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Please tell me which story this is?

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31 January 2011, 12:04 AM
bilia
Please tell me which story this is?
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!
31 January 2011, 03:26 AM
philnic
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!)


- Phil

Deputy Moderator | Visit my Bradbury website: www.bradburymedia.co.uk | Listen to my Bradbury 100 podcast: https://tinyurl.com/bradbury100pod
31 January 2011, 09:29 AM
fjp451
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!)
31 January 2011, 12:11 PM
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.


- Phil

Deputy Moderator | Visit my Bradbury website: www.bradburymedia.co.uk | Listen to my Bradbury 100 podcast: https://tinyurl.com/bradbury100pod
31 January 2011, 06:02 PM
jkt
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. ;-]


John King Tarpinian
You know what you are, Mr. Bradbury? ... You are a poet! -- Aldous Huxley
31 January 2011, 07:53 PM
fjp451
1949 original composition. Therefore, life imitating art!?
31 January 2011, 08:46 PM
bilia
Thank you all so much!! Just one stray c on the keyboard and I would've had it.. much much gratitude Smiler
01 February 2011, 12:44 AM
dandelion
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?
01 February 2011, 12:55 AM
philnic
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.


- Phil

Deputy Moderator | Visit my Bradbury website: www.bradburymedia.co.uk | Listen to my Bradbury 100 podcast: https://tinyurl.com/bradbury100pod
01 February 2011, 06:44 AM
Doug Spaulding
Foetus is a good word.


"Live Forever!"
01 February 2011, 08:42 AM
philnic
Similar to your American word "fetus". Big Grin

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


- Phil

Deputy Moderator | Visit my Bradbury website: www.bradburymedia.co.uk | Listen to my Bradbury 100 podcast: https://tinyurl.com/bradbury100pod
01 February 2011, 03:32 PM
Doug Spaulding
Anglicised is a good word.


"Live Forever!"
03 February 2011, 08:01 AM
fjp451
DS, Right! I always appreciate phil's sense of humour!
03 February 2011, 08:45 AM
philnic
Humo(u)r is a good word.


- Phil

Deputy Moderator | Visit my Bradbury website: www.bradburymedia.co.uk | Listen to my Bradbury 100 podcast: https://tinyurl.com/bradbury100pod
03 February 2011, 09:18 AM
Doug Spaulding
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.)


"Live Forever!"