I'm trying to help my friend find a story that he read in the late 1960's or early 70's that he believes is by Ray Bradbury. I haven't had any luck so far. In it a man is trying to convince a woman not to get married, or to leave her husband for him. My friend thinks it took place in the autumn, and remembers a line repeated throughout about walking through leaves, or something like that. He said it wasn't science fiction- more like a human interest story. Any help you can give us would really be appreciated!

Any more details?

That is a story from Welcome To the Monkey House, by Kurt Vonnegut Jr. The name of the story is Long Walk to Forever...Similar writing styles, although this one of Kurt's was a bit more in the sappy, pop writing style. Not one of my favorites, but still commendable for having been ventured.

So it goes...

Hah!

That sounds like the right one- thanks!!

Gawd, don't let Ray hear you say "similar writing styles." When I told him Vonnegut's stories were frequently mistaken for his, he was a bit put out, as he considers Vonnegut "too negative."

How are their styles similar?
I don't see it.

Are you serious? My goodness, I find Vonnegut so uplifting...His ideas really reasonate with me..I really have a hard time choosing between vonnegut or Bradbury as my favorite author. And anyways, Ray has his own little forrays into negative writing..."And The Moon Be Still As Bright"? That's one of my fav.s, but it is very dark.

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Thoughts about Kurt Vonnegut...

Never could get myself to read Vonnegut. It's that mysterious hand that holds one back until some later event when one is ready, ready for what dwells in betwixt the melody of words, be there melody, or light, or darkness...

Besides the motion picture, 'Slaughterhouse 5', or a reading glance thru 'Sirens of Titan', I've known little of the man until...

...until a couple months ago, when I watched an interview with him on television. My impression was... 'what a vulgar man'. Has he not learned anything in all his years on this planet except about the eventual passing away of everything? It appears he has only been roughened up the more thru the years by that pain of living. He is gnarly, tough and angry. And an angry 'young' man I can see. But an angry 'old' man has missed something uplifting and dramatic in life.

Bradbury thru all his pain and losses, and tho his religion may have worn thin to most very thin, still has a glad heart, and a promising look at things future! His current Christmas card may seem rather sobering about life, but, then, at 85, it gets a little lonely out there when dear friends have died, and wife has died, relatives go away to that very same place all must go, and one's body begins to become a cumbersome topcoat, burdening the wearer.

But with Kurt Vonnegut it seems his rough and tough crustiness didn't come by overnight practice...

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This message has been edited. Last edited by: Nard Kordell,

RLS, I'm not saying Vonnegut isn't a good writer. In fact,(as I posted long ago) I really enjoyed the made-for-TV "Between Time and Timbuktu" which he worked on and which included things from many of his books.
What I am saying is that I don't find similarities in the STYLES of Bradbury and Vonnegut. Both good, both different.
I must say, however, that Uncle Ray's writing moves me and stays with me more.

Although I didn't ask Bradbury what he meant, my impression was he found Vonnegut's overall attitude negative--not his writing in particular.

Vonnegut's "God Bless You Mr. Rosewater" is a great novel I recommend to my philosophy students. It is about the ideas of universal love (represented in a negative way by Elliot's Senator-father) and particular love (represented by Elliot's quirky philanthrophy and kindnesses) and the issue of the role of money in the life of man. The book starts off with something like, (paraphrased) "A story about mankind without money would be like a story about bees without honey). The novel is quirky, humorous, thought-provoking and quick-paced; with great characters and interesting ideas and small observations about people.

There is always the argument about where the line is drawn between a writer (or movement, say, the existentialists) who is "negative" or "realistic". For me, the Vonnegut I have read, I have enjoyed.

I have not read "Slaughterhouse Five".

NOTE: Sorry for the almost double post. I thought the system had lost my first post, so I rewrote it. When it posted the second, both posts appeared.

Although I haven't read "Slaughterhouse Five" I do have Vonnegut's "God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater" on my list of optional books to read in my philosophy class.

In that book, the main character represents "personal love" while the main character's father (a US Senator) represents "Universal Love". The former is real, the latter is not real and is only an abstract idea. This issue is debated in dialog and in action throughout this short novel.

Another issue is the question of the role of money. The book starts off with the observation that a book about people that doesn't involve thoughts on money would be like a book on bees that did not involve thoughts about honey.

The novel is short, quirky, thought-provoking and has fascinating characters. I've read it several times, recommended it (and given copies of it to many) and have it on my book of lists they can select to use as a base for their final essay.

As to whether or not Vonnegut is a negative writer, I have not read enough of him to make that assessment. But I enjoyed "God Bless You Mr. Rosewater". Sometimes whether or not a writer is negative is in the eye of the beholder. Some authors would argue that they are not negative; they are realistic. That line is sometimes hard to draw.

Does anyone know if this Ray Bradbury story, written with Leigh Brackett, ("Lorelei of the Red Mist")... has ever been republished elsewhere? See photo:

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