Le Vingtième Siècle: La Vie Électrique

by Albert Robida

"Le Vingtième Siècle: La Vie Électrique" by Albert Robida is a science fiction novel published in 1892. Set in France in 1955, the story follows scientist Philox Lorris as he introduces transformative electrical technologies that reshape society. Robida imagines a future of constant communication through "Tele screens," airship traffic, escalating warfare with chemical and biological weapons, and a population overwhelmed by stress and nervous exhaustion. Written with satirical wit and illustrated by the author himself, this darkly comic vision anticipated modern life with startling accuracy.