The History Of Mr. Polly is a comic novel by H. G. Wells about Alfred Polly, a young man living in Edwardian England. The book begins by listing all the things he hates (his town, his wife, his neighbours, etc), with the rest of the book being divided into three parts; Alfred's life up to the age of twenty; his suicide attempt which leads him to abandon his shop and his wife; his victory over a malicious relative. The principal theme is Mr Polly's struggle with life.