitalism in the shape of his uncle Teddy. Teddy’s schemes, as he was addicted to his own success, became more intricate and larger in scale. He creates companies out of thin air, for the sake of its own existence, so that he is able to share the equity by laundering money around his companies to give the illusion of profit. Surely things like that will not end well, and surely we’ve seen this before in our lifetime. Dickens and Wells were already writing about this in the previous centuries, way before Ponzi schemes were a thing and it seems that we’ve learned nothing. The companies conjured by Teddy, in essence are no better than the Dickens’s Department of Circumlocution in Little Dorritt.

Ultimately, what resonates with me is how Tono-Bungay is as close a reflection to where we are right now, as the world is insanely gobbling things up of little value. Ask the crypto traders and NFT barons, whose sole purpose is to multiply their profits. But none of these traders really own crypto because they believe in the company and their mission, and have long term inherent stakes on it; nor do most NFT traders will keep their tokens because of sentimentality. There are costs to this, and bubbles burst - as Wells and Dickens predicted.

The combination of George’s failed marriage and romances, seeing through the farce that is Tono-Bungay and realising that his uncle’s schemes are merely a house of cards under a breeze, led George came to an existential crisis. In some ways, this illusion of success is nauseating, he became nihilistic and at some point contemplated suicide. His relationships are shallow, despite his wealth he was still the butt of ridicule by the old-money and he couldn't get the girl he loves.

George’s salvation did not come in his relationships, as he married badly, and he really had no chance with Beatrice. It was in the pursuit of aerodynamics - in the science and art of it. Though science is cold and objective, George finds beauty in his ambition.

“Scientific truth is the remotest of mistresses, she hides in strange places, she is attained by torturous and laborious road, but she is always there!”

Where marketing is subjective and manipulative, the cold, hard truth of science is allows George to contribute, before it becomes an obsession which impedes his work with Tono-Bungay.

But what stuck with me is the "quap" - a radioactive material which could line the pockets of anyone who could grab hold of it. The segment with the quap can fill a novel in itself and perhaps can be cut into its own story, but the mold fits, as the quap represents the toxic dreams of men trying to make a quick buck. For the quap the Ponderevos hired mercenaries, trespass, steal, cheat and kill. Yet, the men have no idea of the dangers of the substance, that it breeds poison to its surrounding, that it is cancerous and unfreightable.

But Wells is nothing less than prophetic here. Where companies and nation states often stake their claim on rare metals and scrambling for monopoly, these radioactive materials have spurred the tech growth that we have enjoyed for the last century. Tono-Bungay is apt in its portrayal of the men's willingness to violence and foregoing ethical concerns to make a quick buck from the quap. Wars will be waged over these metals (if they haven't already), as there will be for water, and when that happens, I will think of Tono-Bungay.

For me, it is Wells's best work. While I find his science fiction the most balanced and entertaining out of all the sci-fi masters, it is Tono-Bungay that takes the spotlight in the repertoire. It is a cynical book, yes, as great books often are. Yet, it is a timely book to read where new bubbles are popping up in what we know as capitalism - not that this society will fall as we know it, but how men lose themselves in the pursuit of these toxic dreams.

(7.01.1994), tThis was such a sad story, but brilliantly written. Is this how Wells felt about his life?
tHis dealings with women were rather strange. Did he prefer them to be unpredictable? Seems that way; or was it that he knew that the best ones were just as intelligent as himself, therefore just as flighty?
tI was disgusted with his excusing away an affair. It was his fault that he ruined his relationship with his wife. Why are men trained to think so differently about marriage? After the conquest, they get lazy, while the woman has to work to keep him around. Is it worth it?

I wasn't gripped by this. The absurdity of the salesman who deceives everyone (including himself) with a product he knows is a con is of some interest, but I'm glad it's a world I've not experienced, and often it is a painful tale without being especially illuminating. The section about mining the absurd material known as "quap" - supposedly the secret ingredient in Tono Bungay. which has no inherent value except its difficulty to obtain - is a good idea but imperfectly realised....and the narrator's love affairs I found extremely tedious. As a semi-autobiographical glimpse into an extraordinary life it was of some interest, but on balance, I found it strangely disappointing and unsatisfying.

Long but good contrast to the science fiction novels by Wells. Unfortunately, the unusual title made me assume it was about some tiny nation like Togo or a Polynesian island like Tahiti. I learned the truth about this book (it's about advertising a snake oil product) in the more interesting biography of Wells called The Young H.G. Wells. That biography is definitely worth reading to see the various types of books Wells wrote. If you all know is the science fiction stuff, you'll be surprised.

It seems to be the way with books (sci-fi books?) of this era that the premise is one thing, but then the story drifts this way and that to include other major plots.

For example, the main story here seems to be George and his uncle, Edward, creating a tonic that everyone just HAS to have. Fabulous. But then... George and flying machines? George and some substance in Africa that is going to make his business rich? I mean, sure, people's lives aren't just one thing, but this is a *story*, and the story seems to stray from the original plot.

It's still a decent book, though; I just don't always understand why writers from this era seem to start down one path, then take huge turns down other paths, so that by halfway through, we're no longer reading the same story we started with. I certainly didn't mind the portions of the story about George's personal life: growing up, his studies, his love life; I didn't even so much mind the subplot about him inventing a flying machine. But when we started getting into the secret element/substance that could be found in Africa, that's when I realized we were straying WAY far from the original plot. Luckily, that portion wasn't very long, and we returned back to the story of Edward and his tonic.