Just curious if anyone has any info whatsoever regarding Volume 3 of this fantastic collection. I know Volume 2 only came out last October or so, and there was over 2 years of painstaking work between the first two volumes, but I wondered if there's anything to report at this point (such as what years it will cover - 1944-1945?).

Failing that, I imagine we can speculate as to what it will contain...

--SKot

The book is well underway, but there is no detailed news at the moment. The place to watch is the Facebook page of the Center for Ray Bradbury Studies:

https://www.facebook.com/pages...dies/766546360037269

(You don't have to have a Facebook account to access the page.)

I am the administrator of the page, as it happens...

Thanks, Phil...it's good just to have that in print here, just for reassurance.

I'm eagerly awaiting any new info on the book as it comes along...

--SKot

Very much looking forward to this too, and I wonder if anyone has any idea about my question on the topic here: https://raybradburyboard.com/ev...617016566#5617016566

Any updates yet on the third volume?

If I recall correctly, the last time I spoke to Jon Eller (editor) about this, the book was set to be delivered to the publisher around the end of this year, and is is likely to be published next year.

I don't have any information about the exact contents, but as soon as anything is known, it will appear on the Facebook page of the Center for RB Studies (see link at the bottom of this post).

Do you know if they are definitely gong beyond three volumes? I thought I recalled that when it was first announced, they only "knew" there would be three and "maybe" more.

All I know is that recent mentions of the Collected Stories from the Bradbury Center have referred to it as "an eight-volume series".

Apparently no Volume Three until June 2017

https://www.facebook.com/76654...1568/?type=3&theater

Alas, the wheels of academic publishing turn rather slowly.

It has occurred to me that there's a very real possibility that at the rate these volumes are coming out, the editors (or indeed possibly myself, one never knows!) may not be alive long enough to see the 8th volume finally published.

Now that's a sobering thought.

The answer: Live Forever!

--SKot

quote:

Originally posted by SKotK:
...the editors (or indeed possibly myself, one never knows!) may not be alive long enough to see the 8th volume...

It's a bit like building cathedrals. The task will be handed on to the next generation...!

Have eight volumes been confirmed? I remember the editors saying they couldn't make any promises beyond the first three volumes.

quote:

Originally posted by douglasSP:
Have eight volumes been confirmed? I remember the editors saying they couldn't make any promises beyond the first three volumes.

Quite understandable! I suppose it all depends on sales of the first volumes, as well as the health and availability of the editors.

Eight is probably the ideal. I'm crossing my fingers and hoping we all get there eventually.

--SKot

Even if eight volumes are produced, the series would have to stop at an awkward stage of Bradbury's career.

At an average of 25 stories per volume, that would mean the series would encompass about 200 stories. Let's allow for an undercount and call it 250.

With the exception of the first volume, the plan appears to be to include only previously published stories, which are then rearranged in order of composition.

Ray Bradbury's published stories number roughly 490 - 500 (based on the 401 listed in The Life of Fiction, plus subsequent collections, plus a small scattering of "stray" stories which are legally available).

The number actually collected in one of Bradbury's books, excluding chapbooks and limited editions, is around 413. This is based on a list I made, but it all depends on what you include, and what you exclude. Every fan is going to come up with a different number.

Now, it is often said that Ray wrote many more stories than that, but the series is restricted to stuff that was published.

You can choose any of the above numbers - the point is that the Collected Stories are likely to be left incomplete, unless there is a deus ex machina that provides the wherewithal to extend and complete the project.