Yes, the book is called RAY BRADBURY AND THE POETICS OF REVERIE (UMI Research Press, 1984). And while I admire greatly the recent critical study co-authored by Mr. Touponce (RAY BRADBURY: THE LIFE OF FICTION), and while it is clear this gentleman loves and admires Ray and his work, I have a hard time recommending his earlier book to anyone but academics. It's stated aim is "to provide a phenomenological account of the reader's response" to Ray's writing. Unfortunately, the book reads like a dry, doctoral thesis, and in fact notes on the reverse of the title page that it is a revision of a thesis written in 1981 at the University of Massachusetts. It will, I predict, be extremely hard going for the average reader. I myself could never get through it. However, I always say that taste is a very individual thing; others may well find the book fascinating. You may want to track down a copy and decide for yourself!

[This message has been edited by Richard (edited 06-26-2004).]

Is this new one more readable than the first? I've read every published word of Ray's I could, some many times over, but I could make nothing of the passages I read from that book!

I never saw the first one, so I can't compare. I feel the new one is readable, but it is not light fare.

I agree with Mr. Dark's assessment of RAY BRADBURY: A LIFE OF FICTION. While certainly not light reading, the book is quite readable, especially for those with an interest in a serious and scholarly critical study of Ray's written work.

May the author have a few words here in defense of himself?

Ray Bradbury and the Poetics of Reverie was indeed my dissertation (1981). It wasn't planned as a study of Ray's authorship, but of the implied reader in his work. Maybe that's why Ray has never been much interested in it, although he thanked me for it warmly, and over the ensuing years he has called me a "true reader and a friend" because of it. There were few published studies of Ray at the time. I more than anyone am aware of its flaws, especially after twenty-two years, but I think it still has some vaild insights, which are carried over into the new book. Sorry that some of you find it dry and unreadable. I guess you must be among the very few outside of academia who have even tried to read it anyway!

As for the new book, I planned it as a study of Ray's authorship, and Ray was involved, as were people in fan culture (Nolan/Allbright) and academically as bibliographers (my co-author, Jon Eller). It's a much richer mix than my dissertation and will, I hope, reach a larger and more diverse audience while still being a 'serious' academic study - a difficult task since there are in fact many 'Rays' to consider, a point that Nolan's foreward makes very well.

Enjoyed your comments.

Incidentally, Ray loves The Life of Fiction.

Bill Touponce

So far, I love "The Life of Fiction". Congratulations on a great book!!! May I ask how long you worked on it. It is a real achievement. You should be very proud of it!

If you have a hardcover copy of your earlier work you would be willing to part with, I could send a check. Please email me via my icon. I had a search out on it, and it was taking forever.

Thanks if something works out.


[This message has been edited by Mr. Dark (edited 06-27-2004).]

Mr. Touponce, welcome to the board! Thank you for accepting with such good grace my comments about your earlier work. Easy for me to say! I know others that have obtained their doctorate degree and have an idea of the tremendous amount of work you put into it. And congratulations...and a big thank you...for RAY BRADBURY: A LIFE OF FICTION. Speaking as a Bradbury reader and fan, I can recommend it to anyone with a serious interest in Ray Bradbury's work without hesitation. It is a fine, well written, and well researched book.

Anyone looking for a copy of Mr. Touponce's earlier book might also try doing a search on the Advanced Book Exchange. I believe there are several copies, at various prices and in varying condition, listed there. Here is a link to the ABE website:
http://www.abebooks.com

Actually I wanted to read everything written about Ray but first I am still working on reading everything written by him.

Hello Mr. Touponce. I have a copy of the Starmont Reader's Guide #31: Ray Bradbury (1989). Just wondering how that differs from your 1981 work?

For the 1981 book I was interested in how Ray's works - particularly his style - activates the reader's imagination in reverie. In its own way it is a very detailed study, proceeding sentence by sentence though Ray's texts in some instances. I wanted to capture if I could some of that thrill which we all feel in reading Ray's works for the first time, the excitement, to savor it. But it's hard to capture that in the net of critical language, as I learned to my cost! The 1989 guide concerns the cultural themes of Ray's work. Ray has indicated that carnival was a major influence on his themes and I was beginning in that book to understand how pervasive carnival was in his writings (see the chapter on Something Wicked). Different focus entirely on author and themes instead of reader response. Looking back on it now, the 1989 guide seems a sketch for The Life of Fiction. Hope this helps.

Bill Touponce

[This message has been edited by wtouponc (edited 06-29-2004).]

[This message has been edited by wtouponc (edited 06-29-2004).]

To: W. F. Toupounce: Thanks for clearing that up. I look forward to reading the new one.

I received my copy of "Conversations With Ray Bradbury (Ed. Steven Aggelis) today. It is based on this dissertation at the Florida State University, published by University Press of Mississippi (2004), and consists of:

-- Lists of books, short story collections; plays, radio and musical scores; and juvenile fiction.

-- There is a 15-page introduction.

-- And it looks like 21 interviews. Some famous and some obscure. He has them arranged chronologically, so if you read through them in order, you'll read the earliest ones first, and the later ones, last.

I think, because Bradbury "preaches" through metaphor in his writing, that the interviews give additional insight into Bradbury the person because he is pretty straight-forward throughout the interviews.

Very nice book for anyone interested in Ray the man.


[This message has been edited by Mr. Dark (edited 07-02-2004).]

I might add that I am aware that several people have posted on this board, wondering about the possibility of another novel based on Ray's Martian stories, and on occasion trying to compile a list of Ray's stories about Mars that were not included in THE MARTIAN CHRONICLES. Well, look no further than RAY BRADBURY: A LIFE OF FICTION. That book lists (1) the short stories used in compiling THE MARTIAN CHRONICLES; (2) Ray's published short stories about Mars which were not included in THE MARTIAN CHRONICLES; and (3) Ray's unpublished short stories that are set on Mars. Now, if only someone can talk Ray into, say, THE MARTIAN CHRONICLES, PART II?

Wow. That should save me some work!

quote:

Originally posted by philnic:
That was me, and the link was: http://etd.lib.fsu.edu/theses/available/etd-11182003-234211/unrestricted/Agge lis_Dissertation.pdf

Unfortunately, Mr Aggelis advised me a few weeks ago that the FSU server was being re-organised and the link would break - which it now has.

I have a copy of the PDF file; if anyone would like a copy, please let me know.

- Phil

could you please send me a copy of that pdf to david@bitchx.ru ? thank you.

[This message has been edited by sett (edited 07-27-2004).]