Book · 2021 · Imaginary wars and battles
The War of the Worlds
H. G. Wells (Fiction, War, Military) [Annotated]
The War of the Worlds by H. G. Wells has been mentioned in 12 episodes across 7 podcasts (0 episodes recommend it and 12 episodes discuss it), through . Most frequently brought up by Neil deGrasse Tyson (5 episodes), Joe Rogan (2 episodes) and David Grinspoon (1 episode) on StarTalk Radio (5 episodes), The Joe Rogan Experience (2 episodes) and Freakonomics Radio (1 episode).
- episodes
- 12
- podcasts
- 7
- people
- 7
- episodes recommend it
- 0
I keep with me a quote from the original book that summarizes the entire story.
Neil deGrasse Tyson · StarTalk Radio · Nov 2019 Listen at 14:47 Questions about The War of the Worlds by H. G. Wells
Who has discussed The War of the Worlds by H. G. Wells on podcasts?
No speaker in our archive has explicitly recommended The War of the Worlds by H. G. Wells; Neil deGrasse Tyson (5 episodes), Joe Rogan (2 episodes), David Grinspoon (1 episode), Joseph S. Moore (1 episode) and Josh Clark (1 episode) have discussed it across 7 podcasts (7 people in all).
Which podcasts mention The War of the Worlds the most?
StarTalk Radio (5 episodes), The Joe Rogan Experience (2 episodes), Freakonomics Radio (1 episode), Lex Fridman Podcast (1 episode) and Stuff You Should Know (1 episode), among 7 podcasts in all.
Is The War of the Worlds recommended, or only discussed?
The War of the Worlds by H. G. Wells was recommended in 0 episodes and discussed without a recommendation in 12 episodes, as of 2026-09-08.
What do people say about The War of the Worlds?
Neil deGrasse Tyson on StarTalk Radio (2019-11-22): "I keep with me a quote from the original book that summarizes the entire story."
When was The War of the Worlds last mentioned on a podcast?
The War of the Worlds by H. G. Wells was last discussed on The Jordan Harbinger Show by Joseph S. Moore on 2026-09-08.
What they say about it
- Inspiration from Mars observations“inspired by those observations”2
- Radio broadcast adaptation“broadcasting its adaptation”2
The best things said about it
What's the most boring scary book there is and they said HG Wells War of the Worlds so they decided to adapt it.
He read The War of the Worlds and he read the unauthorized sequel to The War of the Worlds called Edison's Conquest of Mars.
So, no, but it's before that because it was Percival Lowell's published work on Mars and its canals that spawned War of the Worlds to be written in the first place. Right. War of the Worlds was written right after that when it got published.
Neil deGrasse Tyson StarTalk Radio · Feb 2026 Sunday October 30th 1938 Mercury Theater on the air began broadcasting its adaptation of HG Wells War of the Worlds.
Within a few years of this, H.G. Wells wrote "War of the Worlds." (audience cheers) Inspired by those observations.
Neil deGrasse Tyson StarTalk Radio · Oct 2019 Where and when it comes up
How it comes up
Most episodes, by podcast
7 people who brought it up
Why people recommend it
The War of the Worlds by H. G. Wells is a classic science fiction novel depicting a devastating Martian invasion of Earth. The book has captured the imaginations of creators, scientists, and broadcasters for well over a century. On The Jordan Harbinger Show, Joseph S. Moore referenced Wells’s novel while introducing the author’s subsequent aerial invasion book, War in the Air. On Freakonomics Radio, guest Alex McDonald discussed how the rocketry pioneer Robert Goddard was inspired as a teenager by reading science fiction, including Wells's novel and its unauthorized sequel. Neil deGrasse Tyson frequently mentioned the nineteenth-century book on StarTalk Radio, noting it in conversations about aggressive alien invasions and discussing how Percival Lowell's astronomical writings on Mars originally inspired Wells to write the story. The book's cultural footprint also extends to mass hysteria and radio history. On Timcast IRL, a guest mentioned The War of the Worlds while discussing contemporary drone sightings and mass panic. On The Joe Rogan Experience, Joe Rogan brought up the famous book to discuss the legendary 1938 radio broadcast by Orson Welles. Furthermore, on Stuff You Should Know, Josh Clark mentioned the release year of the original book version while detailing the timeline leading up to the Mercury Theater's Halloween broadcast adaptation, noting that the theater troupe chose the terrifying story because it was viewed as the ultimate scary book of its time.
