Two Iraqi wars (one there and one here); dangerous uncontrolled borders; oil companies, after all these years, still finding ways to jerk us around. Heroes dying of WTC dust related illness in NYC. Polarization…this…that—does the horn blow at midnight?—and Ray Bradbury is coming out with a new novel called “Farewell Summer”. A point of light out there in the darkness, getting closer and closer. You can almost feel its warmth it’s so near. And we’re going to love it, right?

We are told that the book will consist of many of the sections that Ray cut out of his original manuscript for “Dandelion Wine” in order to reduce the size of the volume and make it publishable. There were probably a number of tests that he used to do this and one of them may have been quality. If that is true, then there is a strong chance that some of the new volume will contain some of these lower quality sections--sections that can’t stand up to the classic level of “Dandelion Wine”. True, Ray has been punching it up and he knows best—he is the master of it. But when he wrote DLW, although over a number of years, it was during his youthful spark and the result is that it is arguably one of the best works of long fiction published in the last half of the twentieth century; along with “To Kill A Mockingbird” and Steven King’s “The Body”.

Ray is showing great courage in doing this. “To Kill A Mockingbird”, “Gone With The Wind”, “A Tree Grows In Brooklyn”; their authors chose never to write sequels. Can Ray get away with it? Yes, I bet he can, but I don’t care.

When I read “Farewell Summer”, if just one sentence is as good as “Dandelion Wine” then I will be satisfied. I’m not going to compare Ray Bradbury to Ray Bradbury because that simply isn’t fair. He shows courage as an author and love for his readers in doing this. He’s still trying to lessen the darkness a little. It’s a good time to have Ray Bradbury around.

Well put, Chap.

Chap and Braling II, I just had lunch with Bill Hirschman, Staff Report for the Florida Sun Sentinel and author of a very good article on Ray which was published in the August 14th, 2005 issue of the Arts and Entertainment secion of the Sun Sentinel Sunday Paper entitled "Champion of the Worlds."

After I gave a call to Ray to see if it would be possible for him to meet with Ray, Bill Hirschman arrived in LA and spent an hour and a half visiting Ray in his home on a Wednesday afternoon was able to gather sufficient information for the very nice article he wrote.

Well, today I was able to put my hands on an advanced copy of Farewell Summer which Bill had just finsihed reading. Prior to his receiving the book Bill went back and re-read Dandelion Wine to be able to better contrast the two novels.

Bill felt that Farewell Summer, while fascinating and very readable, did not have the pithiness and solidity of Dandelion Wine. Bill felt that the sentences were crsiper, more thought out and not quite reflecting the writing style of floodgates being opened and heart and soul being melded onto the paper that Danedlion Wine does.

I intend to start reading it today as Bill was kind to allow me to have it for a few days and I will then try my best to report my reflections on Farewell Summer.

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I second that Chapter! Biplane, as usual your in the middle of the fray and keeping us well informed. Thank you both! I can't wait to get my greedy lil hands on a copy. I have had it on order since around March from Amazon or whenever it was announced.

The storytelling event at the Genesee Theatre in Waukegan on October 20 is the event (as we see it), although there will be a "Prequel" event prior to the performances at 5:30 p.m. in the theatre lounge where patrons can enjoy appetizers, bid on silent auction items which include some autographed copies of Ray's books and meet the storytellers. This event costs an additional $40 and tickets can be purchased by downloading a form at http://www.bradburystorytellingfestival.org/pdfs/prequel.pdf .

I just got back from Mr. Bradbury's house where we filmed a two hour interview. It was a wonderful experience and he was a fabulous host. I felt very privleged.
Elizabeth

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it is arguably one of the best works of long fiction published in the last half of the twentieth century; along with “To Kill A Mockingbird” and Steven King’s “The Body”.

Stephen King? Where do the works of Bellow, Doctorow, Capote, Solzhenitsyn, Nabokov, Borges, Mailer, Garcia Marquez, Pynchon, and Camus rank?

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I’m not going to compare Ray Bradbury to Ray Bradbury because that simply isn’t fair.

Why? He's had almost fifty years to write and rewrite it. If he thought any of the material was second rate, he always had the option of discarding it and writing something better.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Walloon,

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Stephen King?

Oh, I don't know. I think Stephen has written some mighty fine stories, and I would have no problem putting certain of his work in the category to which is referred, particulary "The Body", "Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption", "Apt Pupil", "The Breathing Method", "The Shining", "Salem's Lot", "It", and "Bag of Bones".

I admit that some of his books are the literary equivalent of a Big Mac and Fries, but much of what he has written is marvelous.

The story is the important thing, and he has written some great ones!

Sorry. I should have included Hemingway’s “The Old Man And The Sea” in my statement above.

Regarding all of the other authors mentioned, they’re (note the spelling Braling II) just swell, but I didn’t say “arguably one of the most intellectual” but said “arguably one of the best”. I think there is a distinction there. Is “The First Circle” better than “Centennial”? Is “Lassie Come-Home” better than “Of Mice And Men”? I guess “arguably” is the key word. But I also think that the name Stephen King pushed a button.

By the way, Mr. King’s “The Green Mile” should be on any “best” list.

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By the way, Mr. King’s “The Green Mile” should be on any “best” list.

Yeah - I meant to put it on there as well, I just got too sidetracked with his other excellent work and forgot. "The Green Mile" is one of the best things I've read.

All of us intensly need something once in a while. What I need now is my Grandmothers cooking. To be in that house once more, the welcomes and the hellos from the front door, the sound of people talking and the table being set. I don’t need my mother’s cooking right now, I need my grandmothers. The wonderful aromas coming from the stove—but more than that, the countertops would all be eye level.

Oh, Ray! Help me get back. Give me just a hint of it. “Farewell Summer” is more welcome by some than you will ever know!

Chapter 31, Farewell Summer will give you the "fix" you need. The only problem is that the story ends so soon. I mentioned that to Ray the other day and he just chuckled. As with his triology, Death Is A Lonely Business, A Grave Yard For Lunatics, and Let's All Kill Constance, a continuance of the two--Dandelion Wine and Farewell Summer, would be in order as there many more adventures for the boys to be involved in.

The problem lies in the ability of Ray writing on and about the same theme. Once I asked him about another book in the mystery triology and he told right out that there were no more in the works. Darn!

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I mentioned that to Ray the other day and he just chuckled.

I think 'chuckled' is a funny word; not unlike 'chortled', or 'disgruntled' (can one be 'gruntled'? I suppose if a pig were to lose his voice, he would be disgruntled.)

But I digress.

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But I digress.

I think 'digress' is a funny word.

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Originally posted by Doug Spaulding:
I think 'chuckled' is a funny word; not unlike 'chortled', or 'disgruntled' ...

I quite like 'guffaw' myself.

Yeah, guffaw's good.