About two summers ago a new friend lent me Dandelion Wine. My wife is a decorative artist/muralist and was working that week after hours and on Sundays at a hair salon. I accompanied here to help tape off lines and things like that but mostly just to be with her. We brought my dog Pink and I gave him a bath in one of the hair-washing-sinks, and hung out at the closed up salon. My wife was listening to the radio and it was difficult for me to read so I made myself a "cone of silence" by sitting under one of the hair dryers and turning it on (on the cool/air setting). So there I sat, under the dryer, my wife making art on a wall across from me, my dog at my feet, in the summer, reading Dandelion Wine for the first time. It was the perfect Ray Bradbury advent for me. I grew up in rural Illinois and have never lost touch with the tweleve-year-old boy that I once was (or four, seven or ten-year-old for that matter). I wept under that hair dryer. I laughed with my dog at my feet. And, in the presence of my beautiful wife, I sank my teeth into the work of this beautiful writer whom, I now know, I will never be able to get out of my system nor will I ever stop reading.

The Martian Chronicles when i was 11
then farenheit 451 in 7th grade (12 years old) and the movie which was kinda boring at times. 451 was in the curriculum my freshman year so i got to relive its awesome-ness

I now the first thing that I ever read was Fahrenheit 451, but the one that has really grabbed me is From the Dust Returned.

Like several others, my first "real" experience with Bradbury came in high school when I began reading SOMETHING WICKED THIS WAY COMES during my stint as a library aid. It smothered me and delighted me simultaneously. He is brilliant at capturing the beauty of living and its horror. Genius.

From the name, you are a DANDELION WINE man. Without a doubt,it is my favorite Bradbury writing.

To all, and especially the moderator, I am green when it comes to message boards. In a world of Xbox, I am an Atari. I have already erred and apologize. However, I do have a question. As a child, my family and I watched a movie made for television called "The Electric Grandmother" (I think). Is this story one of Bradbury's?

bitterpearl:

A version of this was an episode by Bradbury, on 'The Twilight Zone', the one hosted by Rod Serling.

If Ray had this on his The Ray Bradbury Theater, I'll leave that to someone else to answer....

I'm not a Serling expert, by any means; but Bradbury did write a story called, "I Sing the Body Electric" about a father and three kids (whose mother has died). This family orders an electric grandmother who joins the family and helps the father raise the kids.

Some good speculation about what defines life, and some thoughts on love. If love is a feeling, the electric grandmother probably doesn't love, but her comment is:

"If paying attention is love, I am love.
If knowing is love, I am love.
If helping you not to fall into error and to be good is love, I am love."

Is love a feeling, or is it actions with beneficial intentions? If the former, machines don't love; if the latter, maybe the electric grandmother does love.

Mr. Dark's above mentioned title, 'I Sing etc..' was the episode on Twilight Zone...

Again, if Ray had anything simliar on his own theater, the Ray Bradbury Theater, I don't know....

Ray's short story "I Sing the Body Electric" was also made into a 1981 made-for-TV movie called THE ELECTRIC GRANDMOTHER. The film starred Maureen Stapleton and Edward Herrmann. It's a nice film...not great, but nice. I have seen copies available for rent in video stores, as well as for sale on eBay.

It occasionally runs on the Disney Channel, and I taped it off of there about ten years ago.

It was never on the Bradbury Theater. I know this because I've seen them all. It was a made-for-TV movie, as mentioned in the above post.

Just chiming in on the original topic of this thread....

My first Bradbury experience is lost in my personal mists of antiquity, but I'm sure it was something from the Martian Chronicles or the Illustrated Man. I've been hooked ever since.

The Lake gives me goosebumps every time I re-read it, as I did last night from my tattered copy of The October Country. Love it!

OH Wow! Now I know the name of the story that got me started. It was called "All Summer in a Day." I loved htat story with all my heart. I read that story from a Literature book when i was in junior high. Then I read F451 and i was hooked. I also really enjoy Phillip Pullman's "His Dark Materials" trilogy. Read those if you like Ray B.

It was so very long ago,& I was a kid,so I'm not sure but Homecoming", "Small Assassin" , "Fever Dream", come to mind. First book I read was "October Country" or maybe "Something Wicked this Way Comes"...I think. I loved his description of October Country..where the hills are fog & the rivers are mist,& the people passing on the walks at night sound like rain". All I know is that I was hooked on his prose & style from the start. I'm currently reading "From the Dust Returned".