Hello all,

I've got a story stuck in my head and can't remember the title, or in which of the Ray Bradbury books in my collection (safely at home) it may be found.

A couple is pregnant with a child with whom they speak; the unborn child's name is Sasha. When Sasha is eventually born, the child is a boy whom they name Alexander. (I think?)

Any help is appreciated. Thanks!

Hi bilia,

the story is called "Remember Sascha?" (notice the spelling), and it is in Bradbury's short story collection QUICKER THAN THE EYE and also in BRADBURY STORIES: 100 OF HIS MOST CELEBRATED TALES.

The child turns out to be a girl, and is named Alexandra (notice the spelling again!)

Alexandra... an RB daughter! She who now does much of father's written tasks, I believe. (Not unlike...so, one story goes... Homer and his daughter when classic myths needed to be recorded for posterity sake!)

Right, fjp! I think we can assume there is some autobiographical element in the story. The parents in the story are called Doug Spaulding and Maggie Spaulding. Written around 1949 if I recall correctly, although not published until the 1990s.

quote:

Originally posted by philnic:
Right, fjp! I think we can assume there is some autobiographical element in the story. The parents in the story are called Doug Spaulding and Maggie Spaulding. Written around 1949 if I recall correctly, although not published until the 1990s.

I was born in '53 and am older than Ray's daughter, Alexandra. Something does not add up. ;-]

1949 original composition. Therefore, life imitating art!?

Thank you all so much!! Just one stray c on the keyboard and I would've had it.. much much gratitude

The oldest daughter was born in 1949 but was not named Alexandra. The youngest daughter was born in 1958 and is named Alexandra. Clear things up much?

I just checked, and "Remember Sascha?" was written "circa 1949".

Ray's first daughter, Susan Marguerite was born in 1949. The story seems to have been inspired by this experience, because in the afterword to QUICKER THAN THE EYE he writes:

"You discover you wife is pregnant with your first child soon to be born, so you name the embryonic presence 'Sascha' and converse with this increasingly bright foetus that evolves into a story that you love but non one wants. So here it is."

In the story, the child is named Alexandra. Maybe it IS life imitating art...or maybe Ray revised the story in 1996 when readying it for QUICKER THAN THE EYE, as has usually been his practice when preparing his collections.

Foetus is a good word.

Similar to your American word "fetus".

(Actually, in QTTE, Ray says "fetus" but I'm afraid my typing fingers automatically Anglicised it!)

Anglicised is a good word.

DS, Right! I always appreciate phil's sense of humour!

Humo(u)r is a good word.

quote:

Originally posted by Doug Spaulding:
Foetus is a good word.

Actually, fœtus is a good word.

(I like the way the letters run together.)