This is a beautiful book, full of images about Ray's works. It is on the pricey side, BUT...

I don't about other chains, but at Barnes & Noble, if you can get someone to place it on the "Staff Recommends" list, it will be discounted 20%. Time to buddy-up to your booksellers, folks.

Ray Bradbury - An Illustrated Life: A Journey to Far Metaphor.
By Jerry Weist
Introduction by Ray Bradbury
William Morrow, NY 2002
List Price $34.95

Is it pricy? Well, I just bought two copies of "Dark Carnival" (one signed and numbered, one unsigned and unnumbered) for $150.00 each, so I guess I'm not in a position where my ability to purchase books wisley should be held up as a model. My honest view is that given the current price of new books, the asking price for this is not unreasonable at all. This is full of color reproductions and photographs from beginning to end, and is an over-size edition. 194 pages. I felt the price was a good value for what I got.

I pre-ordered mine through Amazon.com for $24.47, plus $8.98 S&H, for a total of $33.45.

There is another string from Greg Miller that shows how to order a signed copy of this book. I'm pasting a portion of that in here:

"I thought everyone would like to know that Ray is making an appearance/signing at Children's Book World on Saturday, November 2nd, from Noon-2pm. The store is located in the Los Angele Area. He'll be signing copies of "Bradbury - An Illustrated Life: A Journey to Far Metaphor" (which is absolutely beautiful, by the way).

As an additional bonus for all those who cannot attend (me included--I live in Pittsburgh, darn it!) the store is taking orders for anyone who wants a signed and/or inscribed copy. Simply follow the link below and give them a call! http://www.childrensbookworld.com/Calendar/calendar.htm

Anyway, I hope this makes someone's day. I wish I could be there!

All best,

Greg"

The contents of the book are as follows:

CONTENTS:
Foreward - Donn Albright
Preface - Jerry Weist
Introduction - Ray Bradbury
ONE - Early Life, Early Fandom ...
TWO - From Pulps to Slicks ...
THREE - To Hardcovers and Paperbacks ...
FOUR - EC Comics and Ray Bradbury: The Untold Story ...
FIVE - The modern Renaissance Man: Bradbury on Radio and Television, and in the Movies ...
SIX - The Theater and Ray Bradbury: From Private Passions to Public Performances ...
SEVEN - Drawing Metaphors: The Art of Ray Bradbury ...
EIGHT - Bradbury at the Millennium: Poetry, Later Books, and Marginalia ...
INDEX ...

The style was pretty breezy (light and non-scholarly), with lots of anecdotes and little stories. It includes letters between Bradbury and other artists. It includes excerpts from a shooting diary from Francois Truffaut from the filming of Farenheit 451. As the title indicates, this book is filled with illustrations and photographs: Movie stills, photos of Bradbury, artwork for posters, book covers and story illustrations, artwork by Bradbury, covers of books (various editions and both domestic and foreign editions), etc.

I read through it in two sittings and thoroughly enjoyed it. For me, I was exposed to a greater understanding of the scope of Bradbury's work -- especially in the areas of comics and theater. I was not aware of how extensive his influence had been there. In exchanges with artists, Bradbury's grace comes through loud and clear.

For Bradbury fans, I strongly recommend the book, and was not personally put off by the price of the book. I felt it was very reasonable for what you got.




[This message has been edited by Mr. Dark (edited 10-15-2002).]

Mr. D's comments are very accurate.

I "just" minutes ago opened my Illustrated Life copy from Amazon. (3 days delivered and carefully packed). It is not pricey but rather priceless!

It is colorful, lively, informative, entertaining, well-organized, and will be (no doubt) plain old fun to read and skim through for a very long time to come.

Included: Book cover art, photos, concepts, artwork, letters, explanations.....whew! A full-sized hard cover, wrapped in a brilliant glossy dj. I will be brief in this post so as to get back to the book!

Skip breakfast or lunch and get to your nearest bookstore to buy this new RB biography. You WILL NOT be disappointed.

I guess I'm showing my age calling it "pricey",- I still remmember paperbacks for 95 cents, and hardback books for less than $10. I did not intend to denigrate the value of the book,- it is a beautiful homage to my favorite author.

Actually, I remember those days, also. I have several paperbacks with $1.25 on the cover. Pretty cool. The mirror tells me I'm not old (I may be self-delusional, but I'm staying with it!), but watching my kids grow up and seeing the price of books go up forces me to deal with the apparent "reality" of linear time.

Gee Golly Wiz:::

I bought paperbacks, new, at .35 cents for the Giant Cardinal Editions. Those same paperbacks are now 6.95. All this in about 40 years.