One of the greatest satires of the power of advertising and the modern press, Tono-Bungay tells the story of George Ponderevo and his involvement in marketing a worthless but wildly successful product.

Plot Summary:

Tono-Bungay, presented as a miraculous cure-all, is nothing more than a pleasant-tasting liquid with no real effects. George’s uncle, Edward Ponderevo, enlists him to help market this ineffective medicine. Through clever advertising and the public’s gullibility, the product becomes a massive success, turning the family into wealthy entrepreneurs. However, George soon realises that wealth alone does not grant true social acceptance, and the world of class in England is far more complex than money can solve.

Special Features of This Edition:

• Newly established text
• Full biographical essay on H. G. Wells
• Detailed notes and list of further reading
• Introduction by Edward Mendelson exploring the novel’s satire of modern life and its fictions