Tono-Bungay. Book 1: The Days Before Tono-Bungay Was Invented by H.G. Wells

George Ponderevo, the narrator, recalls his youth spent in a decaying English household, where he is shaped by failed ambitions, eccentric relatives, and early attempts at self-definition. The world seems stagnant and uninspiring, until the seeds of enterprise are planted. The plot sets the foundation for his later entanglement in the world of commerce. It’s a coming-of-age section filled with quiet rebellion and social critique. The tone is nostalgic but restless.