I'd like to read Ray's short stories, but Wikipedia lists over forty collections, which is a bit daunting. I was wondering if there are any definitive collections that contain most, if not all, of his published short stories?

quote:

Originally posted by CyberGhostface:
I'd like to read Ray's short stories, but Wikipedia lists over forty collections, which is a bit daunting. I was wondering if there are any definitive collections that contain most, if not all, of his published short stories?

There are two; both have 100 stories each, sometimes referred to as the Red Book and the Black Book. They are The Stories of Ray Bradbury and Bradbury Stories: 100 of His Most Celebrated Tales.

Please do not ask which one has better stories. They are both excellent. The only thing I can suggest is that if money is a concern, buy the Red Book since it is available in paperback.

Just wanted to add that there is zero overlap between the two volumes. So if you can afford it, get both!

I also have some breaking news on definitive short story collections, courtesy of my academic colleague Bill Touponce at the Center for Ray Bradbury Studies:

He and Jon Eller are about to embark on a five-volume series which will contain all of Bradbury's published short stories in the order in which they were written. In many cases, Bradbury stories have taken years to come into print, so this will be the first attempt to put them in chronological order.

This is what Bill tells me about The Collected Stories of Ray Bradbury: A Critical Edition, which is expected to be published by Kent State University Press in five volumes, starting in 2010:

"This edition will reprint (actually establish the text for) every story that Bradbury has published, in chronological order. Ray has signed on the contract and we are just now finalizing plans with the press. I will be the general editor of the volumes with Jon as textual editor. Needless to say, I am very excited; indeed it will be the culmination of my critical writing on Bradbury."

quote:

Originally posted by philnic:
Just wanted to add that there is zero overlap between the two volumes. So if you can afford it, get both!

True, but even both volumes don't represent a compleat collection.

Best advice: start at the beginning and get them all!

quote:

Originally posted by philnic:
This edition will reprint (actually establish the text for) every story that Bradbury has published, in chronological order. Ray has signed on the contract and we are just now finalizing plans with the press. I will be the general editor of the volumes with Jon as textual editor. Needless to say, I am very excited; indeed it will be the culmination of my critical writing on Bradbury."

This is awfully exciting news, but more so for folks like CyberGhostface than we who already own nearly every work. I say nearly because Ray publishes them faster than I can buy and read them!

At any rate, it sounds like a marvellous collection.

Hey Doug, it must be after midnight where you are. Shouldn't you be in bed?

Don't forget that profs Touponce and Eller always provide great articles and essays that tell you more about the origins of the story. Plus, it is their intention to publish the definitive, preferred texts, not the corrupted or bowdlerised versions that sometimes appear.

Thanks for the help everyone.

I've actually been a fan of Bradbury for a bit, although its been a loooong time since I read any of his stuff. I've read The Stories of Ray Bradbury (most of it), Something Wicked This Way Comes, Fahrenheit 451 and the Martian Chronicles. I want to start reading him again but I'm not sure how to start because he's been so profilic. However, "From the Dust Returned" sounds very interesting from what I've read so hopefully I'll get that from the library for Halloween like Bradbury recommends.

That complete collection sounds neat. Does anyone know how available/pricy it will be?

quote:

Originally posted by CyberGhostface:
Thanks for the help everyone.

I've actually been a fan of Bradbury for a bit, although its been a loooong time since I read any of his stuff. I've read The Stories of Ray Bradbury (most of it), Something Wicked This Way Comes, Fahrenheit 451 and the Martian Chronicles. I want to start reading him again but I'm not sure how to start because he's been so profilic. However, "From the Dust Returned" sounds very interesting from what I've read so hopefully I'll get that from the library for Halloween like Bradbury recommends.

That complete collection sounds neat. Does anyone know how available/pricy it will be?

The Stories of Ray Bradbury is ~$30.00 on Amazon.com:

http://www.amazon.com/Stories-Ray-Bradbury/dp/0394513355

And, as John said, seems to be available only in hardcover.

Bradbury Stories: 100 of His Most Celebrated Tales is available in paperback for ~$12.00:

http://www.amazon.com/Bradbury-Stories-Most-Celebrated-Tales/dp/0060544880

The Hardcover version is also available for only ~$20.00:

http://www.amazon.com/Bradbury-Stories-Most-Celebrated-Tales/dp/006054242X

quote:

Originally posted by philnic:
Hey Doug, it must be after midnight where you are. Shouldn't you be in bed?

That's what I was thinking - I'm going to bed just when you're getting up!

quote:

Don't forget that profs Touponce and Eller always provide great articles and essays that tell you more about the origins of the story. Plus, it is their intention to publish the definitive, preferred texts, not the corrupted or bowdlerised versions that sometimes appear.

Indeed - as I say, I'm sure it will be marvellous.

Bowdlerised is a good word.

quote:

Originally posted by philnic:
I also have some breaking news on definitive short story collections, courtesy of my academic colleague Bill Touponce at the Center for Ray Bradbury Studies:

He and Jon Eller are about to embark on a five-volume series which will contain all of Bradbury's published short stories in the order in which they were written. In many cases, Bradbury stories have taken years to come into print, so this will be the first attempt to put them in chronological order.

This is what Bill tells me about The Collected Stories of Ray Bradbury: A Critical Edition, which is expected to be published by Kent State University Press in five volumes, starting in 2010:

"This edition will reprint (actually establish the text for) every story that Bradbury has published, in chronological order. Ray has signed on the contract and we are just now finalizing plans with the press. I will be the general editor of the volumes with Jon as textual editor. Needless to say, I am very excited; indeed it will be the culmination of my critical writing on Bradbury."

GOOD HEAVENS! The chronological thing is daunting enough. Do they count the date Ray started the story, or when Donn Albright pulled it out of the file and finally got him to finish it? Then, a DEFINITIVE text? With four or five versions of some of the better-known stories? Can it be possible? A great and much-needed idea, but the very thought makes me feel faint!

It makes the likes of us feel faint, but the two profs are made of sterner stuff! If you have seen what Jon Eller did with The Halloween Tree (Gauntlet Press edition), you will know that he leaves no stone unturned in his quest to identify a preferred text.

quote:

Originally posted by dandelion:
GOOD HEAVENS ... a DEFINITIVE text? With four or five versions of some of the better-known stories? Can it be possible?

That's what I was wondering, myself; how is the definitive text chosen? Do that simply mean it is the version that Bradbury himself prefers? (In some cases, I've read variations of stories where I preferred an earlier version, rather than the most recently revised one.)

The phrase Bill Touponce used was "establish the text for". I believe this means looking at the first published version and comparing to the original manuscript.

I would expect any errors introduced by the publisher to be corrected, and any sections deleted or amended by the editor to be reinstated. This is what Eller did with he Halloween Tree - but he also documented every extant version of the story thoroughly, and provided a textual essay that explained the history and development of the text.

I've no idea what will be done with stories which have been revised multiple times by Bradbury himself. (The Dark Carnival stories were re-written for The October Country, for example.)

We shall just have to be patient, and see what the two profs come up with.

Unexpurgated is a good word.