Ha ha!! Well, it has been an effort to find and collect these stories over the years. I enjoy hunt and friendships I have made. A book like this is bittersweet in that my collection becomes less "rare" - but having these early stories in one volume is rather cool.

As for the stories? Well... there is a reason Ray burned a million words before beginning his professional career!

Very anxious for this work to be completed!!!

Awesome! The book arrived at my desk this morning. A very quick peek at the contents left me drooling. The level of professional and scholarly detail is mind-boggling. This "critical edition" truly is a treasure for the collector, scholar, and fan alike! During my lunch I started reading the introduction. I am already impressed with the level of detail this collection offers. What an awesome glimpse into the beginnings of, what was to become, a Grand Master of the genre!

If there are no objections I would like to possibly review this collection as I read through it.

The Appendix B (Summary of Bradbury's Unpublished Fiction) is tantalizing as well! This is the first time I have heard of most of these stories. Putting a name to the unpublished Henry Hasse collaborations is a treat!

William Touponce and Jonathan Eller have done something wonderful in making available these very rare "uncollected" stories and original versions of Bradbury's early published work.

I can only assume that Touponce and Eller have had access to all of Bradbury's archive. There are a number of "uncollected" stories published in fanzines from 1938 - 1943 which do not appear in this collection. The introduction discusses the reasoning behind this, however, the collector in my can't help but desire to see these stories (I count 8 stories in total) back in print.

I wonder if a smaller companion volume collecting these stories might be of interest. Perhaps Chapbook printings from small press publishers like Gauntlet of Subterranean Press might be worth looking into. If the rights to re-publish these stories is something of interest to the Bradbury estate, I can see a "fanzine" type collector's release which would include some of these rare gems. Perhaps something similar to the Futuria Fantasia 'zines with green ink and new artwork!

Just some thoughts. I am thrilled to be holding in my hand this collection and look forward to some GOOD reading time tonight and over the nights to come...

djmonolith wrote:

quote:

I wonder if a smaller companion volume collecting these stories might be of interest. Perhaps Chapbook printings from small press publishers like Gauntlet of Subterranean Press might be worth looking into. If the rights to re-publish these stories is something of interest to the Bradbury estate, I can see a "fanzine" type collector's release which would include some of these rare gems. Perhaps something similar to the Futuria Fantasia 'zines with green ink and new artwork!

Awesome idea, good sir! Hope it happens.

I am about 150 pgs. into RB: Life of Fiction by Profs T & E. The references alone are immensely monumental. Their textual style, critical analyses, and anecdotes are unparalleled! When you think you have a reasonable idea (metaphorically) of RB's works and their meanings (during so many eras of Am. Lit), a page or two in their works really make you step back and think again.

I agree with you, fjp, The Life of Fiction opens up a whole new way of looking at Bradbury's body of work - and, incidentally, partially invalidates some previous studies which have tended to assume that the stories follow the same chronology as the short story collections that contain them.

djmonolith: yes, Eller and Touponce have virtually unlimited access to Bradbury's preserved papers, since they are directly allied to Donn Albright who is Ray's bibliographer. The Center for Ray Bradbury Studies holds copies of a vast number of Bradbury's typescripts.

There seems to be no end of Bradbury chapbooks, limited editions and special volumes - so I find it easy to imagine that those additional amateur publications will one day turn up in a book.

I need to get to that Bradbury center!

If you get there, Mr D, you will be well looked after - I speak from personal experience! I have to say, though, that several of the items I specifically went to see have subsequently turned up in books.

quote:

Originally posted by philnic:
If you get there, Mr D, you will be well looked after - I speak from personal experience!

I concur! That Professor Albright is mighty hospitable. Although it was the other archives I went to, it's still the archives.