Probably this is the first published literary book by H. G. Wells.
(Coverage in contemporary magazines and newspapers does not clearly show that it preceded The Time Machine. Wikipedia lists two earlier books, both published in 1893: A Text-Book of Biology by Wells and Honours Physiography by Wells and R.A. Gregory.)
As represented in the Gutenberg ebook, the Contents list shows three main works, the "Select Conversations" with 12 sublistings and the two stories. Preceding the Contents, a brief preface notes that "I have arranged this unworthy little tribute to his memory, this poor dozen of casual monologues that were so preserved." Relying on the preface and the last few paragraphs of the last conversation, the "Uncle" is a formerly delightful and memorable conversationalist, "now extinct" because he married.
No statement of printing on copyright page
British edition with 16 pages of advertising inserted
No. 3 of the Mayfair Set
Title "Select Conversations with an Uncle (Now Extinct)" is from the title page of the book. In the Contents list, "Select Conversations" is a heading for the the 12 unnumbered conversations by name and page number. There is no following title page for the group. See the novelette for more information.
A short preface ("Prefatory") precedes the Contents list but it pertains only to the Uncle and his Conversations with the narrator.
The opening paragraph of the first conversation does mention "Reminisces" thus:
"... all these accumulations [planned conversation, essentially] that he could not get into his talk, he proposed to put away for the big volume of "Reminiscences" that was to round off his life. At last he was a mere conversational firework, crammed with latent wit and jollity, and ready to blaze and sparkle in fizzing style as soon as the light of social intercourse should touch him."