Every mention
Neil deGrasse Tyson well it so funny you mentioned War of the Worlds I keep with me a quote from the original book that summari… 5
“That was a 19th century book written by the great HG. I'm not blaming you. No, no, I'm saying”
“So, no, but it's before that because it was Percival Lowell's published work on Mars and its canals that spawned War of the Worlds to be written in the first place. Right. War of the Worlds was written right after that when it got published.”
“what i'd like to do to end is give a recitation of uh one of the concluding passages of h.g wells war of the worlds”
“well it so funny you mentioned War of the Worlds I keep with me a quote from the original book that summarizes the entire story and if you with your permission I will read it”
“Within a few years of this, H.G. Wells wrote "War of the Worlds." (audience cheers) Inspired by those observations.”
Joe Rogan do you remember the story of uh Orson Welles the War of the Worlds yeah Orson Welles played he read from H.… 2
“do you remember the story of uh Orson Welles the War of the Worlds yeah Orson Welles played he read from H.G Wells War of the world it's H2 Wells right the book”
“like when was the War of the Worlds written I believe it was written in the 1800s right I don't know [...] HG Wells 1898”
David Grinspoon but like the idea of martians you know that it's that's the plot of the war of the worlds right 1
“but like the idea of martians you know that it's that's the plot of the war of the worlds right”
Joseph S. Moore And so H.G. Wells, who wrote The War of the Worlds, his follow-up war book to that is called War in the Air… 1
“And so H.G. Wells, who wrote The War of the Worlds, his follow-up war book to that is called War in the Air, in which Zeppelins from Germany invade America and hand gliders, oddly, from—because the Wright brothers haven't gotten the plane yet.”
Josh Clark well not 1898 that's when the book came out yeah but in 1938 I mean what 40 years later 1
“well not 1898 that's when the book came out yeah but in 1938 I mean what 40 years later”
“what's the most boring scary book there is and they said HG Wells War of the Worlds so they decided to adapt it”
“Sunday October 30th 1938 Mercury Theater on the air began broadcasting its adaptation of HG Wells War of the Worlds”
Michio Kaku I mean in war the world's by hto wells the aliens did not hate us 1
“I mean in war the world's by hto wells the aliens did not hate us”
Richie Jackson War of the worlds Panic happened in New Jersey 1
“War of the worlds Panic happened in New Jersey”
Mentioned on the show without a named speaker1
“Goddard, he didn't just believe in the story randomly. He received it as a teenager. He read about it. He read The War of the Worlds and he read the unauthorized sequel to The War of the Worlds called Edison's Conquest of Mars.”
Other mentions (8: passing, ad reads, own books)
“I have the, because, um, um, um, um, um, war of the world's time machine. H. G. Wells, one of my favorite writers, right? Although it loves sci-fi. Always love H. G. Wells.”
“And then HG Wells heard about this, then he wrote War of the Worlds. With Martians coming and sucking our brains out.”
“made ET, you know, War of the Worlds, um, TV shows”
“You do not want your name in an Epstein book! You do not want your name in an Epstein book; that is a recipe for disaster for your PR!”
“I was joking about was that kovid what and and this is a joke that the vaccine is because you ever see war of the worlds the aliens come but then they all die from like normal illnesses that are like we're immune to or like don't bother us”
“you ever see war of the worlds the aliens come but then they all die from like normal illnesses that are like we're immune to or like don't bother us”
“what if they do that with an alien ship like war of the worlds orson welles as an entertainment thing but people really believe it's a real alien craft”
“Well, even just the radio before that was magic where they could all sit around a broadcast of like HG Wells War of the Worlds.”